contributions of historic preservation · contributions of historic preservation to the quality of...

Center for Governmental Responsibility, University of Florida Levin College of Law • Department of Urban and Regional Planning,UF College of Design, Construction and Planning • Center for Tourism Research and Development, UF College of Health and Human Performance

Department of Museum Studies, UF College of Fine Arts • Florida Trust for Historic Preservation

E X E C U T I V E S U M M A R Y

Contributions of Historic PreservationT O T H E Q U A L I T Y O F L I F E I N F L O R I D A

In the preamble to the National Historic Preservation Act, Congress found that the preservation of America’s heritage“. . .is in the public interest so that its vital legacy of cultural, educational, aesthetic, inspirational, economic andenergy benefits will be maintained and enriched for future generations of Americans.” In other words, in 1966,Congress was convinced that the American public’s “quality of life” would improve as an indigenous part of the preser-vation of its historic towns and neighborhoods. Four decades later, National Trust for Historic Preservation PresidentRichard Moe opened the annual conference with remarks that re-confirmed that organization’s concern for “quality oflife” and how preservation, if properly integrated, can better our communities.

Recently, Donovan Rypkema, one of the nation’s foremost preservation planners, made the observation about newlyrevitalized historic areas that not long ago were nearly dead: “I do not know of a single sustained success story indowntown revitalization anywhere in the US where restoration (preservation) was not a key component of the effort.That doesn’t mean it isn’t theoretically possible to have downtown revitalization but no restoration, but I don’t knowabout it, I haven’t read about it, I haven’t seen it.”

Indeed, the well-being and potential for the recycling of older communities is an increasing concern in states such asFlorida in all aspects of urban and regional planning. For some time, preservationists have suspected that there is areal connection with a tangible and elusive community spirit that rises from a sense of place often associated withunique neighborhoods, whether they qualify for the National Register of Historic Places, or not. It just so happens thatrecognized neighborhoods have one up on those that do not have that identity.

By understanding how this connection works, we can see the means to maintain the cultural and historical qualitiesthat contribute to Florida's older neighborhoods while also meeting the needs of quality living and housing. As thisstudy shows, quality of life is now being measured from all angles; its quantifiable qualities can in large part includestandard of living, economic and housing opportunities, as well as access to goods and services. Quality of life can alsoencompass freedom, happiness, creativity and artistic impression, environment, and health -- qualities that are far harder to measure.

Although in the past historic preservation has too often been seen as a separate and prior activity that prepares theway for the improvement of neighborhoods, we know now that revitalization requires that historic sites be given a rolein the life of the community. The point is not to place the community’s historic assets under lock and key, but to integrate them safely and evenly into the fabric of everyday life. Local residents can benefit through outdoor markets,handicrafts, houses, cuisine, businesses, civic and religious centers, and interpretive components such as learning andrecreational activities that complement a historic site’s didactic offerings and convey a special meaning between itspast, present and future. The more the community is involved, the more successful and inviting the area will becomefor everyone.

Because of this overlap in the relationship between better quality of life and historic preservation, when properly inte-grated into planning, this very much needed report exploring these conditions will help in developing an integratedapproach to planning for historic and other uniquely special communities in Florida. It is a worthy companion to thepreviously published “Economic Impacts of Historic Preservation in Florida”.

Roy Eugene GrahamFAIA, Fellow US/ICOMOSBeinecke-Reeves Distinguished ProfessorDirector, College Preservation ProgramsSchool of ArchitectureCollege of Design, Construction and PlanningUniversity of Florida

C H A P T E R 1 P A G E 4

Introduction & Overview

C H A P T E R 2 P A G E 1 0

Quality of Life Indicators


Preservation Laws & Policies


Heritage Tourism


History Museums


Historic and Affordable Housing


Acknowledgments

N O V E M B E R 2 0 0 6

Authors/Editors:

Timothy McLendon Staff Attorney, Center for GovernmentalResponsibility, University of Florida Levin College of Law

Kristin Larsen, Ph.D., AICP Assistant ProfessorDepartment of Urban andRegional Planning, University of Florida

JoAnn Klein Development Director,Center for Governmental

Responsibility, University of Florida Levin College of Law

Rhonda Phillips, Ph.D., AICP CEcD, Director Center for Building BetterCommunities, AssociateProfessor, Urban andRegional Planning,Department, College ofDesign, Construction andPlanning, University of Florida

Glenn Willumson, Ph.D.Associate Professor of Art History, Director

of the Graduate Program inMuseum Studies, University of Florida

Lori Pennington-Gray, Ph.D.Center for Tourism Research and DevelopmentCollege of Health andHuman Performance,University of Florida

John Confer, Ph.D.Center for Tourism Research and DevelopmentCollege of Health andHuman Performance,University of Florida

Contributions ofHistoric PreservationT O T H E Q U A L I T Y O F L I F E I N F L O R I D A

Photos: COVER (clockwise from top left) Mission San Luis, Tallahassee, winner of the 2006 “Preserve America” Presidential Award for HeritageTourism; Miami Beach Art Deco District; Mount Dora’s Historic District; andLake Mirror Promenade, Lakeland. TABLE OF CONTENTS: (top) Cá d’Zan,Ringling Estate, Sarasota. BACK COVER: Ybor City.

St. Augustine4

• Indian Mounds• 18th century Spanish colonial

resources • Cracker structures of the 19th

century • Bungalows and chert houses of the

early 20th century • The distinctive modern style of the

Sarasota School of Architecture • Roadside structures and sites such

as the early theme parks • 1950s ranch houses that are just

now becoming eligible for listingin the National Register of HistoricPlaces and many local registers.

The heritage of our past and theproductive, respectful use of such his-toric places in the present strengthenthe quality of life for the future of ourstate. Identifying what is distinctiveand shared about this heritage isessential to understanding how his-toric preservation contributes to thequality of life in Florida.

What is the relationship betweenhistoric preservation and quality of life? Historic preservation contributes to economic and cultur-al values in the State of Florida.Those cultural values are reflected inthe quality of life found in the state’scommunities from small towns tolarge urban areas. Historic preserva-tion contributes to quality of life dueto the sense of place created by thetangible and intangible characteris-tics of Florida’s historic places.

Florida’s elected officials havedirectly addressed the significanceof historic preservation to the quality of life in Florida, findingthat: “The rich and unique heritage

of historic properties in this state,

representing more

than 10,000 years of

human presence, is an

important legacy to be

valued and conserved

for present and

future generations.

The destruction of

these nonrenewable

historical resources

will engender a signif-

icant loss to the

state's quality of life,

economy, and cultural

environment.”

(FLA. STAT. § 267.01(1)(A))

This report, “Contributions ofHistoric Preservation to the Qualityof Life in Florida”, represents thefirst statewide study of how historicpreservation fits into the overallquality of life in Florida. The reportincludes models and tools availableto further historic preservation inFlorida and to measure the impactof historical structures, events, andrelated activities on the enhance-ment of the quality of life in Florida.It is sponsored by the FloridaHistorical Commission and the

Division of Historical Resources inthe Florida Department of State.

This report, a collaboration offour different colleges of theUniversity of Florida and a non-profit organization specializing inhistoric preservation, is a follow-upto a 2002 report on the “EconomicImpacts of Historic Preservation inFlorida”, with the same sponsorsand some of the same research teammembers. The two studies differ inthat the economic impacts study

was derived from aquantitative review ofavailable data relatedto historic preserva-tion. That studyoffered a statewideanalysis of historicpreservation activityin Florida. It exam-ined direct and multi-plier effects frominvestment in historicpreservation through-out the state in suchactivities as historicrehabilitation of all

types of properties, heritagetourism, Main Street investment,grants programs, tax credits andmuseum operations.

The quality of life study, con-tained in this Executive Summary,while reviewing many of the sameprograms available in Florida in thefield of historic preservation, pres-ents a qualitative analysis. Explicitmeasuring that results in a definitivenumber or dollar amount is not easily ascertainable for quality oflife. For that reason, this report is

Introduction & Overview

1

The State of Florida’s heritage, whether in

archaeological resources, historic structures, sites, and

districts, spans the entire era of human settlement:

CONTRIBUTIONS OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION TO THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN FLORIDA 5

DeFuniak Springsome of the most lovingly preserved and picturesque downtowns arefound in Florida’s small towns. For sheer harmony and grace, DeFuniakSprings may be the state’s most unspoiled city.”1

DeFuniak Springs shares a great deal with many other Florida cities– it was founded in the late nineteenth century when a variety of people wereattracted to the state by a stream of publications that celebrated Florida’s exoticlandscape. As in many towns founded at that time, the railroad played a pivotalrole; and development concentrated around the city’s spring-fed lake and reflect-ed a mix of low density commercial, govern-mental, religious, and residential structures inthe vernacular and late Victorian styles thattypified the era.

What is distinctive about DeFuniakSprings is its sense of place reinforced by itssocial history – connected to the ChautauquaInstitute founded in 1869 in New York State.From its first assembly in 1885 until the early1930s, DeFuniak Springs functioned as thesouthernmost home of the adult education movement that endorsed learning in apleasing natural and built environment to uplift the intellect and the spirit.

In 1902, nationally prominent architects were hired to develop a plan to makethe settlement into a model town. The layout – a public park surrounding the lakewith public buildings interspersed in the landscape bounded by a street fromwhich axial roads extend – makes the lake the town’s centerpiece. Homes pre-dominantly sit across the lakefront drive and the nearby railroad station forms thecenter of the town’s commercial district. This core area of the historic town waslisted in the National Register of Historic Places in 1992.

1. Mormino, G.R. (2005). Land of Sunshine, State of Dreams: A Social History of Modern Florida. Gainesville, FL: Univ. Press of Florida, p. 40.

compiled by a collaboration of researchers,representing experts in the respective fieldsaddressed in this study.

While measuring economic impactscan be approached from a statewide level,quality of life evaluations occur moreoften at the local level. Measuring qualityof life occurs in people’s perceptions andenjoyment of their state and communi-ties. It looks at the physical environmentbut also the cultural aspects of the community. Defining quality of life issuesencompasses several components,including historic preservation. Howdoes historic preservation impact the livability of a city or a community?

