This week’s guest is architect and Deputy State Historic Preservation Officer Steve King.
Originally from Independence, MO, Steve made his way up to Des Moines to lead a project downtown for his architecture firm. Raised with an awareness of unique architecture, he has always had a fondness for historic buildings and their significance in defining a community.
Steve works with community leaders around the state on retaining, restoring, and sometimes repurposing historic buildings and archeological sites through private investments combined with local, state, and federal resources. Iowa is one of the highest ranked states with the number of communities that actively include preservation in their planning and economic development (DM Reg: 4-27-18). Thanks to Steve, we can be very proud of this. As is often said in green building circles, the greenest building is one that already exists.
There are times when it is in the best interest of a community to remove a building in order to revitalize an area, but Steve does cringe when this is necessary. His goal, though, is to save more than he loses by providing insight, tools, and guidance to leaders across the state.
You can learn more about the work Steve is doing to bolster historic preservation around Iowa by visiting https://iowaculture.gov/about-us/visit/historic-preservation-office.
Something To Think About:
As Richard Moe has said...
“There may have been a time when preservation was about saving an old building here or there, but those days are gone. Preservation is in the business of saving communities and the value they embody.”
And as John Sawhill has said...
“In the end, our society will be defined not only by what we create, but by what we refuse to destroy.”
Thank you Steve, for all your efforts in promoting and supporting historic preservation in communities all across Iowa. We are truly grateful.