BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — In honor of Historic Preservation Month, the City of Birmingham’s Department of Planning, Engineering, and Permits is hosting a series of free activities throughout May for the public.
Visitors can participate in special events like the historic preservation education lecture series ranging in topics from the National Register of Historic Places to historic tax incentives.
CBS 42 spoke to organizers about this month’s events — urban design administrator Karla McPherson Calvert, Esq. with the Department of Planning, Engineering, and Permits and Hannah Garmon with the City of Birmingham.
“The goal of historic preservation month is to bring great awareness [and] educate the public on the value and the benefits of historic preservation,” McPherson Calvert said. “We also want to recognize the wonderful city of Birmingham’s historic preservation program. We and special people who are doing so much work behind the scenes and benefits for our city.”
“Historic preservation is critical in Birmingham because it helps us document our collective story and changes over time in our neighborhoods and communities through our built environment,” Garmon said. “Birmingham, as you know, has many facets of its history and historic preservation helps us tell those stories.”
All of the following events begin at noon.
Historic Walking Tours
- May 2: Historic Walking Tour of the Civil Rights District central core. Meet at the center of Kelly Ingram Park. (In the event of rain, the alternate date will be May 26.)
- May 3: Historic Walking Tour of Government Square. Meet at the fountain at the center of Linn Park. (In the event of rain, the alternate date will be May 31.)
Special Event
- May 8: A Salute to Birmingham’s Unsung Heroes of Historic Preservation at Boutwell Auditorium.
Historic Preservation Education Lecture Series
- May 9: “The National Register of Historic Places.” Boutwell Auditorium.
- May 16: “How to Conduct Historic Building Research & How to Obtain a Historical Marker.” Birmingham Public Library, Arrington Auditorium (Enter through the main library, 3rd-floor skywalk)
- May 23: “Historic Preservation Tax Incentives.” Boutwell Auditorium.
- May 30: “Birmingham’s New Adaptive Reuse Incentive for Historic Buildings.” Birmingham Public Library, Arrington Auditorium (Enter through the main library, 3rd-floor skywalk)
For more information, contact Hannah Garmon, Historic Preservation Manager, at 205-254-2424 or Hannah.Garmon@birminghamal.gov. You can also reach Karla Calvert, Urban Design Administrator, at 205-254-2479 or Karla.Calvert@birminghamal.gov.
