Update from March 20, 2015

The Royal Visit to the United States this week coincided with the Healthy Cities Symposium, presented by National Trust Council member and local preservation supporter Christina Lee Brown. As part of the two days of programming on health and the environment, National Trust CEO Stephanie Meeks moderated a panel discussion on the importance of preserving the built environment and successful economic development. Mark Huppert, of Point B Consulting; Gill Holland, a successful local developer; and Jim Lindberg, Senior Director of the Trust’s Preservation Green Lab tackled the subject of why Louisville’s older buildings and blocks are key components in building a successful and sustainable future. To underscore the importance of the city’s historic assets, Stephanie finished the panel by announcing the Heart of Louisville as the newest National Treasure to Mayor Greg Fischer who was accompanied by Prince Charles.

“Louisville’s historic buildings are as much a part of the city’s identity as bourbon and baseball bats,” she said. “The Heart of Louisville project will explore preservation strategies to address these complex issues and serve as a model for other cities across the country dealing with similar challenges. We are proud to partner with the City of Louisville to make sure that historic places intertwined with the city’s identity, like Whiskey Row and Main Street, are a vibrant part of its future. ”

Prince Charles then surprised the audience with an impromptu explanation for his interest in historic preservation and how small, everyday places matter as much as the larger, iconic places we sometimes focus on as a preservation movement. Read more about the Royal Visit and about the Heart of Louisville Treasure work.