National Alliance of Preservation Commissions

Congratulations to our 2024 FORUM Scholars!

✨ Kyra Troendle
✨ Emily Wren
✨ Caleb Aresenault
✨ Ellie Dauernheim
✨ Audrey Andrews
✨ Kacie Cassar

NAPC is committed to investing a portion of its resources to introduce students of preservation programs to NAPC through financial support and attendance at its programs and events. The FORUM Scholars Program provides individuals with a complimentary registration and travel stipend to attend NAPC's biennial conference FORUM. NAPC also invites Scholars to participate in the New Voices in Preservation Program which highlights their work in the field and invites seasoned professionals to think more deeply about preservation-related topics. You can find those projects on NAPC's FORUM Scholars website here: https://forum.napcommissions.org/scholars

FORUM 2024: Preservation Under the Palms was incredible! Thank you to everyone who joined us. We look forward to seeing you in Minneapolis in two years! Mark your calendars now. https://youtu.be/UxXM-d-ca28?si=eRa6KBy7BZlgAmB-

The behind the scenes tour of the Lake Worth, FL cottages was something else. Thank you for leading this great group!

Thank you Arches Project for supporting FORUM! We are so happy you are here.

The National Alliance of Preservation Commissions 2024 Forum starts today! The Arches Project is proud to be a sponsor of this year’s event, where attendees can engage in workshops, discussions and tours focused on the needs of historic preservation commissions in the United States. Learn more here: https://bit.ly/Arches_NAPC

We love having the National Conference of State Historic Preservation Officers at FORUM!

Eager to hear about the present and future of the historic preservation workforce? Join NCSHPO at NAPC Forum in West Palm Beach, Florida next week to learn about the work of NCSHPOs Workforce Committee. Get a sense of what colleagues in the field are experiencing and engage on this important issue!

Session Info: Friday, August 2nd | 3-4:30 p.m. | Location: Coral Salon C

https://forum.napcommissions.org/

National Alliance of Preservation Commissions
National Park Service
Heritage Documentation Programs, NPS
Heritage & Historic Preservation - NPS
National Register of Historic Places - NPS
ACHP - Advisory Council on Historic Preservation
National Trust for Historic Preservation
Action

FORUM NAPC’s FORUM is the only conference of its kind – focused specifically on the concerns and educational needs of preservation commissions, their staff, and surrounding communities. This interactive conference blends traditional educational sessions with roundtable discussions, mobile workshops, a...

We’re looking forward to this session!

In use for decades, the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards guide rehabilitation projects on approaches, treatments, and decisions to achieve desired preservation outcomes.

Join NCSHPO at NAPC Forum next week for a look at the work of our SOI committee - which has undertaken a review of the Standards. Are they flexible or inflexible? Has the interpretation changed over time? Are they consistently applied?

Session Info: Friday, August 2nd | 1:15-2:45 | Location: Oceana Salon AB

https://forum.napcommissions.org/sessions

National Alliance of Preservation Commissions
National Park Service
National Trust for Historic Preservation
Heritage & Historic Preservation - NPS
National Register of Historic Places - NPS
ACHP - Advisory Council on Historic Preservation
Preservation Action

FORUM is almost here--and the conference would not be possible without the support of our generous sponsors. Today we highlight James Hardie and the products they offer.

To read the blog post "Preserving History with Modern Materials", please visit https://www.jameshardie.com/blog/explore-exterior-design/preserving-history-with-modern-materials/

Reserve your spot at the conference (full or single day options available) here: https://napc.regfox.com/forum-2024

Are you headed to FORUM next week? If so, check out West Palm Beach's beautiful murals on your trip! How many of the nearly 40 murals can you spot? Which one is your favorite?
https://www.palmbeachpost.com/picture-gallery/news/local/westpb/2024/07/22/see-the-best-murals-in-west-palm-beach-florida/74481832007/

Full conference and single day registration tickets are still available. Sign up here: https://napc.regfox.com/forum-2024

We have another FORUM 2024 Sponsor Highlight for you today! NAPC is grateful for GBX Group's continued support of FORUM over the years.

A perfect partner for FORUM, GBX revitalizes historic buildings in urban communities to evolve and thrive in the 21st century. Their efforts help preserve history while modernizing structures to meet the needs of future generations.

Read about how they put these word into practice!

And, don't forget to register for FORUM here: https://napc.regfox.com/forum-2024

NAPC is beyond grateful for our FORUM 2024 sponsors! Today, we highlight Hedrick Brothers Construction and REG Architects, Inc.. Be sure to take the short walk from the conference hotel ( West Palm Beach) to see their work at the Historic Palm Beach County Courthouse which now houses The Historical Society of Palm Beach County.

