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DSMRC Names 2009 Most Endangered Buildings!

A former Iowa governor’s home and one of Des Moines’ last remaining railroad depots are among those named to the Des Moines Rehabber’s Club “Seven Most Endangered Buildings” for 2009. View the complete list and feel free to leave your comments.

Endangered Buildings Discussion Questions

Here is a list of questions to spark thinking about preservation and reuse of historic buildings. Please feel free to add your own suggested questions and/or responses in the comments below.

  1. What makes a building "historic"? Is it related to age, design, location, social context, occupancy, or some combination of these factors? Which is most important?

  2. Does a building have to be individually significant or architecturally unique to be worth preserving?
  3. How dependent on its physical context is a historic building? If nearby buildings are demolished, does it affect the historic character of the remaining structures?
  4. Is there ever a case when a historic building should be demolished? What are the determining factors?
  5. Is it acceptable to drastically alter the interior of a historic building if the outside appearance is preserved?
  6. Should there be restrictions on what people can do to historic buildings? Who should determine if a building is historic? What should the consequences be?

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