By Denice Thibodeau
Register & Bee staff writer
Published: September 13, 2008
About 75 people gathered at the former Main Street United Methodist Church on Saturday for the second annual Preservation Summit, held by the Danville Preservation League.
This year’s theme was “Preservation Pays: Economic Development through Historic Preservation,” discussions focusing on how historic preservation efforts can help bring economic development to communities.
Danville Mayor Sherman Saunders led off the event, talking about the efforts Danville’s leaders have made to preserve the city’s historic integrity while bringing growth to the region.
“Over the past four years, we have accomplished the impossible,” Saunders said. “Through hard work, tenacity and sheer determination, we have transformed several of our historic districts into shining examples of historic preservation.”
Saunders pointed to the redevelopment of the Crossing at the Dan and the Tobacco Warehouse District, as well as the city’s aggressive downtown façade program, as examples of historic preservation successes.
Saunders was followed by Donovan Rypkema of PlaceEconomics, a Washington-based real estate and economic development consulting firm.
Rypkema told the crowd that historic preservation needs to be combined with housing, tourism, economic development and other factors to be a success.
He also pointed out that heritage visitors — those who visit cities and towns to see its historic buildings and places — have an important impact on local economies.
“They visit museums, Civil War battlefields, battle sites,” he said. “They stay longer, visit more places and spend two-and-half times as much as other visitors.”
The church was officially dedicated with a ribbon-cutting led by Saunders. It will be the new home of the Danville Preservation League and other preservation groups, according to member Sarah Latham.
