City celebrates National Historic Preservation Month
San Antonio designated a Preserve America Community

May is Historic Preservation Month. The Office of Historic Preservation is using this opportunity to recognize, discuss, and celebrate the cultural, aesthetic, environmental and economic value historic preservation brings to San Antonio. The theme for this year’s celebration is “This Place Matters.”

The Office of Historic Preservation will celebrate Preservation Month with various events and activities that will highlight San Antonio’s rich community heritage.

The City kicked off their festivities today with a news conference announcing that San Antonio had been designated a Preserve America Community by Preserve America. During the news conference, a Preserve America Community road sign was officially presented to Mayor Phil Hardberger.

Other activities taking place during the month include community symposium about the value of historic windows and maintaining original materials on May 14 entitled “Window on Preservation;” a window workshop for homeowners on May 15 and one for contractors May 15 and 16, a community workshop to solicit public input on the City’s Strategic Historic Preservation Plan and a call for citizens to submit pictures to the Office of Historic Preservation of their favorite historic places within the city that will be showcased on their web site as part of the “This Place Matter” campaign. “We want the citizens of San Antonio to call attention to the places that matter to them,” said Shanon Wasielewski, historic preservation officer. “In addition to being a good way to celebrate Preservation Month, highlighting historic places in San Antonio is a great economic development tool.

The Strategic Historic Preservation Plan will analyze and make recommendations regarding the preservation planning program including resource survey, identification and designation; available incentives for historic preservation; and public education and advocacy. In addition, the plan will include recommendations regarding collaboration among departments on issues impacting preservation, economic development and sustainability.

San Antonio contains 24 historic districts varying in size and over 2000 landmarks. For more information on Historic Preservation Month visit www.sanantonio.gov/historic.