PLACES Conference Centers on Historic Preservation
Written by: Amanda C. R. Clark
Ever wander down a Main Street and notice that the shops are so cute, the trees have twinkly lights on them, the streetlights curl above freshly-painted benches, and artistic banners wave gently in the breeze? Seldom do we wonder who made the magic happen, it seems natural, even iconic. But historic Main Street successes have dedicated champions behind the scenes making your Sunday afternoon stroll so seamlessly charming.
Washington state is home to 43 designated Main Street Communities and an additional 41 Affiliates. These downtowns and districts are part of the Washington State Main Street Program, which the nonprofit Washington Trust for Historic Preservation (WTHP) manages under contract with the Washington State Department of Archaeology & Historic Preservation (DAHP), providing resources and opportunities for revitalizing Washington state’s historic downtowns. Annually, in the early autumn, hundreds turn out to attend the PLACES Conference, hosted by a different designated Main Street each year. This year the three-day event took place in Ellensburg, home to Central Washington University, the Ellensburg Rodeo, the Wild Horse Wind & Solar Facility, and the Kittitas County Bran Quilt Trail – all of which made an appearance during this year’s event.
Placemaking and Vitality
The annual PLACES conference is an energetic combination of networking events, talks and roundtables, and local tours. I had the opportunity to sample each this year, finding every day full yet never exhausting. The opening keynote lecture delved into questions around multifamily housing and zoning ordinances—not shying away from the debates flowing through those topics. Conferencegoers gathered after that keynote for a social hour in the newly-opened Ellensburg Unity Park—nestled downtown on Pearl Street—and kept the sparkling conversation going while enjoying an urban landscape that revitalized a corner of the historic core. The dialogue continued late into the evening among students curious to learn more about historic preservation within their own path of study; these PALs (PLACES' Advancing Leaders) were able to meet architects, consultants, Main Street executive directors, and other conference attendees in an environment where questions could be asked and vibrant chats could be had. And were.
Inspiring New Solutions
Tours chasing the midcentury residential gems in and around Ellensburg were explored on one bus tour, and another bus tour took attendees into the haylofts of historic barns scattered across Kittitas County. Convention talks included, for example, a deep dive into historic preservation tax incentives, tax valuations, easements and tax credits, and if any of that sounds dull to you, just wait until you’re led through the downtown’s stellar examples of those dollars put to use in the rehabilitation of a nineteenth century hotel-now-apartment building. There’s nothing like seeing creative restorations first-hand, making the daunting seem possible.
Trivia, award-ceremonies, and other celebrations punctuated this immersive learning and networking event. This was the third PLACES conference I attended, and I found a chance to reconnect with friends made during the first two years. Aptly named PLACES showcases a place you may not have visited before and yet can hardly wait to return to again. And those cute little downtown Main Streets? You’ll never see them quite the same way again, and in fact, you might add the local downtown association to this year’s list for charitable giving, because it turns out we are all the providers of those cute little twinkly lights and good vibes.