Philadelphia’s threatened Church of the Assumption. Credit: Jonathon Much, Much Photography
Next City is hosting a live blog of the 2013 Reclaiming Vacant Properties conference, now ongoing in Philadelphia.
Zach Patten of Curbed Philly contributed to this story.
The Reclaiming Vacant Properties conference turned its eye to preservation at an afternoon session on Tuesday, with panelists exploring how shrinking cities and neighborhoods can become more desirable and healthier places to live.
Demolition versus rehabilitation was the crux of the conversation. While stressing the importance of educating the public about a neighborhood’s historic assets, the panelists made it clear that preservationists advocating for rehabilitation must convey why redevelopment is better than teardowns.