Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, October 6, 1995 TAG: 9510060083
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Medium
The Preservation Alliance of Virginia on Wednesday released a consultant's report showing that preservation of historic sites has created thousands of jobs and pumped billions of dollars into the state's economy.
``Historic preservation is critical for the future economic health of the commonwealth,'' David J. Brown, alliance president, said at a news conference. ``Historic preservation is economic development.''
According to the study by consultant Donovan D. Rypkema of Washington, D.C., rehabilitation of about 900 historic buildings in the past 15 years has created 12,697 jobs and increased personal income by $275 million.
He also said the bulk of Virginia's $9 billion-a-year tourism industry stems from historic preservation. More than seven of 10 first-time visitors to the state visit historic sites, Rypkema said.
Property values in historic districts increase faster than those in communities as a whole, the study concluded. For example, residential properties in Staunton's five historic districts increased by from 52 percent to 66 percent between 1987 and 1995, while property values elsewhere in the city went up an average of 51 percent.
Commercial property values in Staunton climbed from 25 percent to 256 percent in the historic districts, compared to just 9 percent citywide.
``The release of this report one month before the General Assembly elections and three months before the next legislative session is no accident,'' Brown said. ``We think there is a role for the state to play.''
Brown said state grants for historic properties have plummeted from between $8 million and $9 million in the late 1980s to $3 million this year. He hopes the report will convince legislators and Gov. George Allen that investments in historic preservation reap big returns.
``We're in an age where states are fiercely competitive,'' Rypkema said. Virginia has been an active player, recently beating other states for such high-tech prizes as IBM-Toshiba and Motorola plants.
Unlike other industries, ``Virginia's historic resources cannot go anywhere,'' Rypkema said. ``They can't be bought, but they can be lost if we don't preserve them.''
The Preservation Alliance, based in Staunton, is a grassroots information network of 150 local organizations representing 60,000 members interested in historic preservation.
by CNB