Preservation benefits the economy of Colorado, USA
Last week the Colorado Historical Foundation and History Colorado released a major report on the economic impacts of historic preservation in the U.S. State of Colorado. The report is entitled The Economic Power of Heritage and Place: How Historic Preservation is Building a Sustainable Future in Colorado. Key findings of the report include:
- Since 1981, historic preservation projects in Colorado have created nearly 35,000 jobs and generated approximately $2.5 billion in direct and indirect economic impacts to Colorado’s economy.
- Every $1 million spent on the preservation of buildings in Colorado generates approximately 32 new jobs.
- Historic preservation projects help to enhance cultural vitality and identity, which in turn works to attract tourists and inspire community-based volunteerism.
- Environmental sustainability goals can be incorporated into historic preservation practices.
Additionally, for comparison, there is also a relatively new (2010) update to the 2002 report entitled Economic Impacts of Historic Preservation in Florida published by the Florida Department of State, Division of Historical Resources with the assistance of the Florida Historical Commission. Both the Colorado and Florida reports substantiate and quantify the fact that historic preservation makes economic sense.
Heritage Business Journal 
These are facts known within the preservation community generally. However, and especially with local governments, they are not widely known. The preservation community, both avocational and professional, needs to make these kinds of facts and reports, much more widely known, especially with local governments. Too often, some local governments have extremely limited views, in which tourism is seen as the only benefit of real preservation. Too many have the view that preservation and rehabilitation of historic buildings has to have the “anything goes” view, being almost desperate for any sort of investment.