After a high-profile demolition claimed a 129-year-old building in Dallas, preservationists are getting a seat at the table in the form of a newly formed task force.
"At year’s end the Dallas City Council was considering a task force to look at stopping, or at least pausing, the razing of historic downtown buildings," according to Robert Wilonsky.
Wilonsky goes on to announce the new members of the task force (as Wilonsky puts it, "who’s going to stand between history and the wrecking ball"), which will be led by Preservation Dallas Executive Director Katherine Seale.
Wilonsky also quotes directly from a statement released by Seale to describe her expectations for the role of the task force: "The task force will start by looking inwardly at where we are now as a city with preservation and development policies, where we have been over time and the major moments in between….From there, the group will look outwardly at how other cities blend development with preservation for mutual benefit and come back to the city with recommendations and best practices."
FULL STORY: Dallas task force to examine the demolition of historic downtown buildings

Study: Maui’s Plan to Convert Vacation Rentals to Long-Term Housing Could Cause Nearly $1 Billion Economic Loss
The plan would reduce visitor accommodation by 25,% resulting in 1,900 jobs lost.

North Texas Transit Leaders Tout Benefits of TOD for Growing Region
At a summit focused on transit-oriented development, policymakers discussed how North Texas’ expanded light rail system can serve as a tool for economic growth.

Using Old Oil and Gas Wells for Green Energy Storage
Penn State researchers have found that repurposing abandoned oil and gas wells for geothermal-assisted compressed-air energy storage can boost efficiency, reduce environmental risks, and support clean energy and job transitions.

Santa Barbara Could Build Housing on County Land
County supervisors moved forward a proposal to build workforce housing on two county-owned parcels.

San Mateo Formally Opposes Freeway Project
The city council will send a letter to Caltrans urging the agency to reconsider a plan to expand the 101 through the city of San Mateo.

A Bronx Community Fights to Have its Voice Heard
After organizing and giving input for decades, the community around the Kingsbridge Armory might actually see it redeveloped — and they want to continue to have a say in how it goes.
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