If you still haven't registered for FORUM, take a moment to do so here: https://napc.regfox.com/forum-2024

The National Alliance of Preservation Commission's biennial conference, FORUM, is the only conference of its kind – focused specifically on the concerns and educational needs of preservation commissions, their staff, and surrounding communities. This interactive conference blends traditional educational sessions with roundtable discussions, mobile workshops, and tours.

This year, FORUM will be held in West Palm Beach, Florida July 31st - August 4th and features a fantastic line-up of speakers covering timely topics, workshops that allow the time and space to go deeper into issues, tours that will connect lessons on paper to real life experiences, and events that take you to places on many peoples' bucket list. Attend FORUM and join professional and volunteer preservationists from across the country to learn, discuss and network.

Don't let this amazing opportunity to load up on continuing education credits at an affordable price pass you by! Join us for the entire conference, a single day, or a tour. Register now: https://napc.regfox.com/forum-2024

FORUM 2024 Virtual Component offers a way for those who cannot join us in West Palm Beach to still enjoy the benefits of NAPC's biennial conference. We have curated three pre-recorded sessions, including a Preservation Equity Primer, based on member feedback. Registration also includes three LIVE webinars featuring FORUM sessions with the highest ratings in the post-conference survey. These six events will bring FORUM into your home or office and allow you to learn alongside your colleagues.

❗️Please note: In-person FORUM attendees will have access to the Preservation Equity Primer recording as well as the three FORUM Favorite Webinars. Instructions on how to access these events for FREE will be sent via email.

Register Today: https://napc.regfox.com/forum-2024

It's not too late to register for FORUM 2024: Preservation Under the Palms, happening in a few weeks (July 31 - August 4) in West Palm Beach, Florida. This year's conference will not disappoint. We have a fantastic line-up of speakers covering timely topics, workshops that allow the time and space to go deeper into issues, tours that will connect lessons on paper to real life experiences, and events that take you to places on many peoples' bucket list.

https://youtu.be/6YMy-npQTMg?si=J-h_uNjXRYq4it2B

Register NOW: https://napc.regfox.com/forum-2024

FORUM 2024: Preservation Under the Palms Save the date! July 31 - August 4, 2024 NAPC's FORUM will be in West Palm Beach, Florida!

We are so excited to have Rosa Lowinger as our Saturday Luncheon featured speaker at FORUM 2024. Be sure to order her new book "Dwell Time: A Memoir of Art, Exile, and Repair" before the conference. Reserve your copy through NAPC's FORUM registration platform here https://napc.regfox.com/forum-2024

Rosa will be available to sign your copy at the conference! You can also listen to Rosa narrate the audio version of the book, available for free with Spotify Premium.

📸: Scarlett Freund

We are looking forward to seeing you in West Palm Beach, FL for FORUM 2024: Preservation Under the Palms. 🌴 The conference will be held at the Hilton West Palm Beach; however, the room block has filled up. NAPC has secured additional hotel room blocks with nearby hotels, and we invite you to book your stay before these special rates expire.

✈️ Hotel and Travel Information: https://forum.napcommissions.org/travel
🎟 Register for FORUM 2024: https://napc.regfox.com/forum-2024

There are still spots available on the Storm of '28 and West Palm Beach Cemeteries Tour happening at FORUM.

This tour explores three resting places in West Palm Beach, including the mass burial site of 674 African Americans who perished in the 1928 Okeechobee Hurricane. Established in 1913, the “pauper’s cemetery” includes approximately 1.03 acres of land and is on the National Register of Historic Places. Tour guides will discuss post-disaster disparities and how efforts are being made to honor and preserve the site with nonprofit and City collaboration.

The Okeechobee Hurricane is a focal point of Zora Neal Hurston's, Their Eyes Were Watching God, a great read to set the tone for this tour!

Attendees will also visit Woodlawn Cemetery, the oldest cemetery in West Palm Beach. The tour concludes with a stop at Evergreen Cemetery, where a local archeologist will share about the statewide program known as FPAN (Florida Public Archaeology Network), including the organization's resources and training opportunities at cemeteries statewide.

Sign up before spots fill up: https://napc.regfox.com/forum-2024

May was a busy month for NAPC's Commission Assistance & Mentoring Program (CAMP). Trainers Adrienne Burke, Abbey Christman, and Paige Pollard led a mix of traditional and resilience topics in Portland, Maine! Here they are photographed from the tower at City Hall. Thank you, of Portland, Maine for welcoming NAPC to your beautiful city.

Learn more about CAMP here: https://www.napcommissions.org/camp

Traveling to FORUM later this summer? Still thinking about registering? The latest issue of The Alliance Review covers travel information, highlights conference tours and events, and provides context to historic preservation in South Florida. Check out the issue here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VrslRJcnuQMW5vK3yeLjpf2jwryYI7GJ/view

And, register for FORUM here: https://napc.regfox.com/forum-2024

Are you a preservationist and a foodie? This special event brought to you by West Palm Beach Food Tours is happening the week of FORUM and they are offering a special rate for FORUM attendees.

