Rural Commercial Districts: Best Practices for Preservation and Design

Crankshaw, Ned; Department of Landscape Architecture, College of Agriculture, University of Kentucky

From Preservation Kentucky News, August 2011: "Since the Rural Heritage Development Initiative (RHDI) began in 2006, it was quickly clear that design recommendations were needed to help strengthen rural commercial centers; to maintain the character of the rural landscapes; and preserve existing buildings that make the region distinctive. To achieve this goal, Preservation Kentucky partnered with Ned Crankshaw, professor with the University of Kentucky’s Department of Landscape Architecture and his students as well as students from UK’s Historic Preservation Graduate Program. This working group looked at rural planning and zoning as well as architectural standards for the smallest communities--- often nestled at a “cross roads.” From this evaluation, a set of Rural Design Guidelines was developed." This document addresses design concerns for rural commercial centers. From the document's introduction: "Rural commercial centers are clusters of retail business buildings in small settlements, unincorporated towns, and incorporated towns that are smaller than the county seats in the region. The smallest of these are truly crossroads communities. The larger ones are more similar to county seat towns but are smaller in scale and population. These towns don’t have courthouses to anchor them, nor do they have the law and other offices that occupy space in the center of county seat towns. Their commercial buildings were typically built to house banks and retail establishments. Groceries, convenience stores, and branch banks have largely moved out of these historic small commercial clusters, leaving behind a need to occupy them creatively. Rural commercial centers have the potential to be focal points for heritage tourism and to provide dining and retail opportunities for visitors." Funding for this project was provided in part through a 2010 Preserve America grant to the Kentucky State Historic Preservation Office (grant number 21-10-AP-5040) administered by the State, Tribal, and Local Plans and Grants Division, National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. Preserve America is a federal initiative that encourages and supports community efforts to preserve and enjoy our priceless cultural and natural heritage. The goals of the program include a greater shared knowledge about the nation's past, strengthened regional identities and local pride, increased local participation in preserving the country's cultural and natural heritage assets, and support for the economic vitality of our communities.

Rural Commercial Districts: Best Practices for Preservation and Design

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