Vision Planning and Consulting (VPC) facilitated two meetings in Monroe County, Pennsylvania, for the Phase II of the Pennsylvania Historic Museums Commission’s (PHMC) Disaster Planning for Historic Properties Initiative. VPC’s presentation to County officials, local officials, and community members discussed how settlement and development patterns increased the vulnerability of historic resources; regulations, ordinances, and guidelines for historic properties; and sample solutions.
VPC Team members discussed how building surveys from Phase I were used to develop the list of 36 representative properties selected, based on location; building type/style; architectural characteristics/details; and/or the resources representation of an important historic theme, such as those properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Attendees were presented with a sample of preservation-based hazard mitigation actions, which not only aim to protect historic resources from the impacts of natural hazards, but do so in a manner that does not jeopardize their historic integrity, significance, and/or historic designation/eligibility. Changing the appearance, materials, or location of a historic property can potentially alter or remove those features that made the property special to begin with. The goal is for a historic property owner, whose resource may not be included on the representative property list, to be able to find a similar property on the list, for appropriate hazard actions for their own property.
Local news station, BRC 13, was in attendance for the County meeting and VPC’s Planner, Andrew Estrain, was interviewed. Mr. Estrain explained that historic resources are unique considerations within the realm of hazard mitigation planning, and must be treated as such. Hazard mitigation actions applicable to properties in the traditional hazard mitigation planning process are not always applicable for historic properties. “Changing the appearance, materials, or location of a historic property can potentially alter or remove those features that made the property special to begin with. The goal is to protect the resource AND preserve the historic integrity, and that is what this project aims to do”.
To see the news segment, click here.
VPC is delighted to be selected by Johns Hopkins University, Morgan State University, and the Goldman Sachs 10,0000 Small Business (10ksb) team to participate in the 10,000 Small Businesses Baltimore program. “I understand that the selection process was very competitive and that VPC was selected from many outstanding applications and from a strong pool of candidates from the Maryland area, so I’m excited to be a Goldman Scholar. I built the business, now I want to take it to the next level and I think the 10ksb experience will get us there!” said VPC President and 10ksb participant, Deepa Srinivasan.
“I understand that the selection process was very competitive and that VPC was selected from many outstanding applications and from a strong pool of candidates from the Maryland area, so I’m excited to be a Goldman Scholar.
-VPC President Deepa Srinivasan
Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses is a program for small businesses that links learning to action. Throughout the 12 week program, VPC will gain practical skills in topics such as negotiation, marketing, strategic growth, and employee management that we can immediately put into action. We will also receive the tools and professional support to develop a strategic and customized growth plan that will be geared to grow our businesses. The program offers modules, workshops, and clinics as well as additional outside of class activities and bridge work. These activities are targeted to directly working on our business, as well as participating in business support services offerings and clinics.
“We have such a diverse group of Goldman Scholars that I’m looking forward to learning from my peers just as much as from the program. It’s going to be a busy Spring!” says Deepa, excitedly.
