October 16th forum on neighborhood conservation and teardowns

Here's a press release about an important event next Tuesday night.

NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS HOSTING FORUM AND PANEL DISCUSSION
Taming the Teardown: A Moratorium to Save our Heritage

PreserveMidtown in association with The Coalition of Historic Neighborhoods of Tulsa will hold a forum and panel discussion on Tuesday, October 16 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at All Souls Unitarian Church, 2952 South Peoria. The educational forum will focus on the controversy over the practice of tearing down small houses and replacing them with larger ones, particularly in the mid-town Tulsa area. It will address questions of why teardowns occur, the economic impact to neighborhoods and individuals and what can be done to protect existing homes.

Moderator for the evening will be Stephanie Arnold de Verges, Certified Professional Facilitator with a master's degree in government and non-profit management.

Presenters include Guy de Verges, Amanda DeCort and Steve Novick.

Guy De Verges will speak on the environmental concerns of teardowns. He is an environmental consultant with a master's degree in environmental engineering.

Amanda DeCort will address the economic implications of tearing down and replacing houses. She has a master's degree in community planning with an emphasis in historic preservation and is the staff person for the Tulsa Preservation Commission.

Steve Novick will speak about conservation districts. He is an attorney in private practice specializing in civil rights and employment law. In recent years he has become a neighborhood preservation advocate and presently serves as president of the Ranch Acres Homeowners Association.

Following the presentations there will be a panel discussion that will include Michelle Cantrell with Tulsa Metropolitan Area Planning Commission (TMAPC); Cason Carter, District 9 City Counselor; and Maria Barnes, District 4 City Councilor. The audience will be invited to ask questions and express their views.

PreserveMidtown was formed as a result of poor infill practices in hopes of educating the public and influencing change in the way developers build in existing neighborhoods. The Coalition of Historic Neighborhoods of Tulsa was organized to provide a stronger voice to neighborhoods and to protect historic resources throughout the City of Tulsa through sound public policy. The coalition is comprised of members throughout the city.

Contacts:
Susan McKee, Coalition of Historic Neighbors
Smac96@cox.net
918.749.5160

Barbara VanHanken, PreserveMidtown
sophiabkv@aol.com
918.749.9093, 671.6217

For more information on the issue of teardowns, visit PreserveMidtown.com (or for a satirical twist on the issue, visit the website's evil twin, DestroyMidtown.com). And you can read Jessica Naudziunas' story on PreserveMidtown in the October 4-10 issue of Urban Tulsa Weekly