The challenge posed in this researchis identifying, developing, or applyingmethods for assessing the impact of his-toric preservation on the quality of life inFlorida’s communities. The value of thisreport is to assist individuals, neighbor-hoods, and communities in identifyingcreative methods for fostering historicpreservation and for measuring its contri-bution to the quality of life in an area.

A 2005-2006 survey found thatFlorida residents are aware of their his-toric resources (roughly 55% of 1505respondents had visited a historic site inthe past year) and value the role that his-toric preservation plays in the state ofFlorida. Specifically, preservation is val-ued for what it can contribute to futuregenerations (24%), for aesthetic reasons(17%), for educational reasons (14%),and for environmental reasons (13%)(see Russin in Technical Report to this work).

QUALITY OF LIFE & HISTORICPRESERVATION COMPONENTS

Researchers in this study examinedhistoric preservation’s impact on Florida’squality of life in five key areas:

Quality of Life Indicators

Community indicators allow us toexplore the relationship between his-

S


“

toric preservation and quality of life,expressed in terms of explicit out-comes. Community indicators arebits of information that when com-bined, provide a picture of what ishappening locally. Quality of life isreflective of the values that exist in acommunity, and indicators can beused to identify and promote a par-ticular set of values. This chapterincludes a chart of indicators to usein gauging, protecting, enhancing,and interfacing with historic preser-vation. The research also providesrecommendations for implementingthe framework through monitoringand measuring the indicators.

The Northeast Florida communi-ty of Fernandina Beach is offered as acase study of how economic develop-ment and historic preservation canbe compatible and integrated to pro-vide desirable outcomes while pro-tecting a community’s valuableresources.


Laws and policies reflect the pri-orities of a democratic society. Theyrestrict things deemed harmful andseek to promote actions that areviewed as beneficial. Historic preser-vation laws reflect a decision by pol-icy makers that our heritage,whether national or local, is signifi-cant and should be preserved forfuture generations.

This chapter discusses the twotypes of laws and policies that promote historic preservation: regu-lations and incentives.

Community programs that aredescribed in this chapter include:mitigation efforts to protect historicresources in an interstate wideningin Tampa; the Bridge of Lions reha-bilitation in St. Augustine; adaptivereuse of an old church in TampaHeights; Emerson Apartments reha-

bilitation and Pennsylvania Hotelrehabilitation, both in St. Petersburg;and projects enabled by state grantsand the Florida Main Street Program.

Heritage Tourism

Historic preservation and heritagetourism support one another. Historicpreservation provides the setting, thehistory, the persona, and the tradi-tions for heritage tourism; heritagetourism provides the opportunity toeducate, enjoy, and appreciate historicpreservation.

The chapter on heritage tourismexamines a county’s investment inheritage tourism by evaluating thepercentage of annual tourist-relatedtax revenue that the county allocatesfor activities and programs related tohistoric preservation. The researchersexamine three case studies of use oflodging tax, including:

• Suwannee County• Monroe County• St. Johns County

History Museums

Arguably, the central mission ofhistory museums is to preserve the

Milton Riverwalk

Palm Beach


past for local audiences that arediverse and include seniors, tourists,and school children. In fact, Floridaeducators and history museumswork in collective partnerships toutilize this community resource as aneducational tool. The chapter on his-tory museums assesses history muse-ums’ effect on three areas of qualityof life:

• Education• Community• Economy

Researchers, through survey andinterviews, collected data from historymuseums located throughout the stateto assess what programming and sup-port services the museums offer inways that positively affect the quality oflife in their communities. From thosefindings, the researchers selected threecase studies that represent a broadspectrum of Florida historic museums,including: 1. St. Augustine Lighthouse and

Museum, a large history museum; 2. Fort Christmas Historical Park in

Central Florida, a small historymuseum in a rural area;

3. Riley House Museum, a small his-tory museum near Tallahassee,specializing in a particular topic. These case studies are described in

detail in the Technical Report thataccompanies this Executive Summary.

Historic & Affordable Housing

Affordable housing and historicresources can mutually co-exist inneighborhoods and communities,though the rehabilitation of deterio-rated houses may indeed pose chal-lenges to affordability. The chapter onaffordable housing identifies creativesolutions to conflicts of gentrification,sustainability, and rehabilitation.

What tools are available to attractthe private sector to undertake suchrehabilitation projects? Among themare building codes that accommodate

rehabilitation, neighborhood conserva-tion districts to complement local his-toric districts, community land trusts,expansion of existing revitalizationprograms, the historic rehabilitationtax credit combined with the low-income housing tax credit, preserva-tion easements, revolving loan funds,property tax relief to address increasedproperty values due to historic desig-nation, and coordinated planning toproactively address potential chal-lenges such as gentrification.

Specific case studies examine theuse of Conservation Districts inTampa, Sarasota and Zephyrhills, aswell as an investigation of aCommunity Land Trust in Key West.

Within these five areas, researchersidentify quality of life indicators thatcan be used to determine how thatcomponent contributes positively to acommunity. Individual case studies areselected to illustrate how to evaluatequality of life indicators.

Bridge of Lions, St. Augustine


SURVEY FINDINGSTo better gauge public perceptions

of the relationship between historicpreservation and quality of life,researchers commissioned a three-month-long survey of the attitudes ofFloridians in regard to these topics.More than 1,500 Floridians were ran-domly sampled and interviewedbetween November, 2005 andJanuary, 2006. The survey was con-ducted by the University of FloridaSurvey Research Center, the researchand service unit of the Bureau ofEconomic and Business Research atthe University of Florida.

The complete findings of the sur-vey are included in the TechnicalReport that accompanies thisExecutive Summary. Two key findings emerged that are

relevant to this project.

1. Respondents identified what theysee as Florida’s most threatenedhistoric resources as, in order: his-toric and scenic landscapes (21%);old homes and neighborhoods(21%); and old downtowns (17%).

2. Respondents said the most importantreasons to preserve Florida’s historicresources are, in order: for future gen-erations (24%); scenic reasons (17%);and education (14%). These findingsappear to indicate that the Floridianssurveyed have an appreciation forhistoric resources and see a need topreserve them for the future. The following chapters detail how

each component of historic preservationcan be measured to determine its impacton quality of life in Florida. Detaileddescriptions of each of these programsare included in the Technical Report thatsupplements this Executive Summary.

Which historic resources in Floridaare the most threatened?

� Old downtowns among most threatened 17%

� Public buildings among most threatened 8%

� Old homes and neighborhoods among mostthreatened 21%

� Old schools among most threatened 7%

� Historic and scenic landscape among mostthreatened 21%

� Old industrial sites among most threatened 3%

� Archeological sites among most threatened 12%

� Other 8%

� Don’t Know 3%

� Scenic among most important reasons to preserve 17%

� Affordable housing among most important reasons to preserve 4%

� Economic redevelopment among most important reasons to preserve 6%

� Education among most important reasons to preserve 14%

� For future generations among most important reasons to preserve 24%

� Environmental reasons among most important reasons to preserve 13%

� Sense of place among most important reasons to preserve 9%

� Promote tourism among most important reasons to preserve 10%

� Other 2%

� Don’t Know 1%

Mandarin Museum, located on the site whereHarriet Beecher Stowe’s house once stood


17%

8%

21%

7%

21%

3%

12%

8%3%

17%

4%

6%

14%

24%

13%

9%

10%2% 1%

What are the most important reasons to preserve Florida’s

historic resources?

DeFuniak Springs10

There are numerous referencesto quality of life in historic preser-vation documents, in all types ofliterature – popular press, academ-ic, and practitioner related works.Quality of life is assumed to be oneof the valuable outcomes of his-toric preservation efforts, yet thereare not many evident attempts toexpress this relationship explicitly.It is this implicit, assumed naturethat provides the research opportu-nity at hand: what is the strength ofthis relationship, expressed interms of explicit outcomes such as impacts?

This report pres-ents a framework forexploring the relation-ship between qualityof life and historicpreservation, usingcommunity indicators.

This chapter pres-ents a set of indica-tors, based on avail-able historic preserva-tion programs, sites,and activities, by which communityleaders can develop an evaluativenumber to measure their contribu-tions to the quality of life of the area.

The measure can then be used tomonitor the success of a communityin contributing positively to thequality of life.

INDICATORS What is the appeal

of indicators? Whenused as a system, theyhold much promiseas an evaluation tool.What makes indica-tors any differentfrom other measuresof aspects of places,such as job growth,per capita income, orhousing prices? The

key is developing an integrativeapproach – one that considers theimpacts of change not only in eco-nomic terms, but also the social/

Quality of Life Indicators Historic preservation provides numerous benefits,

including a profound and positive effect on quality

of life for citizens and visitors alike.

2

Micanopy


FernandinaBeach

ernandina Beach is locatedon Amelia Island, a coastalbarrier island along thenortheastern Florida coast.

It is one of three incorporated areasin Nassau County and containsmany of the area’s historic proper-ties. Its rich history includes the dis-tinction of being the last town plat-ted by the Spanish before theyceded Florida to the United Statesin the early 1800’s. As one of theoldest settlements in Florida, itoffers a charming Victorian seasidesetting. Fernandina Beach wasnamed "One of a Dozen DistinctiveDestinations Worth Discovering" in2002 by the National Trust forHistoric Preservation. Given itsexpansive historic resources, it pro-vides an excellent case study ofhow economic development andhistoric preservation can be com-patible and integrated to providethe community desirable outcomeswhile protecting valuable resources.

Fernandina Beach has a rich his-toric fabric that for decades in theearly and mid-20th century did notreceive development pressures likeother Atlantic coastal towns inFlorida. This turned out to be veryfortuitous for present day outcomes –because of its relative isolation awayfrom the rapid build-up areas, the citywas able to preserve its historic fab-ric. By the late 1960’s, some began torealize what treasures these historicresources represented and initiatedefforts to revitalize and preservethem. They realized that theresources represented a basis onwhich to build a tourism industryand the basis for desirable economicdevelopment outcomes. Actually,Fernandina Beach “rebuilt” atourism industry because in the late1800’s, the city was a well recog-nized tourist destination, promotedand renowned by many as the"Newport of the South" (referring toNewport, Rhode Island, as a popularseaport resort town).

