In general, renovation is "greener" than new construction. The folks over at Jetson Green have published a list of ten reason sprawl isn't green. I don't agree that all of these reasons should be placed in the "anti-green" category - some of them refer specifically to social problems more than ecological consequences of sprawl.

The Des Moines Register has published an in-depth story of River Bend neighborhood residents' fight to reduce crime.

Troubled by the high number of renters and multi-family homes in the area, Jenison said her association has lobbied for zoning changes.

"We would like to swing the balance over more toward homeowners because of the investment they make," Jenison said. "Homeowners are vested in the neighborhood."

[Read more on DesMoinesRegister.com]

The following is the text from a talk I gave at the Terrace Hill Tea on November 17, 2009.

Introduction

Thank you to the Terrace Hill Foundation for inviting me to speak to you today. I can not think of a better place to be discussing preservation and renovation than in this beautiful building.

Perhaps it is just a general appreciation of craftsmanship. Perhaps it is an interest in historic people and events. Either way, your presence here at this event says that you probably understand to some degree the importance of buildings as part of our shared history.

Several people wrote to the Des Moines Rehabbers Club e-mail group in response to the question, "Why do old buildings matter?" Here are some of the responses.

B.S. writes:

For me, older buildings were built with aesthetics in mind and with better materials - built with soul and built to last. Renovating one of these makes sense as, once back into shape, they will continue to feed the soul and outlast new pre fabs, which have little tie to art.

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?

Please see the main article at http://renovatedsm.com/node/277.

In an article published on July 10, 2008, the Des Moines Register claims that "More Iowans like suburban life". The article is based on updated Census estimates for 2007. In fact, an examination of the underlying data leads me to the opposite conclusion: More Iowans actually prefer living in central cities and towns.

Here are some reasons why:

A Wordle picture of the "Renovation Timeline" introduction page.

Make your own Wordle at http://wordle.net

For whatever reason, residential and commercial growth in Des Moines' suburban areas has eclipsed that in the City. I'm not going to delve into the underlying reasons for this disparity (yes, I have my opinions). Let it suffice to say that on Earth Day in particular, it is important to take a step back and examine a couple of the ways one's choice of where to live impacts the environment.

A couple weeks ago, CityView columnist Kent Carlson wrote an article discussing his primal need to renovate. He started with a fixer-upper in Highland Park that he converted back from a four family to a single family home. He moved on to another "reducing" project behind Terrace Hill, and is now living in and renovating a former opera house outside of Des Moines. He has found creative uses for interesting architectural salvage pieces such as teller cages, old windows, and even a front porch from another house!

Many people view preparing drawings and getting permits as an unnecessary burden imposed in an authoritarian manner. Everyone involved in the construction industry has heard horror stories of overzealous inspectors that simply can't be pleased. I am asked regularly by clients to commiserate on the needless headaches inspired by the permitting and inspection process.

People have been “planning” for millennia, but urban planning as a profession has existed for just a few centuries. Planning is based on the idea that spatial location and characteristics can influence social norms and support the public good. Zoning ordinances and comprehensive plans are a contemporary examples of planning, but at its most basic level, planning is simply a way of attempting to exert some control over the collective through rational decision making.

Architectural design in any existing neighborhood is a complex and demanding process. In low to moderate income neighborhoods, these complexities are intensified by the presence of people who often harbor a sincere and justifiable skepticism of outsiders. Low and moderate income residents (particularly renters) are rarely paying clients, yet their lives are inextricably intertwined with the outcomes of development and construction projects in their neighborhoods.