Historic Preservation Pays... and Pays Big Time

Spotlight on this morning's Kirk Huffaker op-ed piece

By Curmudgeon

There's more in this morning's paper worth reading than the several stories about the Wildcats clinching the Big Sky Conference title. Kirk Huffaker, Executive Director of the Utah Heritage Foundation has a lengthy op-ed piece entitled "Stick With Historic Preservation to Net More Than Financial Gain."

That's only partially an accurate headline, since Huffaker also notes in his piece that historic preservation pays... and pays big time... for communities that take it seriously. For example, he notes, according to a study by the Utah Department of Community and Economic Development, every dollar invested in historic rehab projects returns to the community that invested it $35 in additional economic benefits and $4.16 in increased tax revenues.

The op-ed piece goes on to discuss, specifically, the Windsor Hotel matter and the Administration's attempt to raise building height limits throughout Historic 25th Street.

Well worth a read.