There are two historic districts inFernandina Beach that together con-tain 336 historic buildings. The dis-tricts are: 1. Old Town – This district encom-

passes the original settlement areafor Fernandina Beach and abuts thewaters of Amelia River.

2. Downtown Historic District – This district, the Fernandina Beach Historic District, is a result of development of Fernandina in its “new” location to the south ofOld Town Fernandina after the mid-19th century. The City of Fernandina Beach has

benefited tremendously from its his-toric resources and by pursuingpreservation-led strategies for eco-nomic development. Its downtowndistrict is a major attraction for manytourists each year and offers a uniqueand quaint experience that is differentfrom many coastal towns where allthe same chain stores may exist andnewer buildings are the standard. It isa charming Victorian era seaside townand has done a commendable job ofpreserving its historic resources.Fernandina Beach has garnered eco-nomic gains that are quite impressivefor a small city.

Some issues have emerged thatthe City of Fernandina Beach and oth-ers concerned with protecting theirhistoric resources will need to consid-er. One of these is that the rapid risein market values of the properties canhave some chilling effects on businessactivity, if property tax bills rise toohigh for local businesses to support. Italso impacts new property tax assess-ments for buyers when a property issold and may indicate that small,unique businesses could not afford topursue new opportunities. A key topreserving the quality and characterof a unique place like FernandinaBeach will be to address this andother issues to maintain balanced andsustainable preservation-based devel-opment.

This case illustrates that economicdevelopment and historic preserva-tion are compatible and can serve asa valuable basis on which to build andenhance a local economy. By preserv-ing historic resources and enhancingtheir use and appeal, developmentoutcomes can be realized that benefitnot only the economic aspects butalso the social and cultural dimensionswith provision of a unique and desir-able community.

F


Indicator Framework

The following table presents a list of theindicators selected to calibrate the frame-work. They are divided into four categories:gauging (related to type and amount); protecting (ordinances and regulations);enhancing (partnerships and incentives); and interfacing (uses).

These indicators are related to the amount andtype of historic resources in the community.

A. Gauging

• Historic fabric • Districts, structures,

landmarks • Distressed historic

neighborhoods

• Rehabilitation/certified tax credits

• Assessed propertyvalue trends

• Historic district/property reinvestment

These indicators are ordinances and regulations.

B. Protecting

• Historic preservationelement/plan integration

• Design guidelines• Historic preservation

commission

• Preservation ordinances• Historic preservation

survey• Historic preservation

staff • Certificates and

enforcement actions

These indicators are related to partnershipsand incentives.

C. Enhancing

• Main Street program • Certified Local

Government • Participation in other

state/federal programs• Historic preservation

non-profits

• Neighborhood participation

• Civic/museum partnerships

• Tax exemptions• Other incentive

programs

These indicators are related to the uses ofproperty.

D. Interfacing

• Housing affordability• Business use• Community draw

factors

• Community use factors • Heritage/cultural

interactions

Pensacola


cultural and environmental dimen-sions. A community indicators sys-tem reflects collective values, pro-viding a more powerful evaluativetool than simply considering the“economics” of change and growth.By integrating an indicators systeminto overall community or regionalplanning, it is easier to evaluate theimpacts of changes, whether posi-tive, negative or neutral. It is thisability of community indicatorssystems to be integrated as a sys-tem for gauging impacts across afull spectrum of outcomes thatmakes it beneficial to explore usingthem. Further, indicators incorpo-rate both frameworks of perform-ance and process outcomes, whichserve to facilitate evaluation. Whenproperly integrated, indicators maybe utilized in the decision-makingprocess as indicators of impactsand outcomes.

Just what is a community indi-cator? Essentially, community indi-cators are bits of information thatwhen combined, provide a pictureof what is happening in a local sys-tem. They provide insight into thedirection of a community: improv-

ing or declining, forward or back-ward, increasing or decreasing.Combining indicators provides ameasuring system to provide clearand honest information about pasttrends, current realities, and futuredirection, in order to aid decision-making. Community indicators canalso be thought of as a report cardof community well being. Thesesystems generate much data, andthe analysis of these data can be used in the decision-making and policy/program improvementprocess. There are numerous func-tions of indicators, including:description, simplification, meas-urement, trend identification, com-munication, clarification, and ascatalysts for action.

Four common frameworks areused for developing and implement-ing community indicators systems inthe U.S.:1. Quality of Life2. Performance Evaluation3. Healthy Communities4. Sustainability

The framework presented heremost closely follows the quality oflife format.

This chapter was prepared by Rhonda Phillips, Ph.D., AICP, CEcD, Director, Center for Building BetterCommunities, Associate Professor, Department of Urban and Regional Planning, College of Design, Constructionand Planning, University of Florida. The “Indicators” section is excerpted in part from Community Indicators,Rhonda Phillips, American Planning Association, PAS Report No. 517, 2003.

14 Biltmore Hotel, Coral Gables

Historic resources have a value thatcan be seen as aesthetic and educa-tional, in addition to whatever economic value they may have. Thereare two types of laws and policies thatpromote historic preservation: regula-tions and incentives.

How do Historic PreservationLaws contribute to Quality of Life?

Historic preservation programscan be a key piece of communityrevitalization, as well as an impor-tant part of maintaining the prop-erty and character of local historicneighborhoods. Historic districtstypically require maintenance ofproperty, thus preventing proper-ties from becoming derelict.Historic tax credits and tax exemp-tions can foster the restoration of decayed historic buildings,whether in downtowns or residen-tial neighborhoods. Historic dis-tricts need not be frozen in time.Sensitive infill development is

often necessary and appropriate,especially where there are numerousvacant lots. The revi-talization that accom-panies an ongoing historic preservationprogram can also contribute to increasedpublic safety as vac-ant buildings becomeinhabited homes andbusinesses.

Types of HistoricPreservation Laws

Regulatory historicpreservation laws maymandate a specific substantive result(i.e., preservation of the historicresource). For example, local ordi-nances allow for the designation ofcertain properties or neighborhoodsas historic, and then authorize restric-tions on the appearance or demolitionof historic properties. These locallaws are the most important element

in preserving privately-owned his-toric properties. The 52 Florida com-munities recognized by the StateHistoric Preservation Office asCertified Local Governments eachhave local programs certified as meet-ing basic standards in the expertise oftheir preservation boards, the stan-dards required for designating his-toric districts and landmarks, and theadoption of guidelines to protect his-toric properties and neighborhoods.

Regulatory laws may also controla process (e.g., obliging federal orstate agencies to consider the impacts

of their undertakingson historic resources).Thus, under Section106 of the NationalHistoric PreservationAct, federal agenciesmust consider theeffects of federal orfederally funded proj-ects on historicresources. Similarprocedural considera-tions are required by the NationalEnvironmental PolicyAct and Section 4(f)

of the Transportation Act. These actsrequire notification of federal, state,and tribal historic preservation offi-cers about possible impacts on historic resources and allow time to provide comments and suggestionsabout alternative approaches whichwill minimize any harm to historicresources.

In a democratic society, our laws and policies ulti-

mately reflect our priorities. Thus, we restrict

things deemed harmful and seek to promote things

that are viewed as beneficial. Historic preservation

laws reflect a decision by policy makers that our

heritage, whether national or local, is significant

and should be preserved for future generations.


3


Incentives to promote Historic Preservation

Incentives, on the other hand, encour-age preservation by providing some tangi-ble benefit. These benefits may include taxrelief, grants or relief from certain regulato-ry or procedural burdens. The benefit maybe simple recognition of the historicimportance of a structure or neighbor-hood, as is provided by the NationalRegister of Historic Places or by theNational Historic Landmark Program.Florida currently has more than 1,500 sitesand districts on the National Register, and39 National Historic Landmarks.

This recognition may entitle propertiesto further benefits. For example, ownersand long-term lessees whose rehabilitationof income-producing historic properties iscertified to be in conformity with theSecretary of the Interior’s Standards forRehabilitation, may receive the FederalRehabilitation Tax Credit, a tax credit of upto 20% of the value of the rehabilitationwork. Since 1986, nearly 450 Florida taxcredit projects representing some $556million in construction have beenapproved by the National Park Service.

Local governments raise much of theirrevenues through property taxes. The will-ingness of counties and/or municipalitiesto forego some revenues in the form of taxexemptions can serve as an encourage-ment to property owners to invest in andrehabilitate their properties. Three types oflocal tax exemptions are possible inFlorida. The first allows exemptions fromproperty taxes for up to 50% of theassessed value of property that is: 1) usedfor commercial purposes or by a non-prof-it organization; 2) listed in the NationalRegister, designated as a local landmark, orpart of a National Register or local historicdistrict; and 3) regularly open to the pub-lic.1 The second, most common type ofexemption, allows for a ten-year exemp-tion of the value by which historic proper-ties are improved by rehabilitation.2 A finalexemption allows a total property taxexemption where rehabilitated historic

his former Methodist Church, located in Tampa Heights north of down-

town, was originally built in 1910, and a Sunday School facility was

added in 1927. When the congregation moved to another facility in

1998, the historic building was left vacant. A group of investors, led by

Andrew Ham of Urban Trust, LLC, saw an opportunity to restore the building as a

combination office/apartment complex. A partnership of several investors and the

City of Tampa acquired the property and arranged financing. The federal rehabil-

itation tax credit, a 20 % tax credit for rehabilitation of historic properties, made

the $3.1 million construction project possible.

The rehabilitation of the Classical Revival building had to be certified by the

National Park Service as complying with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards

for Rehabilitation. Following these standards, developers retained the building’s

historic features, including the outer

walls, stained glass, hardwood floors,

original corridors and the interior space

of the former sanctuary. The Sunday

School building became 32 residential

loft units with 12 foot ceilings, large win-

dows and original architectural features.

