Historic Preservation Plan
Background
In 2009, the City of Bethlehem received a federal Preserve
America grant to complete a citywide Historic Preservation
Plan (the “Plan”). Bethlehem is using this opportunity
to create a cohesive strategy to ensure that significant historic
and cultural assets in the City—including buildings,
neighborhoods, industrial remnants, oral histories, cultural
sites and traditions—are preserved and utilized for
positive economic and community development. The initiative,
which is being overseen by the Pennsylvania Historical and
Museum Commission (PHMC), is expected to run throughout 2010.
Purpose
The first objective of the Preservation Plan is to take
a census of the significant historical and cultural resources
in the City. Some of these resources may not qualify for local
designation as an historic resource or listing on the National
Register of Historic Places, but they are nonetheless valuable
to Bethlehem residents.
Once these assets have been identified, they will be analyzed,
with your help, to determine which resources are priorities
for preservation (because we cannot possibly save everything)
and what is the most appropriate tool for preservation (including
historic districts, overlay zones, and other measures) to
protect the resource. We will also explore how the resources
can be leveraged to promote other City-wide goals such as
economic development, heritage tourism, job creation, education,
sustainability, workforce housing, etc.
Who is Preparing the Preservation Plan
The City created a Preservation Plan Task Force (the “Task
Force”) composed of 15 representatives from various
constituencies within the City’s preservation, development,
government, education and institutional communities. The City
has retained Phillips Preiss Grygiel LLC (PPG), a planning
and real estate consulting firm based in Hoboken, NJ, to work
with the Task Force on the preparation of the Plan. However,
the participation of Bethlehem residents, business owners
and other community members is vital to the success of the
Plan.
Where can I learn more and get involved?
Please visit http://preservebethlehem.com/
for up to date information.
Read
the draft preservation plan.
|
