Sometimes, things don’t always work out the way we hope they will. So it goes for preservation.  While we think that preservation very often presents an ideal, workable solution with positive and far-reaching economic and social benefits for a community, sometimes more immediate pressures of development, liability, or other concerns threaten the life of an historic building.  One of the main facets of the Preservation Alliance of West Virginia’s mission is to provide resources and tools that communities and individuals can use to help build a more positive approach to the use of our state’s existing resources.

While legislative tools such as tax credits and historic listings are helpful, they don’t always do the trick.  The preservationist’s best ally, and most effective tool, is education. If you are frustrated with your community’s approach to conserving the resources that define its heritage, it is important to remember that preservation is a learning process. Complex issues often require complex solutions, and preservation is often a process that involves economic, legal, and social questions relating to real estate, finance, usability, and political and social goals.  Learning how each of these aspects plays a role in your situation is crucial to finding workable solutions.  More often than not, preservation happens by cooperation rather than by force.

The Preservation Alliance of West Virginia offers many tools to help make preservation work in your community.  Through grants or cooperative funding arrangements with local communities and organizations, PAWV can organize workshops dealing with preservation, tourism and development, or interpretation.  We can put you in touch with resources to help you better understand preservation law and practice, ranging from tax credits to land protection to repair of wooden windows.  We offer a voice on the latest developments in preservation around the state through our newsletter, and a forum for discussing your latest news and challenges in the Preservation Alliance email list.  Currently under implementation is our Organizations Survey and Contractors’ List, helping to build a network around the state of organizations that support preservation, and contractors in design and construction that are friendly toward, and knowledgeable about, preservation.

Contact our office to see how we can help you.  To stay in touch with our latest tools, programs, and developing news, consider becoming a member (Click here).  Join us at our next conference to learn what is going on in preservation today, to meet other people with an interest in our field, and to gain the valuable experiences that our workshops and tours can provide you.  We look forward to hearing from you!