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Id alem * WINSTON-SALEM, NORTH CAROLINA * A Place Where History Repeats Itself Everyday Experience daily life in an 18th century German trading community See craft demonstrations in 9 restored buildings, shop for museum reproductions and dine in a 19th century tavern Group discounts available. For information & group tour planner contact: Rene Campbell Old Salem, Inc. Drawer F Dept. HP Winston-Salem, NC 27108 919-723-3688 8 H Isroiuc PRESERVATION APPENDIX B 10 604K, 10 Drama Lesson for Historic Districts Outside it's a cool spring after- noon, and the river slides by with hardly a ripple. But inside the Brandywine Conservancy in Chadds Ford, Pa., things are heating up. There's this developer, see, who wants to put up a big new building right in the middle of a historic dis- trict, and he's trying to get the design - review commission's approval. Some commissioners can't seem to visualize the old building that will have to be demolished. Others like the proposed newcomer—but it's hard to tell ex- actly what it looks like because the only drawing available is a sketch on a paper towel. "Don't let him tear that old building down," a member of the historical so- ciety says. "It's pretty. And besides, it's on the National Register." The developer is on his feet in a flash. "Oh come on. You've got a lot of buildings on the Register. You'll never miss this one." Then the president of the chamber of commerce offers the clincher: "Downtown needs new life more than it needs another old build- ing. This project will bring jobs to the community." Commission members stir in their chairs. Finally one clears his throat and says, "I move that we approve this project. After all, it's not as bad as some we've approved." That does it. The audience breaks up in laughter, and even the "devel- oper" grins and applauds. His feelings are not hurt, because he isn't really a developer. He's an actor, just like the "mayor" and the chamber "presi- dent." The mock commission meeting has been part of a National Trust- hponsored workshop on historic dis- tricts. The performance illustrated how not to run a meeting, but it had he uncomfortable ring of truth. Trust attorney Frank Gilbert, who set up the workshop and several oth- ers like it around .the country, proba- bly has been to more historic -district commission meetings than anyone in the nation. More than 20 years ago Frank helped develop New York City's Landmarks Preservation Com- mission. His work to save Grand Cen- tral Terminal led ultimately to the U.S. Supreme Court's 1978 ruling uphold- ing New York's preservation ordi- nance. Since he joined the Trust in 1975, Frank has helped scores of com- munities enact preservation ordi- nances and set up effective commis- sions to run them. The nation's first ordinance was passed in Charleston in 1931. Today, due in part to the Grand Central deci- sion, local preservation laws are in place in more than 1,200 communi- ties, including Miami Beach, where most of the Art Deco -style structures hadn't even been built when Charles ton enacted its ordinance. Frank Gi' bert has had a hand in writing sever: i of those ordinances, and he has spent hundreds of hours counseling, en- couraging and commiserating with commission members. Fortunately, Frank doesn't work alone. Since its formation a few years ago, the National Alliance of Pres- ervation Commissions often has teamed up with Frank to offer on-site 4 assistance to commissions with ques- tions or problems or a case of jitter At the Pennsylvania workshop, Fra k shares the podium with Bernie Call. i, chairman of the alliance, and Cheri] i n Widell, the executive director. Frank likes to remind commission members that they are charged with providing "services, standards, con- trols and incentives" to owners and residents in their districts. Listening to