What & Why of Historic Preservation

What is historic preservation? 

• Historic preservation means safeguarding the existence and appearance of historic elements within our community.
   
• Historical value can be found in an example of a style of architecture or industrial process that is no longer used, age, or perhaps association with a famous person or event.
   
• Historic elements may include structures—houses, commercial and industrial buildings, barns, bridges, monuments or any man-made structure that has some historical value or significance.
   
• Yorktown neighborhoods can be considered historically important because their architecture reflects a previous era. Building features such as signs, wall plaques or murals may also be historically significant. Landscape elements such as trees, stone walls or winding streams – in place for generations – can also be worthy of preservation.
   
• Although historic preservation most commonly refers to physical places, it can also apply to aspects of cultural heritage, such as the impact of indigenous settlers, or what subsistence farming meant to our community.

Why is historic preservation important?

• Preserves the historic, architectural and aesthetic character and heritage of our community, and helps to provide a sense of place and continuity; it helps us keep our identity intact.

• Contributes to community pride; can inform a better understanding of our community’s present.

• Helps prevent community sprawl.  Since historic buildings already exist, and since most are in built-up areas, each one that is rehabilitated and used eliminates the need for a new building in an area that is not yet built up.

• Uses resources efficiently. Historic preservation conserves resources, reduces waste, and saves money by repairing and reusing existing buildings instead of tearing them down and building new ones. Reusing a historic structure versus tearing it down and building with new materials helps to greatly reduce the carbon footprint of a building.

• Preserves old methods of workmanship. Because many modern buildings are built on the assumption that they will only be needed for a relatively short time – 25 to 30 years – before they are replaced, workmanship and building methods of all but the most significant buildings are not as careful or durable as methods used in the past, when buildings were expected to last indefinitely.

• Adds character and/or charm to our community. The preservation of old buildings, neighborhoods, and landscapes can determine the look of Yorktown, and can attract tourists as well. If these elements are historically significant or unusual, they can lead to other improvements.

• Makes an attractive investment. Historic buildings can be affordable for businesses to rehabilitate of the possibility of tax incentives, grants, and other support for that activity.  In addition, they may attract business in and of themselves, simply because people are often fascinated by them.

• Attracts investment and changes the nature of a deteriorating neighborhood. A rehabilitated historic building or neighborhood might be the focus of a new residential or commercial development. An area restored to its original appearance could serve as a magnet for tourists, and provide jobs for local residents. Local residents could also be employed in rehabilitation or restoration as artisans or workers.

• Provides an opportunity for imaginative reuse of a building.  An old restored train station, such as ours, turned into a museum or visitor’s center rescues the structure and provides much-needed housing for the area. An old church, rehabilitated as a restaurant or winery, such as the St. George Restaurant in Mohegan Lake, may address a culinary opportunity in the community.