The former sanctuary was developed as

4,000 square feet of office space with a

view to the dome overhead.

Sanctuary Lofts is one of the first res-

idential loft projects undertaken in

Tampa. The project benefited from a $100,000 loan from the City to acquire the

property, and from $497,408 in rehabilitation tax credits. The result is attractive

living and working space near downtown, and a model for adaptive reuse of

historic buildings.

ADAPTIVE REUSE OF HISTORICAL RESOURCES:

Tampa Heights Sanctuary Lofts

T


properties are used for nonprofit orgovernmental purposes and where thebuilding is open to the public.3

Florida communities increasinglymake use of these tax incentives: in2005, over $137 million worth ofproperty was exempt from ad valoremtaxes due to these three types of his-toric tax exemptions.4

Grants are another importantincentive to preserve historic prop-erties. The federal government provides grants under the SaveAmerica’s Treasures program to pre-serve some of the most importantlandmarks in Florida. Under thisprogram since 1999, thirteen Floridaprojects have been funded, including$353,000 for preservation at theRingling Estate of Cà d’Zan inSarasota, $795,000 for preservationwork at the Biltmore Hotel in CoralGables and $450,000 to preserve theSinging Tower at the Bok Sanctuaryin Lake Wales.5

RESTORATION

Soft Costs $ 215,000Historic Construct. $ 815,000($72/S.F.) $ 1,030,000Total Development $ 1,030,000

Cost ($92/S.F.)

NON RESTORATION

Soft Costs $215.000Non Historic Construct. $675,000($60/S.F.) $890,000Total Development $890,000Cost ($78/S.F.)

PRESERVATION INCENTIVES

Fed Tax Credits 20% $ 163,000Ad Valorem Tax $ 815,000Exemption ($407,000)Transferable Development $ 150,000Rights @ $10/S.F.

Facade Easement $75,000Annual Property Taxes $ 6,300Net Development Cost $ 588,674

($52/S.F.)

NO INCENTIVES

Fed Tax Credits 20% $ 0Ad Valorem Tax $ 0Exemption ($407,000)Transferable Development $0Rights @ $10/S.F.

Facade Easement $ 0Annual Property Taxes $ 6,300Net Development Cost $ 890,000

($80/S.F.)

INCENTIVES TO PROMOTE HISTORIC PRESERVATION:

St. PetersburgEmerson Apartments Restored in 2005


Provided by Bob Jeffrey, City of St. Petersburg

Merrill House, Jacksonville

Florida Historical Grants

Even more significant are thegrants-in-aid awarded by the FloridaDivision of Historical Resources.Florida has one of the nation’s largestand most successful grant programs,having awarded some $81 millionsupport over 780 preservation projectssince 2001. There are two types of his-toric preservation grants funded bythe Division of Historical Resources:1) Acquisition and DevelopmentActivities; and 2) Survey and PlanningActivities. The former categoryincludes such activities as restorationand rehabilitation of historic struc-tures and the excavation of archaeo-logical sites. Survey and Planninggrants-in-aid include recording of his-toric and archaeological sites, andcommunity education and relationsprojects which promote historic andarchaeological preservation. In addition, so-called Special Categorygrants are major Acquisition andDevelopment grants for projects ofexceptional importance, including

public buildings such as courthouses,churches and theaters.

Some communities provide theirown grants and low-interest loans topromote historic preservation. Forexample, Tampa’s program is fundedby the sale of historic residentialproperties rehabilitated in a jointeffort by the City and the federal gov-ernment as part of the mitigationassociated with expansion ofInterstate Highway I-4 through a his-


Recent Grant Projects

S U N K E N G A R D E N S , S T. P E T E R S B U R G

$350,000 in 2002 to the City of St. Petersburg

to help restore 1926 Mediterranean Revival

style building for use as children’s science

museum, restaurant and administrative offices

for Sunken Gardens tourist attraction.

B O K T O W E R G A R D E N S

$600,000 in 2 grants, in 2001-02, to

rehabilitate the famous Bok Tower’s

masonry and steel work.

P R I T C H A R D H O U S E , T I T U S V I L L E

$350,000 grant to Brevard County to

rehabilitate historic house as a museum.

O L D G Y M N A S I U M , A R C H E R

$320,000 grant to the City of Archer

to rehabilitate a historic WPA-era

gymnasium as community center.

S O P C H O P P Y, W A K U L L A C O U N T Y

$842,000 in 4 grants, since 1998, to restore

1924 school and auditorium for use as a

performing arts center.

C A P E S A N B L A S L I G H T K E E P E R ’ S

Q U A R T E R S , G U L F C O U N T Y

$300,000 grant to rehabilitate the 1917

building as a museum.

$0.00

$5,000,000.00

$10,000,000.00

$15,000,000.00

$20,000,000.00

$25,000,000.00

$30,000,000.00

$35,000,000.00

’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06Year

0

50

100

150

200

250

TO

TAL

AM

OU

NT

NO

. O

F P

RO

JEC

TS

� Grant Funds �Match Funds � No. of Projects

’03’02’01’00’99’98’97’96’95’94’93’92’91’90’89’88’87 ’04 ’05$0

$20,000,000

$40,000,000

$60,000,000

$80,000,000

$100,000,000

$120,000,000

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

INV

EST

ME

NT

AM

OU

NT

NO

. O

F P

RO

JEC

TS

Year

� Tax Credit Investment � No. of Projects

Federal Rehabilitation Tax Credit Investment in Florida 1987-2005

Milton

toric district in Ybor City. Miami-Dade County’s new Building BetterCommunities program will be fundedby a bond program approved by voters in November 2004.

Smaller communities are alsoable to provide grant and loanincentives. In Kissimmee, theCommunity Redevelopment Agency(CRA) and Main Street Program usethe tax increment financing from theCRA to fund grants to improve historic façades and restore historicstructures within the CRA.6

Kissimmee’s CRA has awarded over$570,000 in matching grants tobusinesses and homeowners withinthe district since 1998.7

Florida Main Street ProgramThe Main Street Program was

established by the National Trust forHistoric Preservation in 1980 tohelp revitalize historic downtowns,especially in smaller communities.Since its founding, some 2,000 com-munities in forty-one states havebenefited from the techni-cal assistance provided bythe Main Street Programwhich focuses on four keyelements of revitalization:1) Design; 2) Organizationand consensus building; 3)Promotion and marketing of theMain Street; and 4) Economicrestructuring.

Florida has had an active MainStreet Program since 1985, workingin over 80 Florida communities todate. During that period, FloridaMain Street has generated some$1.37 billion in public and privateinvestment in both rehabilitationand new construction, witnessingthe start of over 3,700 new business-es and over 11,600 new jobs.8

Examples of Main Street

Programs:

• Milton (Santa Rosa County) –

Streetscaping and restoration ofthe historic Imogene Theater,damaged by Hurricane Dennis in2005.

• Melbourne (Brevard County) –

Master plan for old down-town, adopted together withcity and chamber of commerce. • Vilano Beach (St. Johns

County) – New town cen-ter and beach pavilions.The Waterfronts Florida

Partnership, administered by theDepartment of Community Affairs,offers similar support to smallerwaterfront towns, focusing on smallgrants, planning and technical assistance to help maintain water-dependent uses and traditionalwaterfronts. Though not primarily ahistoric preservation program, sev-eral partner communities, includingtowns like Cortez, St. Andrews andCrystal River, have used WaterfrontsFlorida support to address historicaland cultural resources.


Bok Tower, Lake Wales

1. These tax exemptions are authorized byFLA. STAT.§ 196.1961.



4. See 2005 FLORIDA DEPT. OF REVENUE, FLORIDA

PROPERTY VALUATIONS & TAX DATA Table 44 (May 2006).

5. Florida awards under Save America’s Treasuressince 1999 total $4,741,318. See National ParkService, Save America’s Treasures, Funded Projects,available online at: http://grants.cr.nps.gov/treasures/treasures.cfm.

6. Tax increment financing (TIF) makes use ofincreases in property tax revenues in designatedgeographic area to fund certain activities. Once atax increment district is established, it sets a baseyear in which the aggregate tax value of the dis-trict is set. As property tax revenues increase overthe established aggregate value, the amount ofexcess is the tax increment. A CRA or other entityentitled to receive the tax increment may then usethem for designated purposes. See Sam Casella,What is TIF in Tax Increment Financing 9 (PlanningAdvisory Svc. Rep. No. 389, APA 1984). In Florida, TIF under the CommunityRedevelopment Act has provided a mechanism for successfully funding downtown revitalization,including historic preservation activities. See FLA. STAT. ch. 163, pt. III.

7. Information about Kissimmee’s CRA and Main Street program is available at:http://www.kissimmeecra.com.

8. See “Florida Main Street Communities QuarterlyReport Data Base,” information supplied byAngela Tomlinson, Florida Main Street ProgramAssistant, Florid Department of State (June 19,2006). Further information about Florida Main Street isavailable online at:http://www.flheritage.com/preservation/architec-ture/mainstreet/, and information about theNational Trust Main Street Center is available at:http://www.mainstreet.org/.

This chapter was prepared by Timothy McLendon, Staff Attorney, Center for Governmental Responsibility,University of Florida Levin College of Law.

20Miami Beach

Historic preservation, at the locallevel, involves more than rehabilitat-ing historic structures and sites thatare significant to the architecturally-oriented preservationist. It also canencompass the events that take placein and around these structures, thetraditions associated with an area andits structures, the perpetuation of artsand crafts that reflect a threatenedway of life within an area, or the festi-vals celebrating the history of the people and the distinctive aspects ofthe locale. This broader concept ofhistoric preservation creates the com-ponent parts of heritage tourism.

