Historic Preservation & Urban Revitalization in the 21st Century

Historic preservation is largely an urban profession with strong ties to city planning and development. Advocates tout preservation as a key driver of urban revitalization, but there remains a dearth of empirical research that addresses this intersection.This article reviews the current state of affairs in preservation practice and scholarship and builds new connections with fourleading discourses in urban revitalization: the New American City, place matters, anchor institutions, and legacy cities. We call foran expansive research agenda to address preservation’s role in revitalization and to rethink preservation policy in the twenty-firstcentury.