[Preservation] 2008 Endangered Historic Sites List

Mon May 19 11:02:12 EDT 2008

Dear Concerned Citizen:

Thank you for your interest and passion on this subject.  Looking at issues
from all sides is always helpful.

The Most Endangered List is sponsored by APVA Preservation Virginia as a way
to bring attention to threats and issues across the Commonwealth.  An
independent committee volunteers to make the selection.  Historians,
architectural historians, architects, historic preservationists,
archaeologists, and community advocates are represented on the committee. 

As a part of their discussion, the committee members evaluate the impact a
listing may have for a specific site and/or by way of example call attention
to broader threats.  On several occasions a nomination has pinpointed a
trend that threatens not just one site but sites across the Commonwealth.
By broaden the message and identifying these trends, we believe that it
builds awareness that can have a positive regional impact, as well as
fulfill APVA Preservation Virginia statewide mission.

The listing of Archaeological Sites in Developing Areas and Rural Places in
Virginia both embrace the preservation issues/threats for which you are
advocating.  Calling attention to the fact that this is an issue that other
localities face, and in some cases resolve, might be helpful as citizens and
the County look for a solution at Tree Hill.

Thank you again,

Elizabeth S. Kostelny
Executive Director
APVA Preservation Virginia
204 West Franklin Street
Richmond, VA 23220
804.648.1889 ex 306

To learn more about our programs and services visit www.apva.org or
www.historicjamestowne.org

  _____  

From: concerned citizen's view [mailto:concernedcitizensview at gmail.com] 
Sent: Friday, May 16, 2008 8:50 AM
To: Louis Malon
Cc: ekostelny at apva.org; tgraham at apva.org; tcalhoun at apva.org;
preservation at connectnetwork.org; achp at achp.gov; cgoetch at clemson.edu;
PASMemo at planning.org; PASReports at planning.org; PAS at planning.org;
cap at heritagepreservation.org; mail at preservationaction.org; vcn at vcnva.org;
preservation at nthp.org; legypt at htcnet.org; tkaine at governor.virginia.gov;
mmartin at timesdispatch.com; wjones at timesdispatch.com; harryk at richmag.com;
Dabney Oakley; letters at archaeology.org
Subject: RE: 2008 Endangered Historic Sites List

Ms. Malon - 

I did not submit an admonishment of the APVA's 2008 choices for Endangered
Historic Sites to receive a rationale, but to make the APVA aware that
Virginians' know what is really going on.  

However, I will clarify that I was not referring to an anonymous nomination.
I happen to know that the nomination for the archaeological sites contained
within the Tree Hill property was co-submitted by the former senior
archaeologist for the state of Virginia, along with a local resident.  

In regards to Tree Hill:  One small spot on the Tree Hill site was
identified in 1992 as the Powhatan village by the VCU Archaeological
Research Center for the Virginia Department of Historic Resources.  The
other 530+ acres have not been given proper review.  Attached is a copy of
the nomination I refer to, which clearly identifies the nominators.  I have
not seen a more concise and worthy proposal. The development of this site
without full archaeological review is a travesty.   

Rather than using a blanket suggestion that all archaeological resources in
developing areas be investigated before they are disturbed, the APVA could
have accepted this nomination, and a site of true importance to our nations
history might have been given the attention it so deserves.  

Resubmitting next year, as you suggested, will be too late, as the Henrico
County Board of Supervisors relentlessly promotes further development in one
of the oldest settled areas in our country, without any written guidelines
for protecting or preserving historic resources ...

... and Virginians know that the APVA was fully aware of this situation
during their review.  

 - Concerned Citizen

-----"Louis Malon" <lmalon at apva.org> wrote: -----

To: "'concerned citizen's view'" <concernedcitizensview at gmail.com>,
<ekostelny at apva.org>, <tgraham at apva.org>, <tcalhoun at apva.org>
From: "Louis Malon" <lmalon at apva.org>
Date: 05/15/2008 01:07PM
cc: <preservation at connectnetwork.org>, <achp at achp.gov>,
<cgoetch at clemson.edu>, <PASMemo at planning.org>, <PASReports at planning.org>,
<PAS at planning.org>, <cap at heritagepreservation.org>,
<mail at preservationaction.org>, <vcn at vcnva.org>, <preservation at nthp.org>,
<legypt at htcnet.org>, <tkaine at governor.virginia.gov>,
<mmartin at timesdispatch.com>, <wjones at timesdispatch.com>, harryk at richmag.com

Subject: RE: 2008 Endangered Historic Sites List

I am not certain which of the nominations you specifically refer to but
suspect it was the one that requested anonymity - the committee gave full
and fair consideration to that request, but determined that the entire focus
of the endangered sites list is to raise awareness of specific threats to
specific resources in the Commonwealth - by listing a threat with no contact
information for follow-up and with the request that the information on
specifically impacted persons be withheld, we felt the effect of our
including this on this list was severely limited - 

if indeed this is the nomination to which you refer and you would like to
re-submit it for consideration next time, with permission to list contact
information so that the listing has the potential to make a positive impact
on a perceived problem, we would be most willing to re-consider it in that
light - given the response we have had from numerous localities which we
have included in the list, I hardly think we can be accused of "tiptoeing" -

Advocacy in our role involves asking decision-makers to include preservation
concerns in their deliberations, often going against other competing
interests - we must all be willing to make ourselves and our positions known

if this is not the nomination to which you refer, I apologize for assuming
that - in general, we had before the review committee several worthy
nominations, not all of which can be included in each year's final list -
again, other individuals and organizations which did not have their
nominations included have re-submitted for the following year if the threat
persists - I urge you to do that in either case - 

the nominating process itself is a powerful awareness tool for APVA
Preservation Virginia - it helps us see the variety and urgency of many
threats across our state, all of great importance to those affected - please
understand that inclusion of the list does not represent a specific
endorsement of any particular position by APVA Preservation Virginia - that
is a separate process involving out Public Policy Committee - the
information arising from the Endangered Sites program is shared with that
committee as they construct our statement public policy agenda - thus even
nominations not formally included in the list do have an impact on
determining how we use what influence we have in the greater interest of
preservation in Virginia

Thank you for your passion and concern - Louis

Louis J. Malon
Director of Preservation Services
APVA Preservation Virginia
204 W. Franklin Street
Richmond, VA  23220
(804)-648-1889, extension 307
(804)775-0802 (fax)
(804)514-9394 (cell)
lmalon at apva.org

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----

From: concerned citizen's view [mailto:concernedcitizensview at gmail.com] 
Sent: Thursday, May 15, 2008 12:26 PM
To: ekostelny at apva.org; lmalon at apva.org; tgraham at apva.org; tcalhoun at apva.org
Cc: preservation at connectnetwork.org; achp at achp.gov; cgoetch at clemson.edu;
PASMemo at planning.org; PASReports at planning.org; PAS at planning.org;
cap at heritagepreservation.org; mail at preservationaction.org; vcn at vcnva.org;
preservation at nthp.org; legypt at htcnet.org; tkaine at governor.virginia.gov;
mmartin at timesdispatch.com; wjones at timesdispatch.com; harryk at richmag.com

Subject: 2008 Endangered Historic Sites List

Why is the APVA tiptoeing around the Henrico County Board of Supervisors
intent to develop the East End of Richmond?  You had the power to advocate
preservation in an area so rich with history, but everyone can see you will
just sit back and watch it happen.  Shame on you.  

- Concerned Citizen

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://mail.connectnetwork.org/pipermail/preservation_connectnetwork.org/attachments/20080519/3c806f39/attachment.html 