Heritage tourism is an increasinglyimportant part of Florida’s tourismindustry. The nearly 80 million touristsFlorida hosted in 2004 brought morethan $57 billion to the Florida econo-my (VISIT FLORIDA, 2005). Some9.2% of these visitors identified visit-ing historic sites and museums as theprimary purpose for their visit, withanother 3% identifying cultural eventsand festivals as their major activities(VISIT FLORIDA, 2005). Floridiansalso increasingly enjoy the historicsites and heritage festivals in theirstate. Over 80% of Floridians note thatthey take visiting friends or relatives tonearby natural, historic or culturalsites or events. Heritage tourism thushas a significant impact on Florida’seconomy, contributing over 100,000jobs and adding $3.7 billion to theFlorida economy in 2000 (VISITFLORIDA, 2005).

The information cited aboveassigns value to her-itage tourism in aneconomic way, butassigning value in aqualitative manner ismore difficult. In aneffort to determine thequality of heritagetourism within a coun-ty, this study proposesthat the percentage ofannual tourism-relatedtax revenues (“bedtax”) allocated for his-toric preservation-related activities is oneindicator of a county’sinvestment in the qual-ity of heritage tourism and of heritagetourism’s contribution to fundingthose investments. Bed tax revenuessuggest there is a return of investmentof tax dollars allocated to historicpreservation.

As of November 30, 2004, fifty-three Florida counties levied a lodg-ing tax, according to the 2005Report on Florida’s Tourist-RelatedTaxes. Based on the report, eachcounty’s tourist-related tax revenueexpenditures were examined, andcomparisons were made of alloca-tions that include historic preserva-tion-related activities among theexpenditures. The second part of thestudy involved an opened-endedsurvey of the 53 Florida countiesreporting collection of tourist-relat-

ed taxes in 2003-2004. The partici-pants in the survey were county representatives of either the conven-tion and visitor bureau or the touristdevelopment council.

FINDINGS:� Many survey respon-dents were: 1) unclearabout which expendi-tures included itemsthat could be classifiedas historic preservation/heritage tourism, and2) unaware that theselodging tax revenuescould be used for pur-poses related to historicpreservation.� A majority of the 53 Florida counties that collect this tax sup-port historic preserva-tion-related activities

using bed tax revenue.

Heritage Tourism“Heritage tourism affords a solid foundation that sustains

the resource as well as offering a social and economic

impact.” - Cheryl Hargrove, First Director of the National Trust’s Heritage Tourism Program

Top Florida Counties inPercentage of Bed Tax RevenueAllocated for HistoricPreservation-Related Activities1

COUNTY % Suwannee 60.00Monroe 31.70Hendry 30.00Highlands 29.00Alachua 28.00Indian River 26.00Taylor 24.00Martin 15.00Putnam 10.00Washington 8.60

1. Based on open-ended survey of convention

and visitor bureau or tourist development

council representatives.

4


� Capitalizing on their assets, ruralcounties allocate a higher percent-age of bed tax revenue to historicpreservation-related activities thando urban counties. Eight of the topten counties for percentage of bedtax revenue allocation are consid-ered rural by the State of Florida:Suwannee, Monroe, Putnam,Highlands, Hendry, Taylor, andWashington.

� Historic preservation is viewed asan investment in the community.Where history and nature are anarea’s main attractions, historicpreservation can generate bed taxrevenue.

� Many counties indirectly supporthistoric preservation-related activi-ties through secondary spending.While their expenditure categoriesare not exclusively identified ashistoric preservation, many includecomponents that contribute to his-toric preservation. For example:

1. Profits realized from the CreeksideFestival in Flagler County aredirected to the actual preservationof Princess Place Preserve.

2. In Fort Myers, the Edison-FordEstates benefits from Lee County’sbed tax-funded marketing effortsthat increase tourism.

3. Hillsborough County uses a historic building for a visitor infor-mation center. The county hasused bed tax dollars to rehabilitatethe building.

SUWANNEE COUNTY“Historically-oriented events are

putting heads in beds, so the TouristDevelopment Council is willing togive more grants. The TouristDevelopment Council, [a nine mem-ber council appointed by the CountyCommission to oversee tourism], isvery interested in historic preserva-tion,” according to Greg D’Angio,Marketing Director, SuwanneeCounty Tourist DevelopmentCouncil. A perfect example of the waythis county attempts to capitalize onheritage, cultural and historic eventsis through the planning of culturalevents, such as festivals.

Suwannee County, with a 2% bedtax, or $77,161, reported allocating60%, or $46,297, of its short-termlodging revenue to tourism promo-tion. The decision to count the 60%as involving historic preservationunder our broad definition was basedupon the corresponding specific proj-ects for this revenue, which includedhistoric museum, concerts, renais-sance festivals, a Cinco de Mayo festi-val, and other community events.

This 60% allocation of revenue fortourist promotion has remained rela-tively constant since 1995. One itemof note for Suwannee County is that

an additional 30% of tourist-relatedtax revenue is earmarked for tourismdevelopment and promotion of spe-cific projects such as annual culturalevents, community events, festivals,and concerts. Many of these eventsfall under the umbrella of “artifactsand activities that authentically repre-sent stories and people of the past”,thus suggesting that all but 10% ofSuwannee County’s 2003-2004tourism-related tax revenue goes tohistoric preservation and heritage-related activities.

MONROE COUNTYMonroe County, in southern

Florida, had a 4% bed tax in 2003-2004 generating $13,840,916 in rev-enues. The county allocated 31.70%,or $4,387,570, toward historic preser-vation based upon the Bricks andMortar revenue specifically ear-marked for museum preservation andmaintenance. Based on allocation ofthe funds, policy makers admit thatthe total 31.70% cannot all be consid-ered related to heritage tourism. Since1995, Monroe County has allocatedbetween 7% and 31.8% to the Bricksand Mortar category, and, accordingto Monroe County Tourism andDevelopment Director, HaroldWheeler, “every year we fund a muse-um preservation and maintenanceproject.” The revenue disbursementfor these capital projects can bethrough direct allocations or on arequest for proposal basis, and may beused for historic preservation or cul-tural projects. Wheeler states that for


Edison-Ford Estates, Ft. Myers

Suwannee County Historical Museum ishoused in Old Train Depot. Recipient of multiple preservation grants from the State of Florida, this museum receives lodging taxrevenue funding from the Suwannee CountyTourist Development Council.

Photo courtesy S

uwannee Tourism

Developm

ent Council

The Key West Heritage House Museum andRobert Frost Cottage, home of the AnnualRobert Frost Poetry Festival, funded by theMonroe County TDC, promotes cultural her-itage and historic architectural preservation.

Photo courtesy of M

onroe County T

DC

.

this county, cultural projects can include environment, architec-ture, archaeology, arts, and naturalenvironment.

ST. JOHNS COUNTYSt. Johns County, home of

Florida’s premier heritage tourismdestination, St. Augustine, allocated15% ($662,360) of its total 2003-2004 3% tourism-related tax revenuesof $4,415,735, for arts and culturalevents. St. Augustine receives morethan three million visitors annually,and collects $100,000 in lodging taxrevenues, using these for Visitor

Information services housed in historic properties. The TouristDevelopment Council also uses lodging tax revenue to fund grants forarts and cultural events.

In 2002-2003, the same percent-age was allocated for arts and culture.For the past three years, funds wereallocated from capital projects to fundthe National African-AmericanMuseum and Archives. The St. JohnsCounty Tourist Development Councilwas also the premier sponsor of the2006 Annual Conference of the Florida Trust for HistoricPreservation, held in St. Augustine inMay 2006.

• Hargrove, C. M. (2002). Heritage Tourism. CulturalResource Management (25), 1. Retrieved March 22,2006, from http://crm.cr.nps.gov/archive/25-01/25-01-4.pdf

• Interview with Harold Wheeler, MarketingDeveloper, Monroe County Tourist DevelopmentCouncil (January 9, 2006)

• Interview with Greg D’Angio, Marketing Director,Suwannee County Tourist Development Council(November 30, 2005)

• FLA. STAT.§ 381.0406. Rural means an area with apopulation density of less than 100 individuals persquare mile or an area defined by the most recentUnited States census as rural.


Satellite Visitor Information Center housed in the last Spanish-owned structure in St.Augustine, is partially funded by the St. Johns County TDC using lodging tax revenue.

n 2005 and 2006, the Center for Tourism Research andDevelopment conducted thisresearch as one of the principals

of a multi-faceted, multi-departmentalstudy through the University of FloridaCenter for Government Responsibilitytitled “Contributions of HistoricPreservation to the Quality of Life inFlorida”. The study was coordinated byDrs. John Confer and Dr. LoriPennington-Gray, and conducted bymaster’s student Catherine Culver. Thestudy examined each of Florida’s 67counties’ reported tourist-related taxrevenue and expenditures for 2003/04as published in the Florida TourismCommittee’s 2005 Report on Florida’sTourist-Related Taxes.

Additionally, personal interviewswere conducted of Convention and

Visitor Bureaus Directors of each of the53 Florida counties which collectedtourist-related taxes in 2003/04. Specifically, the study sought to addressthe following areas:1. Demonstrate the direct relationship

of Florida Tourist-Related Tax expenditures for HistoricPreservation and quality HeritageTourism.

2. The higher the percentage of annualtourist-related tax revenue allocatedto historic preservation, the higherthe quality of heritage tourismenjoyed by the county.

3. In Florida, the percentage of tourist-related lodging tax revenue expendi-tures allocated to historic preserva-tion will indicate the quality of her-itage tourism in Florida by county.

I

Use of Revenue by Category

Suwannee County$84,126 Annual Revenue

10%

30%

60%� Tourist Promotion

� Tourist Development

� Administration

Monroe County$13,840,916 Annual Revenue

5%

32%

63%

� Tourism, Advertising & Promotion

� CVB

� Bricks & Mortar

St. Johns County$4,415,725 Annual Revenue

55%15%

6%

15%2%

7%

� Advertising, Sales & Promotion

� Administration/Indirect Fees

� Arts & Cultural Events

� Capital Project

� Beach Renourishment

� Collection & Audit

Historic Preservation Study:State of Florida

This summary was prepared by Lori Pennington-Gray, Ph.D. and John Confer, Ph.D., of the Center for TourismResearch and Development, University of Florida College of Health & Human Performance.

