Presented by the Tennessee Preservation Trust, the Tennessee Historic Commission, and network of preservation and community revitalization partners and sponsors, this year’s conference will convene Tennessee’s leaders and supporters to showcase the great possibilities and successes in historic preservation, community revitalization, battlefield landscape conservation, and heritage tourism across our beautiful state.
This year’s conference venue in Downtown Franklin Tennessee provides a wonderful learning laboratory for successful preservation, revitalization, and adaptive reuse practices along with dynamic community leadership models that have and continue to save and enhance important places as a foundation principle of Franklin’s continuing success. Successful programs, projects and resources from East and West Tennessee will also be presented by preservation leaders from these regions to round out a valuable and high impact conference experience.
Designed for leaders and practitioners from the historic preservation, community revitalization, government, planning, design, development, land conservation, heritage tourism, and non-profit communities across Tennessee, this year’s conference will be fast-paced, experiential, and informative with great networking opportunities throughout the event.
This year’s agenda is designed to cover a wide-range of topics including Tennessee’s history, preservation, revitalization and adaptive reuse, battlefield and historic landscape conservation – all integrated and illustrated in Franklin’s successful placemaking and preservation efforts.
Venues
One of the main goals of this conference is offer an experiential and exciting event that showcases all of the Historic Preservation and Placemaking resources and best practices existing in downtown Franklin and Williamson County. This will be accomplished by scheduling all conference activities in the downtown district.
Main event venues including Gallery 202 for the Wednesday night Opening Reception, The Franklin Theatre for Thursday morning General Session, The Old Old Jail and CJ’s Off The Square for the Thursday night Conference Receptions, the Williamson County Academy Park Enrichment Center, The Carter House, Otey Hall at St Paul’s Episcopal Church and the Williamson County Archives.
TPT State Preservation Conference Schedule and Sessions
Wednesday September 20th, 2017
1:00 – 4:30 pm Afternoon Pre-Conference Sessions – Downtown Franklin Locations
1:00 – 4:30 pm Tennessee Historic Commission Certified Local Government Training Session – Franklin City Hall Training Room
1:00 – 4:30 pm Tennessee Main Street Managers Meeting – Heritage Foundation, Old Old Jail
3:00 – 4:30 pm Tennessee Preservation Trust Board and Regional Preservation Partners Coalition Briefing – Heritage Foundation, Old Old Jail
Tennessee Civil War Battlefield Association Board Meeting – TBD
5:00 – 7:00 pm Opening Reception – Gallery 202 in Downtown Franklin – 5:00 until 7:00 pm
Opening Reception with Tennessee Preservation Trust and Preservation, Revitalization, Community and Government Leaders in one of Downtown Franklin’s most exquisite Historic Homes that showcases Adaptive Reuse in a Gallery and Fine Arts Venue
7:30 pm Dinner on Your Own – Experience Downtown Franklin
Thursday September 21, 2017
8:30 am – 11:00 am Registration/Breakfast/Conference General Session – The Franklin Theatre
8:30 am Registration and Breakfast – Lobby of The Franklin Theatre
9:00 am until 11:00 am – Conference Opening General Session – Tennessee Preservation Network – Strong and Growing!
9:00 am Welcome and Preservation Updates
- Tennessee Preservation Trust Vice Chair –Carrington Montague
- Franklin Mayor Ken Moore
- Bari Beasley, CEO of the Heritage Foundation of Franklin and Williamson County
- Todd Morgan, Field Services Director, Knox Heritage – East Tennessee Preservation Alliance
- June West, Executive Director, Memphis Heritage
This session will provide both welcome and reports from leaders from the Tennessee Preservation Trust as Tennessee’s statewide preservation network, Franklin and Williamson County Preservation Leaders, the Tennessee Historic Commission as Tennessee’s historic preservation lead department, and leading East and West Tennessee local and regional preservation organizations. Discussions will focus on the benefits of uniting Tennessee’s preservation and revitalization communities to share best practices in support of preservation as an asset based strategy.
- Patrick McIntyre, Executive Director
This session will provide the Annual Tennessee Historic Commission Report. As Executive Director of the Tennessee Historical Commission and State Historic Preservation Director, Patrick McIntyre will share his thoughts and insights of important roles that Historic Preservation resources and professionals play in Tennessee today and into the future.
9:40 am Briefing on Tennessee and National Historic Preservation Tax Incentives and Policies
- Ken Moore, Mayor of Franklin Tennessee
- Renee Kuhlman, National Trust for Historic Preservation
- Bridget Jones, Tennessee Preservation Trust
This session will provide up to date briefings on important state and national legislation upcoming at both the state and national levels that impact preservation and community revitalization. Topics will include proposed limitations of the use Design Guidelines by Tennessee Local Governments, protecting the National Historic Preservation Tax Credit and building support for the proposed Tennessee Rehabilitation Incentive Tax Credit positioned for passage in the 2018 Tennessee Legislative Session.
