Why Preserve?

Revitalizing Kentucky’s Heritage is good for the neighborhood, good for the environment, good for the economy – Preservation is Good Business!  There are financial, cultural, and environmental incentives for incorporating historic preservation into residential, commercial or religious projects.  Historic buildings are adaptable and built to last, making them great incubators for small businesses.  And compared to the rents of new buildings, which are subject to new construction and materials costs, older buildings frequently maintain affordable rents.  This article examines both the cultural and practical values of old buildings and looks at why preserving them is beneficial not only for a community’s culture, but also for its local economy.

Preservation Kentucky’s Easement Program  

One of the best ways to protect and preserve historic properties is with a conservation easement.  Placing a conservation / historic preservation easement on a building monitored by Preservation Kentucky ensures the preservation of the property in perpetuity.  It may also qualify as a charitable donation, providing financial tax benefit to the owner. To learn more about why historic preservation matters to your community, check out this publication from respected economist Donavon Rypkema of PlaceEconomics Twenty-Four Reasons Historic Preservation is Important to Your Community

Endangered Buildings Fund Helps Save Kentucky’s Architectural Heritage

Help protect historic sites with a contribution to our Endangered Buildings Fund, which focuses on buildings threatened with demolition. Historic preservation revitalizes Main Streets, neighborhoods and downtowns, puts people to work and keeps them in the workforce, creates jobs, returns vacant buildings to tax rolls, and generates income for community improvements.  If you enjoy shopping along our charming Main Streets, driving through historic neighborhoods and visiting our historic landmarks, then you know why historic preservation is important to communities throughout the Commonwealth.  Historic places contribute to our quality of life and vibrant communities by connecting us to our heritage and defining our strong sense of place.