Session Proposal: Preserving Urban Renewal

With the Mechanic Theater, McKeldin Fountain, the Red Line and State Center, Baltimore is facing changes that may, over time, substantially alter or remove the built legacy of urban renewal. Participants in this session will discuss the desirability and feasibility of preserving buildings, transportation elements and other features associated with urban renewal. Questions may include: Was urban renewal a planning “mistake” or does its legacy have a place in a modern city? Do we have a social responsibility to preserve that history, which is often associated with the destruction of neighborhoods and displacement of minorities? What, if any, elements should be saved and why? If we do preserve elements, how can they be incorporated into the urban fabric and reused, given modern trends toward sustainability?