Historic West Palm Beach Neighborhood Food Tour
Wednesday, July 31 | 3pm-5:45pm
More Information (and Coupon Code) Here: https://forum.napcommissions.org/tours

Get off-the-beaten tourist track and into our delicious historic West Palm Beach neighborhoods. Expect fresh, flavorful tastings that show-off the best of West Palm Beach with exclusive access to several restaurants. Experience two restaurants where the chefs have earned James Beard nominations. You’ll also discover the best BBQ in Florida, taste authentic Cuban cuisine, and visit a restaurant featured on Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives. Along the way, step inside the charming Casa Grandview Inn, uncover hidden tropical courtyards, meet restaurant owners and feel like a VIP. Finish your day with dessert in an old 1950’s drug store!

Please note that registration for this particular tour is outside of NAPC's FORUM registration platform.

Historic West Palm Beach Neighborhood Food Tour Experience the Culinary Hotspot in West Palm Beach!Get off-the-beaten tourist track and into our delicious historic West Palm Beach neighborhoods. Expect fre...

Getting into West Palm Beach before FORUM officially kicks off? Why not take a conference tour to see MORE of South Florida? There are still a few spots available on the Visit the “Venice of America” aka Fort Lauderdale Tour! Sign up before they disappear: https://napc.regfox.com/forum-2024

During this trip, attendees will take a ride on Fort Lauderdale’s Water Taxi and view some of the City’s most unique waterfront properties. Stops include two landmarks, the Stranahan House and the New River Inn, both of which highlight early development in South Florida and the construction of the Florida East Coast Railway!

National Park Service Technical Preservation Services has issued New Guidance on Historic Acoustical Panel Ceilings and Residential and Hotel Conversions!

Acoustical panel ceilings (commonly referred to as “ACT ceilings,” as in ACT or acoustical ceiling tiles), a type of suspended ceiling with lay-in panels, can be important character-defining features of historic buildings. First developed in the 1930s, they became common features in offices, hospitals, schools, institutional buildings, commercial and retail spaces, and other buildings beginning in the 1950s and 60s and remain widely used today.

This new guidance provides information about evaluating the significance of historic acoustical panel ceilings and on retaining them as part of residential and hotel conversion projects when they are character-defining features, taking into account feasibility, practicality, and other issues.

Check it out here:
https://www.nps.gov/subjects/taxincentives/historic-acoustical-panel-ceilings-residential-hotel-conversions.htm

Here's a sample of what conference attendees had to say about FORUM 2022.

FORUM truly is one of the best conferences; it is FUN, informative, and meets the needs of both seasoned preservation professionals as well as brand new commission members. Won't you join us in West Palm Beach this summer? Registration is open and there are still a handful of tours available to choose from. Hurry, before the sell out. https://napc.regfox.com/forum-2024

Here's another reason to sign up for the Miami tour offered at FORUM 2024: Preservation Under the Palms. The second historic neighborhood on the itinerary is Little Havana!

See Little Havana like a native! Join Resident Historian, Dr. Paul George, on a fascinating tour of one of the world’s largest and best-known Cuban neighborhoods outside of Cuba. View vibrant Calle Ocho; discover the significance of the Ceiba Tree, learn the art of cigar making, and hear tales of performances by Billie Holiday and Count Basie at the Ball & Chain!

Sign up for this tour before it fills up: https://napc.regfox.com/forum-2024

There is still time to register for FORUM 2024: Preservation Under the Palms. Don't miss this opportunity to learn with other preservationists from around the country. Plus the tours, workshops, and events will leave you feeling inspired and ready to do great work in your home community.

Register Today: https://napc.regfox.com/forum-2024

FORUM Tours offer conference attendees a chance to visit historic sites, learn from other preservation programs, and network with fellow conference-goers. We have a fantastic day planned to tour two historic neighborhoods in Miami on Thursday, August 1st 8AM- 4PM. Sign up before this one sells out! https://napc.regfox.com/forum-2024

The "Miami the Magic City" tour at FORUM will feature the Brownsville neighborhood, including a stop at the Hampton House. At this location, Muhammad Ali celebrated his victory over Sonny Liston, an event which later inspired the play and more recently, the movie "One Night in Miami". The photo at bottom right shows Malcolm X behind the lunch counter, taking a photo of Muhammad Ali after his win against Liston. Photo courtesy of Hampton House Archives.

Participants will also visit the room Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. stayed in during trips to the area. The photo at bottom left is of Dr. King giving a press conference at the motel in April 1966.

This is just ONE of the stops along this incredible tour! FORUM attendees as well as partners, spouses, and special friends traveling to FORUM are now invited to sign up for tours as well. Be sure to purchase your tickets before these events sell out.