24 St. Augustine

5


History museums may cele-brate local, regional, or nationalplaces and events; or they mayrange in focus from the display of acollective past to the representationof a single episode. Some museumscontain primarily objects of historicinterest and importance, while oth-ers also preserve books, papers, andephemera relating to Florida’s past.Many, but certainly not all, historymuseums are housed in historicallysignificant buildings. Despite theseand many other differences, the onething shared by state history muse-ums is a dedication to serveFlorida’s citizens and to enrich thequality of their lives.

COMMUNITYHistory museums make their

communities better places to live ina variety of ways. Many, like theAh-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum on theSeminole Tribe’s Big CypressReservation or the Fort ChristmasHistoric Park in Orange County,organize special cultural events andfamily festivals for local residents.Others work with local governmentto increase public awareness of

issues such as preservation andconservation. They often initiatespecial hours, stayingopen at night, so thatthe museum is avail-able to all segments ofthe regional popula-tion. Many museumsare free or make onlynominal charges tooffset expenses. Books,photographs, andpapers relevant toregional and local history are preservedby museums such as the St. AugustineLighthouse and Museum or theJohn Riley House in Tallahassee.These materials are preserved forthe public and made available at themuseum or historical society.

Many history museums havefocused their attention on local andregional identity. To that end,museums like the Indian RiverCitrus and Heritage Museum trainhigh school students to do oralinterviews. Other institutions, suchas the Fort Christmas HistoricalPark, sponsor individuals who

demonstrate local crafts, story-telling, industries, and agriculture.These efforts preserve historicalmemory and traditions and passthem along to a new generation.Recently the state has witnessed thegrowth of museums that haveemerged to address previously

underrepresentedc o n s t i t u e n c i e s .Holocaust muse-ums and museumsdevoted to African-American or immi-grant experience,for example, con-tribute to ourunderstanding ofthe rich diversity ofFlorida’s culturalhistory.

Florida citizensdemonstrate their

support for museums, and the cen-tral role museums play in theirlives, in a variety of ways. They joinmembership groups and museumfriends’ groups, donate objects toenhance museum collections, andvolunteer countless hours. Citizensalso serve on museum boards.Almost all museum boards in thestate are composed of a majority ofmembers from the local and region-al communities. These individualsoffer their services and raise fundsto maintain the museums and, at

History MuseumsTwo hundred and fifty-eight institutions identify

themselves as “history museums” in the state of

Florida. They are as diverse as the state itself.

the same time, assure that themuseum adheres to its mission andrepresents the interests of the com-munity. Without the support andassistance of the citizens in theircommunities, history museumswould not be able to play such avital role in our communities. Theeffects of museums take a variety offorms. In response to the depriva-tion of citizens after a hurricane,the La Belle Heritage Museum inHendry County produced a “stormgourmet” cookbook of recipes thatdid not require cooking or heating.The Baker Block Museum in Baker,a small agricultural community inOkaloosa County, provides travel-ing exhibitions to daycare centers,nursing homes, and adult educa-tion centers.

EDUCATIONThe most obvious impact of

history museums on the citizens ofFlorida, however, is the effect theyhave on the education of the state’schildren. History museums and thecollections they so carefully pre-serve, make the history studied fromthe flat pages of a book pop intothree-dimensional reality. Seeing aplace, standing in a location, view-ing an object, or performing a task— students see and feel the localand state history that surroundsthem. Over half of Florida’s historymuseums provide special program-ming tied to the Sunshine StateStandards. Most supply program-ming for teachers who are chargedwith teaching Florida history tofourth grade students. This effort,

however, is just the tip of the icebergof educational outreach. Museumslike the Eustis History Museum inLake County host essay conteststhat are used to prepare students forthe writing portion of the FloridaComprehensive Assessment Test,known as the FCAT. The St.Petersburg Holocaust Museumoffers free training for local teachersand invites visiting classes to deco-rate a tile that is exhibited on thethird floor of the museum. Almost20% of history museums have mate-rials from their collections that theybring directly into the classroom forthose students who cannot visit themuseum. For those who are fortu-nate enough to be able to make thetrip, museums offer hands-on work-shops where students can experi-ence the thrill of an archaeologicaldig or the pleasure of learning a tra-ditional handicraft. Museums likethe Morikami Museum and JapaneseGarden in Delray Beach, Palm BeachCounty, work with at-risk childrenand young adults, reconnectingthem to the community. For thosestudents who are interested, muse-ums provide internships that pre-pare future leaders of the museumcommunity.

ECONOMYHistory museums also con-

tribute to the economies of theircommunities. Most obviously, theybring in tourist dollars by offeringspecial events and festivals. Theyadvertise widely and build elaboratewebsites that give directions to andhighlight the museum and the citiesand towns in which they are located.People visit museums for a variety ofreasons. Some come to see a particu-lar exhibition. For others, the histor-ical importance of archival holdings


Mission San Luis, Tallahassee

of history museums supportsgenealogical research. Research hasshown that museums are a stimulusto the economic activity of the imme-diate area. Especially in urban areas,restaurants, historic preservation dis-tricts, and gift shops surround muse-um locations. Museums affect theeconomic health of the region by par-ticipating in local civic organizationssuch as the Better Business Bureau orthe Chamber of Commerce, by form-

ing strategic partnerships with localbusinesses, and by allowing commu-nity groups to use their facilities formeetings and/or social gatherings.For example, the HistoricalSmallwood Store Museum inChokoloskee, Collier County, part-ners with local businesses for adver-tising and packages tourist servicessuch as trolley and airboat rides.

Businesses recognize museums as acritical element in the social fabricand show their support by partneringwith museums to offer discounts tomuseum visitors, sponsoring exhibi-tions and special events, and joiningmuseum friends groups.

1. The Florida Association of Museums allowsmember institutions to self define their focus.Categories of museums are: history, science, art,and natural history.


Vizcaya Museum and GardensRiley House

Cape San Blas

Ft. Christmas

This summary was prepared by Glenn Willumson, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Art History, Director of theGraduate Program in Museum Studies, University of Florida.

28 Gainesville

6


Further, as sustainable develop-ment becomes an increasingly sig-nificant strategy to address growthpressures, the proximity of historicneighborhoods to the central busi-ness district and other amenitiesconveys additional benefits. Suchhousing may also be among the lastunits affordable to lower- and mod-erate-income working families,especially in the hot housing mar-kets of Florida where the gapbetween median income and medi-an home value is rapidly increas-ing. Traditional tools, such as taxcredits, and innovative approaches,such as community land trusts, areoffering creative solutions to safe-guard affordability, to accommo-date the state’s increasingly diversepopulation, and to realize sustain-ability goals.

Among the benefits associatedwith preserving older and historicneighborhoods are the higher per-centage of affordable units as com-pared to new developments and theproximity to work, school, shop-ping, and public transit.1 Yet his-toric preservation in older working

class neighborhoods can be a signof gentrification, aprocess resulting inincreased propertyvalues and the dis-placement of lowerincome householdswith ones of muchhigher income. Witha livable communityas a central goal, his-toric preservation cansafeguard these fea-tures while address-ing affordable hous-ing needs. Recentlythe Census Bureaufound that almost 80% of thosesampled living in central citiesrated their neighborhoods as 6 orbetter on a scale from 1 to 10where 1 represented the worst con-ditions.2 While not all of theseunits were historic (50 years old orolder), generally, central cityneighborhoods contain a higherpercentage of historic structures ascompared to the overall metropoli-tan area. Given the number of his-toric housing units that provide

shelter for lower income persons,affordable housing should be acentral consideration in historicpreservation policies and pro-grams.

The Florida State Plan specificallyidentifies historic preservation as asignificant revitalization tool. Further,the state proposes to increase the

supply of affordablehousing in part by “recycling olderhouses and redevel-oping residentialn e i g h b o rh o o d s ” FLA. STAT.§ 187.201(4)(b)3. Florida’slower income house-holds have a demon-strated housing needand the state’s growthmanagement legisla-tion outlines howlocal governments

can integrate historic preservation and affordable housing goals.

What tools are available tomeet these goals, specifically toattract the private sector to under-take such rehabilitation projects?Among them are building codesthat accommodate rehabilitation,neighborhood conservation dis-tricts to complement local historicdistricts, community land trusts,expansion of existing revitalizationprograms such as Front Porch

Historic and Affordable HousingFlorida’s historic residential neighborhoods offer a

range of housing types, configurations, and features

to accommodate the state’s diverse populations

based on income, stage of life, and household size.

hile a relatively new

tool in Florida, conser-

vation districts offer a

means for local govern-

ments to address historic fabric flexi-

bly in order to encourage protection,

rehabilitation, and revitalization that is

sensitive to a neighborhood’s distinc-

tive culture and character. The cities

of Tampa and Sarasota currently use

this approach.

In Tampa, the Old Seminole

Heights Neighborhood Association

advocated establishment of a

Neighborhood Conservation District

(NCD) to complement the two his-

toric districts – the Seminole Heights

Historic District and the Hampton

Terrace Historic District – by ensuring

compatible residential infill design

consistent with the “historic charac-

ter” in these adjacent neighbor-

hoods. Adopted in 2001, the

Seminole Heights Residential Overlay

District Development Standards

apply only to residential properties.

Similarly, the City of Sarasota recent-

ly adopted conservation districts to com-

plement its historic districts.1 As defined

in the Historic Preservation Chapter of

the city plan, 50% of the structures must

be 40 years old or older. Further, the area

is qualified to be a conservation district

when it has “a distinctive cultural, his-

toric, architectural or archaeological

identity, but does not have the cultural,

historic, architectural or archaeological

significance to meet the criteria for des-

ignation . . . .”2 Zephyrhills likewise has

recently adopted an ordinance permit-

ting designation of urban conservation

districts as an economic revitalization

tool and to encourage rehabilitation.

1. City of Sarasota. (2002) Sarasota City Plan, TheHistoric Preservation Chapter. Adopted March 18,2002, Objective 3, Action Strategy 3.2.

