Planning for Higher Education Journal

Recently, campus planners have become more aware of historic preservation issues. This is due in part to the increasing number of buildings on many campuses that are reaching eligibility on the National Register of Historic Places. Campus expansion more often also means the need to deal cautiously with surrounding historic neighborhoods. A discussion of historic preservation, even when an insitution is in a financial crisis, can help avoid both public outcry and potential irreversible illegal actions. The effects of Modernism in the 1950s and expansion in the 1960s and early 1970s show the damage that can be done if preservation is not taken seriously. Many insitutions since then have made preservation a priority. The following framework is suggested as a way creating a preservation program: (1) "Survey": this "involves an inventory of potential historic properties owned or which may be aqcuired." (2) "Plan": a preservation guideline that "accommodates insitutional goals and assesses potential benefits/consequences." (3) "Nominate": prepare nomination to the National Register of Historic Places. (4) "Preserve": make conscious effort to maintain these elements. (5) "Repair and Rehab": keep historic properties in good condition and "guarantee future vitality as productive facilites." A balance must be found and "guarantee future vitality as productive facilites." A balance must also be found between preserving historic sites and allowing for growth. Finding this balance is the role of the planning professional. An awareness of the importance of these sites will prove to be in the best interest of the professional, the college, and historic preservation.

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