A free panel presentation for municipal leadership, business owners, and community and historical organizations.
Register by email to [email protected].
TOPICS & PANELISTS:
Historic Conservation Strategy for the PA Route 6 Heritage Corridor (Download PowerPoint PDF)
The PA Route 6 Alliance is publishing a historic conservation strategy as part of its Management Action Plan. This presentation will outline that strategy and suggestions for Erie County communities that are within the PA Route 6 Heritage Corridor, which included Route 6N. It will describe the importance of historical conservation to the economic health of the region, highlight the intrinsic assets that are part of the Great Lakes Character and provide information on the technical assistance available through the PA Route 6 Alliance.
Terri Dennison, Executive Director, Pennsylvania Route 6 Alliance
Historic Preservation as Community Asset Management (Download PowerPoint PDF)
Historic preservation isn’t about preservation advocates chaining themselves to buildings to “stop progress,” just the opposite. Instead, communities need to take into account historic resources as part of larger, sustainable investment and development strategies. This session will explore the essentials of economic development in a context of historic preservation; debunk some myths about preservation and development and outline steps communities can take to benefit from the economic opportunities provided by 21st century preservation practice.
Bill Callahan, Western PA Community Preservation Coordinator, Pennsylvania State Historic Preservation Office
Making the Connection between Planning and Preservation (Download PowerPoint PDF)
If plans are documents that sit on a shelf, how do they lead to meaningful outcomes? Understand how a pragmatic planning process could and should lead to real actions that can be achieved by any community, no matter the size. Grassroots and government can partner to help preserve historic fabric while incentivizing economic development without breaking the checkbook but it takes a collective voice and well defined strategy.
Kathy Wryosdick, Director, Erie County Department of Planning
Preserving Titusville: Finding a Path towards Raising Awareness & Executing Historic Preservation (Download PowerPoint PDF)
The approach to and use of preservation tools in historic Titusville, PA continues to evolve…in an exciting way! This presentation will focus on the various grassroots methods that have been undertaken in the city to create an awareness of the myriad of historically and architecturally significant buildings in Titusville and the options to explore to enable their preservation.
Abigail Watson-Popescu, Titusville Planning Commission
Panel Facilitator: Melinda Meyer, Preservation Erie
Download event flyer HERE.
About the Panelists:
Bill Callahan is the western Pennsylvania community preservation coordinator for the Pennsylvania State Historic Preservation Office (PASHPO). The PASHPO, formerly the Bureau for Historic Preservation, is part of the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission and Bill is located at the Fort Pitt Museum in Pittsburgh. The PASHPO is responsible for implementing state and federal historic preservation programs throughout the Commonwealth. Bill has over 25 years’ experience working with federal, state and local historic preservation programs in Pennsylvania, Illinois and Nebraska and has also worked in the private sector, for several years managing two businesses in an historic downtown. Contact Bill at [email protected] and 412-565-3575.
Terri Dennison is the Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Route 6 Alliance. The PA Route 6 Heritage Alliance is the management entity for the PA Route 6 Heritage Corridor, one of 12 designated Pennsylvania Heritage Areas. Through the PA Route 6 Alliance, Dennison works with local, state and federal agencies to stimulate community and economic growth in the northern tier of Pennsylvania while preserving the quality of life that is enjoyed by the residents. Dennison has a Masters in Tourism Planning and Development from California University of PA.
While Abigail Watson-Popescu’s higher education background is in English literature, she was introduced to historic preservation eight years ago as a volunteer for the Oil Region Alliance’s Ida Tarbell House restoration project. In the time since, she has acquired an AAS degree in Building Preservation/Restoration from Belmont College in St. Clairsville, OH, which she completed in 2011. In the spring of 2014, she became a member of the Titusville Planning Commission, a group of five individuals appointed by City Council to address and make recommendations on various planning matters in the town, including the historic district zoning overlay in the City of Titusville. She is also a member of several preservation related organizations in the area.
Kathy Wryosdick is the Erie County Director of Planning and has been with the County for 11 months. She is charged with the oversight and management of programs administered through the Erie County Department of Planning. As a certified planner with the American Institute of Certified Planners for over 20 years she has worked on initiatives at the regional, local and neighborhood level. Prior to coming to Erie County, Kathy focused on issues of blight and downtown preservation West Virginia.