2. Ibid. Support Document, pg. HP-66.

W

Florida, the historic rehabilitation taxcredit combined with the low-incomehousing tax credit, preservation ease-ments, revolving loan funds, property taxrelief to address increased property val-ues due to historic designation, and coor-dinated planning to proactively addresspotential challenges such as gentrifica-tion. Two of these tools, conservation dis-tricts and community land trusts, are dis-cussed in greater detail below. For a morein-depth discussion of all of these tools,see the Technical Report.

Neighborhood conservation districtsas local regulatory tools

When local historic districts are cre-ated, typically a conventional zoning dis-trict or an overlay district is adopted toestablish specific regulations associatedwith the historic designation. Overlaydistricts function in concert with theunderlying zoning. Requirements andincentives can be tailored to address landuses and development characteristics dis-tinctive to an area – such as historicurban fabric. Typically historic overlaydistricts require conformance with designguidelines and can alter the underlyingsetback, height, and use requirements,not just for additions or changes to exist-ing structures but also for new infilldevelopment.

Neighborhoods might contain historichomes that are not eligible for historic des-ignation due to lack of integrity or signifi-cance, or they may lack a sufficient con-centration of these homes to constitute ahistoric district. Other neighborhoods mayhave homes nearing the 50-year mark thatdo not yet qualify for historic designation.Neighborhood conservation districts(NCD) assist in safeguarding neighbor-hood character, particularly in areas proxi-mate to high growth centers. Residents andlocal officials are turning to this regulatorytool to complement historic overlay dis-tricts. NCD requirements tend to be lessextensive, focusing more on character and


Tampa

Zephyrhills

Conservation DistrictsTAMPA, SARASOTA, AND ZEPHYRHILLS

�

less on detailed design guidelines toprotect historic fabric. Like historicoverlay districts, NCD’s can be tai-lored to address the unique character-istics of the community. As thisapproach becomes increasingly popu-lar, questions arise concerning howNCD’s really differ from local historicdistricts and, more critically, whetherit is appropriate to “designate a resi-dential neighborhood as a conserva-tion district when it meets the criteriafor designation as a historic district.”3

Community land trustsCommunity land trusts (CLT’s)

offer a means for non-profits to createopportunities for longer-term afford-ability, particularly in lower valuedareas when housing prices begin toincrease. This long term affordabilityis secured by the non-profit’s owner-ship of the land in trust with thehousehold purchasing the home withcertain constraints on its resale value.Originally begun in the Northeast –Burlington, Vermont has one of thelargest inventories of such properties– this strategy to ensure long-termaffordability has just recently beenadopted in Florida. In addition tomaintaining housing affordability,community land trusts can also safe-guard historic structures by retainingthem in the housing inventory andassisting in their rehabilitation. TheBahama Conch Community LandTrust in Key West, the first such non-profit in Florida, is the only commu-nity land trust in the state that specif-ically addresses the twin goals ofaffordability and historic preserva-tion. In addition to addressing gentri-fication, a key goal in forming thenon-profit was the preservation of thehistoric African-American communi-ty. As such, the community landtrust offers a means to maintain thecultural and historical qualities that

contribute to Florida neighborhoodswhile also meeting affordable hous-ing goals.

Neighborhood Revitalization – A Caution

Neighborhood revitalizationthrough safeguarding and enhanc-ing existing historic and culturalresources is a central goal of manylocal historic preservation programs.In addition, aesthetics, culture, andhistory are often essential factors increating an economic developmentstrategy. A city will be better able toaddress any resulting gentrificationif the city drafts “a unified visionand plan” based on an understand-ing of the context, controls propertyto better direct redevelopment, andcommunicates with and empowersthe residents and property owners toensure social equity, and all mem-bers of the community benefit fromrevitalization.4

Indicators to Assist in TargetingCombined Historic Preservationand Affordable Housing Goals

Affordability and historic preser-vation can reinforce each other, con-tributing to the quality of life inFlorida. Clearly, Florida’s growth

management legislation, with theembedded commitment to consis-tency and concurrency, creates astructure for coordinated compre-hensive planning. In addition, toolssuch as conservation districts, com-munity land trusts, coordinated taxcredit projects, and the Front Porchprogram offer means to creativelyengage the private sector while safe-guarding significant resources andexpanding affordability options.Employing these indicators as ameans to establish, monitor, andadjust integrated plans and strate-gies will result in a greater connec-tion between historic resources andthe availability of housing for lowerincome persons. Indicators thatassess historic preservation in com-bination with affordable housinginclude: � Distressed historic neighbor-

hoods: The presence of suchneighborhoods signal a potentialresource that, given the appropri-ate public sector programs, cancontribute to historic preserva-tion opportunities that increasethe supply of decent, affordablehousing.

� Neighborhood conservation dis-tricts: NCD’s offer a means for


St. Petersburg

n the hot housing market of

Key West, the Bahama Conch

Community Land Trust seeks to

prevent the gradual loss of the

neighborhood to gentrification and

the physical deterioration of the hous-

ing stock by purchasing historic prop-

erties, renovating and rehabilitating

them as needed, and then selling or

leasing the homes to income-qualified

individuals. The goal of the land trust,

as N.J. Sawyer-Atanda, executive

director of the BCCLT says, is to help

“the community become the benefici-

ary of change, rather than the victim.”

To date, the BCCLT has managed to

preserve seven historic homes for sin-

gle-family use and two additional

multi-family buildings, located in the

Key West Old Town Historic District.

These homes, all constructed prior to

1950, house 31 low- to moderate-

income residents, combining the

sometimes competing goals of historic

preservation and affordable housing.

BCCLT also assists potential buyers in

securing financing for properties. The

organization has been able to foster a

sense of community by becoming

deeply involved in local activities and

affordable housing efforts, the

African-American cultural community,

the environmental community and the

historic preservation community.

Community Land TrustsKEY WEST

I

local governments to introduce somecontrols to protect such areas withoutrequiring the age, integrity, or concen-tration of significant structures requi-site for a locally or nationally recog-nized historic district.

� Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credits(HRTC’s) and Low Income HousingTax Credits (LIHTC’s): Combined useof these credits is a popular approachto rehabilitating income-producingresidential properties. Using LIHTC’scompetitive application process toprivilege, rather than punish, devel-opers who do so ensures that theseprojects are more likely to be finan-cially viable. Further, adjusting therehabilitation guidelines to more flex-ibly respond to the significance of thehistoric structure can accommodategreater responsiveness to afford-abili-ty concerns without compromisinghistoric fabric.

� Assessed property value trends:Evaluating these data offers a meansto gauge whether a neighborhood isdistressed and thus a candidate forcertain interventions.

� Historic district/property reinvest-ment: Community reinvestment deci-sions that integrate historic preserva-tion and affordability goals throughcoordinated efforts, such as layeringrelevant programs, are preferable tothose that simply support historicpreservation reinvestment.

� Historic preservation element/planintegration: An integrated approachresults in better allocation of scarceresources. Design guidelines, preser-vation ordinances, and disaster prepa-ration and response that implementsuch plans will reflect a greater sensi-tivity to lower income householdswhile maintaining historic preserva-tion goals.

� Participation in other state/federalprograms and other incentive pro-grams: Participation in programs such


�

as Front Porch or communityland trusts offers opportunitiesto integrate historic preservationin tandem with affordable hous-ing strategies and represents apositive indicator for evaluatingapproaches that enhance thequality of life in Florida.

� Historic preservation non-prof-its: Non-profits, such as CLT’sthat address both affordabilityand preservation goals, shouldbe weighted as a stronger quali-ty of life indicator.

� Neighborhood participation:Neighborhood participation inrecognizing and fostering dis-tinctive cultural and historicalcharacteristics is particularly dif-ficult in lower income communi-ties where such goals are consid-ered secondary to more pressingeconomic needs. Yet this partici-pation is essential to an integrat-ed strategy of revitalizing andsustaining such places.5

� Tax exemptions: Tax exemptionsare available to all owners of eli-gible historic properties inFlorida communities that haveofficially adopted this strategy.They contribute to housingaffordability by making the taxon improvements a relatively lessexpensive proposition for as longas ten years.

� Housing affordability: When theindicators listed above are active-ly employed, this indicator willreflect “the community’s commit-ment to providing affordablehousing while at the same time enhancing its historicresources.”6

By using indicators to identifyopportunities and challenges andby adopting tools that safeguardthese resources while encouragingprivate sector participation, revital-

ization of working class homes andneighborhoods is possible. As pop-ulation pressures continue tomount and housing prices continueto escalate, realizing historicpreservation and affordability goalswill ensure an enhanced quality oflife in the state.

1. Rypkema, D. (2002). Historic Preservation andAffordable Housing: The Missed Connection.Washington, DC: National Trust for HistoricPreservation. Accessed on October 24, 2005, fromhttp://www.nationaltrust.org/issues/housing/Missed_Connection.pdf.

2. U.S. Census Bureau. (2004). American HousingSurvey for the United States: 2003. CurrentHousing Reports, Series H150/03. Washington,DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.

3. Miller, J. (2004). Protecting Older NeighborhoodsThrough Conservation District Programs. ForumNews, 11(2), 1-2, 6, pg. 6.

4. Kennedy, M. & Leonard, P. (2001). Dealing withNeighborhood Change: A Primer on Gentrificationand Policy Choices, Working Paper. Washington,DC: The Brookings Institute.

5. Hayden, D. (1995). The Power of Place: UrbanLandscapes as Public History. Cambridge, MA:The MIT Press.

6. Phillips, R. (2003). Community Indicators.Chicago, IL: American Planning Association.


Madison

This summary was prepared by Kristin Larsen, Ph.D., AICP, Assistant Professor, Department of Urban andRegional Planning, University of Florida

34 Carnegie Library, Florida A&M University, Tallahassee

State Disclaimer This publication has been financed in partwith historic preservation grant assistanceprovided by the Bureau of HistoricPreservation, Division of HistoricalResources, Florida Department of State,assisted by the Florida HistoricalCommission. However, the contents andopinions do not necessarily reflect the viewsand opinions of the Florida Department ofState, nor does the mention of trade namesor commercial products constitute endorse-ment or recommendation by the FloridaDepartment of State.