10:10 am National Keynote – Tennessee’s 2018 State Historic Tax Credit Opportunities
- Renee Kuhlman, Director of Policy Outreach for the National Trust for Historic Preservation
This session will provide education in preparation for advocacy for the 2018 passage of Tennessee’s Rehabilitation Tax Credit during the 2018 legislative session. As the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s national expert on state level historic preservation tax credit programs, Renee Kuhlman will discuss the potential for a new Tennessee rehabilitation tax credit and how it can work to advance Preservation and Community Revitalization across Tennessee. Her presentation will cover the following important topics:
What is a State Historic Tax Credit?
How does it work and who is eligible?
What the expected benefits to Tennessee Towns, Cities and Communities?
How does it work with the National Historic Tax Credit?
What successes have neighboring states seen with similar tax credit incentives?
- Susan Whitaker, Former Commissioner, Tennessee Department of Tourism Development
This session will provide up to date results of the Economic Impact of Tennessee’s Tourism Industry in the recently released annual report. As Tennessee’s longest serving Tourism Commissioner, Susan Whitaker can speak firsthand from her insights and perspectives on this information and the important role that Heritage Tourism, Preservation, and Placemaking play in this leading industry across our state.
10:50 am Conference Sessions and Events Briefing
- TPT Conference Committee Members
Lunch – 11:30 am until 1:00 pm – Experience Downtown Franklin on Your Own
Also available Special Session over Lunch – Distilleries and Breweries in Historic Places – Grays Restaurant Venue, led by Mary Pearce featuring Williamson County’s successful makers.
This session will showcase the successful location and operation of distilleries and breweries in historic communities in Williamson County. Successful distillers will present their experiences and perspectives on how communities across Tennessee can support the location of this growing industry and the makers of these efforts.
Also available Special Session over Lunch – Tennessee Historic Theatre Renovations and Revitalization -Success Stories from Franklin and Huntington, Tennessee – Franklin Theatre led by Nancy Williams and Dan Hayes, Executive Director of the Franklin Theatre and Lorie Nolen, Executive Director of Huntington The Dixie Performing Arts and Education Center.
This session will showcase the successful community leadership and development models that created two of Tennessee’s most successful historic downtown theatres. Both Lorie Nolen and Dan Hayes can share their strategies and best practices on how both venues are being programmed to benefit their communities to create Arts, Music Tourism, and Cultural Education opportunities for citizens and visitors alike.
1:00 pm – 2:15 pm Afternoon Breakout Sessions – Downtown Franklin Venues
Living and Lodging in Historic Districts – Otey Hall at St Paul’s Church – Led by Laura Todd, Downtown District Consulting and TPT Board Member featuring Jamie Groce, Collierville Town Planner, Michael Walker, Principal Walker Arch Collierville Tennessee, and Ginna Foster Cannon, PhD Candidate, MTSU Department of History and Center for Historic Preservation
This session will focus on successful best practices and cutting-edge research on the creation and on-going support for living and lodging in historic downtowns and districts. First, West Tennessee planning and design experts leading successful efforts underway in Collierville Tennessee will present best practices and policies that approach the issue from the local government planning, historic commission review, and architectural design perspectives. This part of the session will showcase one of Tennessee’s most successful communities in creating contributing infill housing, bed and breakfast lodging, and event venues in this Tennessee Main Street Community. Collierville local government and architect experts will present information on how the Town of Collierville created the framework for their success and will brief participants on how public and private sector leaders work together that is creating their successful outcomes.
Their presentation will be followed by cutting edge research by a MTSU Department of History Doctoral Candidate Ginna Foster Cannon that explores Tennessee’s Historic Hotels as Cultural Heritage Tourism Assets. Her research defines the sweet spot that exists between public historians, cultural heritage tourism industry professionals and hospitality industry professionals in maximizing and creating lodging in historic downtowns and districts that support successful preservation and revitalization efforts. Through shared focus on compelling stories, preservation and authenticity, viable partnerships are being created that can support emerging community efforts. Best practices in historic hotel marketing and examples of Tennessee’s most famous historic hotels will also be presented.
Historic Cemeteries Preservation – Williamson County Archives – Led by Jane Coleman Harbison of the Tennessee Historic Commission featuring Amanda Hall Rose, Franklin Preservation Planner, Caroline Eller, National Register Specialist, Tennessee Historical Commission, Nick Fielder, State Archaeologist, Lisa Helton, Attorney, SRVH – Sherrod Roe Voigt, Harbison, and Fred Zhan, Metro Historical Commission / Nashville City Cemetery
This panel discussion will focus on the preservation of historic cemeteries, approaching the issue from difference perspectives that promised an interesting and information session. The Tennessee Historic Commission is contacted with questions about cemeteries, but they rarely have the answers. Leaders from the preservation, legal, local government, and archaeology communities will provide perspectives and answer different types of questions about cemetery preservation that are not typically answerable by one single person or organization. Cemeteries are furthermore not typically eligible for the National Register of Historic Places, although there are exceptions to this as National Register experts will explain at the beginning of the session.
