In Beyond Preservation: Using Public History to Revitalize Inner Cities, Andrew Hurley argues for a more inclusive and post-modern approach to historic preservation and revitalization. He lauds previous efforts and movements of historic preservation, but observes that often the effort simply froze the building or district to a time that is both foreign and disconnected to the current population. Additionally, further disconnection and harmony can occur when commercial benefit is a large motivator or objective. All too often, the sudden increase in price and taxes cause displacement and often gentrification. Hurley looks to his experiences with the multi-layered effort in the northern end of Saint Louis, Missouri and offers balanced solutions …show more content…
This effort brought together many agencies and citizens who developed a tempered strategy to attract outside investment while not pricing out and disconnecting the current populace. Hurley argues that historic preservation is more about the preservation of the landscape and natural environment than any specific buildings. The simple preservation or repurposing of an old building enters a state of torpidity to a distant time and often to a different demographic than the current local population. He states, “Too often history has served as mere window dressing for the purposes of establishing a neighborhood’s historic credentials so it can receive tax credits, attract visitors, and gain some cachet within a metropolitan context. In such cases, it matters little what happened in the past, only that it happened in the past.” What is erased are all the contextual stories and experiences that occurred in or around the space and both before and after its appearance on the landscape. To accomplish this, Hurley recounts a multi-disciplinary and community outreach efforts where various groups shared in the authority to preserve, plan, and interpret the neighborhood. In doing so, history becomes more socially inclusive and relevant to current and future