All photos are courtesy of: Bureau of Historic Preservation, Division of Historical Resources, Florida Departmentof State; Florida Main Street; FloridaPhotographic Collection, Florida StateArchives; Smathers Libraries, P.K. YongeLibrary of Florida History, University ofFlorida; City of St. Petersburg; Andrew Ham,Urban Trust LLC, Jacksonville; Elaine Illes,IPI Consultants; Jo-Anne Peck, PreservationResource, Inc.; Peter Prugh; JoAnn Klein;Kristin Larsen; Timothy McLendon; andGlenn Willumson.

Project staff thanks their colleagues at theUniversity of Florida, who assisted in thepreparation of this report, including:

Center for GovernmentalResponsibility, Levin College of Law: Jon Carroll and Jim Robertson, LegalResearch Assistants; Laura Coates, OfficeManager; Lenny Kennedy, Senior Secretary;Barbara Sieger, Secretary; Linda Baldwin,External Relations.

Department of Urban and RegionalPlanning, College of Design,Construction & Planning: Dr. Paul D. Zwick, Chair, Department of Urban and Regional Planning; AssociateDean, College of Design, Construction andPlanning; Emily Bergeron and Teresa Russin,Masters Candidates.

Graduate Program in Museum Studies,College of Fine Arts: Oaklianna Brown, Graduate Assistant. Preliminary research was completed by the

members of the graduate seminar in museum studies in fall, 2005. Students completing museum research and reportsincluded: Caroline Bradford, LeslieCampbell, Catherine Culver, AmberEddington, Laura Ferries, Deborah Johnson-Simon, Nate Lambaugh, BarbaraMatusik, Kelly O’Neill, Mandy Streeter,Jeremy Underwood, Maury Wiseman.

Department of Tourism, Recreation, and Sports Management, College ofHealth & Human Performance: Catherine Culver, Masters Candidate,

Fall 2006, Marketing and EventsCoordinator, Department of HeritageTourism, City of St. Augustine.

Florida Trust for Historic Preservation:Carolyn Tharpe Weiss,

Executive DirectorKathleen Kaufmann, former

Executive Director

University of Florida, Bureau ofEconomic and Business Research,Survey Research Center: Chris McCarty, Director Alicia Turner Mark Girson

University of Florida, Levin College of Law:E.L. Roy Hunt,

Professor Emeritus

University of Florida, SmathersLibraries, P.K. Yonge Library of Florida History: James Cusick, Curator Mil Willis

Project staff also thanks the many state andlocal government officials, business owners,and community leaders, who provided assis-tance and research for this report, including:

Florida Department of State Division ofHistorical Resources: Frederick Gaske, Director

Florida Department of State Division of Historical Resources Bureau of Historic Preservation: David Gregory, Grants Manager,

Grants and Education Section Alissa Slade, Historic Preservation

Supervisor, Grants and Education Section Susanne Hunt, Planner, Folklife,

Publications and Markers SectionJoan Jefferson, Coordinator, Florida Main

Street Program Angela Tomlinson, Florida Main Street

Program Philip Wisley, Architect, Architectural

Preservation Services Section Dave Ferro, Architect Supervisor,

Architectural Preservation Services SectionLaura Kammerer, Supervisor,

Compliance Review Section Lauren Van Lierop, Communications Office,

Mission San Luis

Acknowledgments


7

Florida Association of Museums: Malinda Horton, Executive Director

Florida Department of CommunityAffairs, Waterfronts FloridaPartnership: Jennifer Carver

Florida Department of Transportation: John McShaffrey

Florida Association of Convention & Visitor Bureaus: Rob Skrob

Alachua County: Susan Swires, Office of the

Alachua County Property Appraiser John Pricher, Alachua/Gainesville

Convention & Visitors Bureau

Baker County: Amy Griffith, Baker County Tourist

Development Council

Bay County: Robert Warren, Panama City Beach


Bradford County: Ron Lilly, North Florida Regional

Chamber of Commerce Tom Bartosek, Florida’s Space Coast

Office of Tourism

Broward County: Chris Eck, Broward County Historical

Commission Kenneth Gibbs, Office of the Broward County Property Appraiser

Francine Mason, Greater Fort LauderdaleConvention & Visitors Bureau

Charlotte County: Becky Borrell, Charlotte Harbor

& The Gulf Islands Visitors Bureau

Citrus County: Mary B. Craven, Citrus County


Clay County: Eve Szymanski, Clay County

Tourist Development Council

Collier County: Jack Wert, Greater Naples, Marco Island

& the Everglades Convention & Visitors Bureau

Columbia County: Harvey Campbell, Columbia County


Coral Gables: Simone Chin, City of Coral Gables

Duval County: Jim Overton, Office of the Duval County

Property Appraiser

Escambia County: Ed Schroeder, Pensacola Bay Area

Convention & Visitors Bureau Information Center

Fernandina Beach: Catherine Hartley, City of Fernandina Beach

Flagler County: Christina Laundrie, Flagler County Palm

Coast Chamber of Commerce

Ft. Christmas Museum: Trudy Trask, Historic Site Supervisor Joseph Adams, Educational Coordinator Vickie Prewett, Collections Curator

Gadsden County: Stuart Johnson, Gadsden County Tourist

Development Council

Gainesville: Darlene Henrichs, City of Gainesville

Gulf County: Paul Ramsey Pickett, Gulf County Tourist

Development Council

Hamilton County: Nancy Oliver, Hamilton County Tourist

Development Council

Hendry County: Jeff Barwick, Hendry County Tourist

Development Council

Hernando County: Susan Rupe, Hernando County Tourist

Development Council

Highlands County: Jim Brantley, Convention & Visitors Bureau

of Highlands County

Hillsborough County: Steve Hayes, Tampa Bay Convention &

Visitors Bureau

Indian River County: Lori Burns, Indian River Chamber of

Commerce – Tourism Division

Jackson County: Art Kimbrough, Jackson County Tourist

Development Council

Jacksonville: Joel McEachin, City of JacksonvilleLisa Sheppard, City of JacksonvilleJohn Reyes, Jacksonville & The Beaches

Convention & Visitors Bureau Jerry Spinks, Jacksonville Historical Society Ben Warner, Jacksonville Community

Council, Inc. Herschel Shepard, FAIA,

Preservation Architect

Key West: Norma Jean Sawyer-Atanda, Executive

Director, Bahama Conch Community LandTrust of Key West, FL Inc.

Kissimmee: Jessica Newman, Kissimmee Main Street

Lake County: Greg Mihalic, Lake County Dept. of

Economic Development & Tourism

Lee County: Nancy Hamilton, Lee County


Leon County: Kay Strong-Hogan, Leon County Tourist

Development Council

Levy County: Michael Jones, Levy County Tourist

Development Council

Madison County: Paul Arnold, Madison County Tourist

Development Council

Manatee County: Monica Luff, Bradenton Area


Martin County: Cheryl Bass, Martin County



Melbourne: Laird Gann, Melbourne Main Street

Miami-Dade County: Thomas Logue, Miami-Dade County

Attorney’s Office Rick Ferrer, Miami-Dade County

Historic Preservation Board Ivan Rodriguez, Miami-Dade County

Historic Preservation Board David Rooney, Office of the

Miami-Dade County Property Appraiser Bill Anderson, Greater Miami


Milton: Vernon Compton, Milton Main Street

Monroe County: Harold Wheeler, Monroe County


Nassau County: Carolyn Haney, Amelia Island

Tourist Development Council Tammy Stiles, Office of the

Nassau County Property Appraiser

Okaloosa County: Darrel C. Jones, Emerald Coast


Okeechobee County: Kathy Scott, Okeechobee County Tourist

Development Council

Orange County: William C. Peeper, Orlando/Orange County

Convention & Visitors Bureau, Inc.

Osceola County: Tim Hemphill, Kissimmee/St. Cloud


Palm Beach County: W.E. McLaughlin, Palm Beach County


Pasco County: Diane Jones, Pasco County


Pinellas County: Lee Daniel, St. Petersburg/Clearwater Area


Polk County: Mark Johnson, Central Florida

Visitors & Convention Bureau

Putnam County: W.D. Larson, III, Putnam County

Chamber of Commerce

Riley House Museum: Althamese Barnes, Founder and

Executive Director Geraldine Johnson-Johnson, former Educator

Anthony Dixon, Archivist

St. Augustine Lighthouse and Museum: Kathy A. Fleming, Executive Director Paul Wenglowsky, Director of

Maritime Education Kathleen McCormick, Museum Conservator Debe Thompson, Volunteer Coordinator Mollie Malloy, Director of Museum

Development

St. Johns County: Dena Masters, St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra &

The Beaches Visitors & Convention Bureau Georgia Katz, St. Johns County Planning Dept.

St. Lucie County: Larry Daum, St. Lucie Tourist

Development Council

St. Petersburg: Kimberly Hinder, City of St. PetersburgBob Jeffrey, City of St. Petersburg

Santa Rosa County: Kathy Newby, Santa Rosa County Tourist

Development Council

Sarasota County: Virginia Haley, Sarasota Convention &

Visitors Bureau

Seminole County: Suzan Bunn, Seminole County Suzan Bunn,

Seminole County Convention & VisitorsBureau

Suwannee County: Greg D’Angio, Suwannee County Tourist

Development Council

Tampa: Del Acosta, City of TampaAndrew Ham, Urban Trust LLC, Jacksonville Elaine Illes, IPI Consultants Jo-Anne Peck, Preservation Resource, Inc.

Taylor County: Dawn Taylor, Taylor County


Volusia County: Art Heinz, Office of the Volusia County

Tax Collector

Wakulla County: Greg James, Office of the Wakulla County

Clerk of Court

Walton County: Erin LaGrosse, Beaches of South Walton


Washington County: Ted Everett, Washington County Tourist

Development Council

West Palm Beach: Friederike Mittner,

City of West Palm Beach

Design: JS Design Studio • Printing: StorterChilds Printing


Fun Map of Florida, from “Florida VacationGuide” (Fla. State Hotel Comm’n 1941).

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