Edgewood Neighborhood and Business District, Homewood, Jefferson County (Places in Peril 2007)10/22/2007 From Posh Beverly Hills to Midtown Atlanta, the trend toward replacing smaller-scale older homes with “McMansions”—the so-called “teardown” movement—has changed many older American suburbs. The Edgewood community in Homewood is among those places now facing pressure to tear down its historic houses and commercial structures for bigger and newer buildings—all in the name of progress. Incorporated in 1926, Edgewood retains many of its 1920s bungalows, Tudor Revival houses, and Spanish-style buildings, along with a quaint business district of single-story Tudor and Spanish-style commercial structures. But the rapid growth of the community now threatens its treasured architecture. It is not too late for Edgewood. Residents need to identify what is important about their community, improve local preservation ordinances, and review upcoming or needed changes to historic buildings, all of which may have an impact on future decisions. Money used for new development might also be used for preservation and adaptive reuse. The community of Edgewood does not have to lose its character and architectural integrity to the bulldozer.
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Alabama's Endangered Historic LandmarksEach year since 1994, Alabama Heritage has highlighted threatened historic sites throughout Alabama. The “Places in Peril” list has identified more than 215 imperiled historic resources throughout the state, and is compiled by the Alabama Historical Commission and the Alabama Trust for Historic Preservation. The locations highlight the results of deferred maintenance, perceived obsolescence, development pressures, and lack of funding—forces that now more than ever threaten our cultural legacy. But awareness is a powerful force, too, and can cultivate a renewed determination to be responsible stewards of our heritage. For more information, visit the AHC or the ATHP websites. Alabama Heritage is proud to bring to you a selection of the places designated as perilous. Please keep your comments to information relevant to the featured place in peril. Alabama Heritage reserves the right to delete any comment that we deem inappropriate. Archives
May 2024
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