2:45 pm – 4:00 pm Afternoon Breakout Sessions – Downtown Franklin Venues
Marketing and Programming Resources for Historic Preservation Organizations and Main Streets – St Paul’s Church – Led by Bridget Jones of TPT featuring Pam Lewis, President of PLA Media, Laura Holder, Federal Liaison for the Tennessee Civil War Heritage Area, MTSU Center for Historic Preservation, and Ashley Howell, Executive Director of the Tennessee State Museum
This session will provide up to date information and resources on Marketing and Programming Resources for Preservation and Downtown Revitalization leaders and organizations. Experienced Marketing and Branding experts from PLA Media who have led successful local and regional preservation and heritage tourism campaigns will be on hand to provide best practices and a 101 Overview of Marketing and Branding strategies. Joining them will be the new Director of the Tennessee State Museum who will provide updates on the opening of this exciting new resource for preservation organizations across Tennessee and announce new joint programming opportunities through their collections. Finally, an expert from the MTSU Center for Historic Preservation will provide updates of services and resources available from Tennessee’s premier preservation center and service provider. Finally, leaders from the Tennessee Main Street Organization and Tennessee Department of Tourist Development will share new opportunities for marketing downtowns and historic sites and programs.
Easements for Historic Preservation – Williamson County Archives – Led by Phil Thomason, TPT Board Advisor, featuring Todd Morgan on Knox Heritage – East Tennessee Preservation Alliance and Liz Edsall McLaurin, President and CEO, The Land Trust for Tennessee
This session will provide current information on the use of historic preservation and land conservation easements in preservation efforts across Tennessee. Experts from Middle and East Tennessee’s leading Regional Preservation Organizations and The Land Trust for Tennessee will present best practice examples of how these incentives can support the successful rehabilitation and landscape conservation of important historic buildings and properties across Tennessee.
4:00 pm – 7:30 pm Heritage Foundation Open House and Conference Reception, Recognitions, Silent Auction featuring Two Stellar Adaptive Reuse Projects
4:00 pm – 4:30 pm Downtown Franklin Architectural Walking Tour of the Franklin Square and Main Street Historic Homes in Route to the Old Old Jail – Meet in Front of the Historic Williamson Courthouse, led by Rick Warwick, Williamson County Historian
This interactive session will provide conference attendees a look at Franklin’s most interesting examples of successful preservation through a walking tour of the Franklin Square and select areas of the downtown district. Williamson County Historian Rick Warwick will lead this walking tour ending at the Heritage Foundation Headquarters, where local preservation leaders will host an open house and tour of the Old Old Jail adaptive reuse project..
4:00 pm – 5:30 pm Heritage Foundation Open House at The Old Old Jail
This open house provides an up close look and briefing on this stellar adaptive reuse project for The Heritage
Foundation Headquarters Big House for Historic Preservation.
5:30 pm – 7:30 pm Conference Reception and Silent Auction – CJ’s Off The Square
This reception is The Networking Event of the TPT Conference where local and state Preservation Leaders connect
and celebrate Preservation and Revitalization successes and future opportunities.
7:30 pm – Dinner on Your Own – Featuring Culinary and Music Tourism Conference Live Music Venues
Friday September 22nd, 2017
8:30 am – 11:00 am Registration/Breakfast/General Session – Williamson Enrichment Center
8:30 am Registration/Breakfast
9:00 am – 10:00 am – Conference General Session – Selling Historic Preservation – Stories of Success!
- Williamson County Mayor Rogers Anderson Welcoming Speaker
During this session local Franklin Preservation leader Mary Pearce and Former Franklin Mayor Jerry Sharber will share stories and tales of building understanding and support for Preservation and Downtown Revitalization efforts led by the City, Heritage Foundation and Downtown Franklin Association. This session will focus on the successful public-private partnership approaches used in Franklin and Williamson County to accomplish successful downtown revitalization, now supporting robust heritage tourism, and the creation of second to none quality of life for the community.
10:00 am – 11:00 am – Successful Public Private Preservation Partnerships
- Julian Bibb, Past Heritage Foundation Chair
- Eric Jacobson, CEO, The Battle of Franklin Trust
This session will focus on the successful public-private partnership approaches used in Franklin and Williamson County to accomplish successful battlefield and historic landscape conservation, now supporting robust heritage tourism built around the county’s rich history. Thought leaders from the preservation groups accomplishing this work and currently managing Franklin’s historic resources will provide perspectives and answer different types of questions about historic landscape preservation that can be accomplished through the aligned efforts of public and private sector organizations. Remarks build upon the first session recognizing that both downtown revitalization and battlefield preservation efforts work together and continue to be based upon the recognition and preservation of this leading Tennessee community’s unique assets. Conference attendees will gain important insights on successful collaborative strategies and practices that can be used in their communities and regions.
11:00 am until Noon – Morning Field Tour and Learning Laboratory – South Franklin Districts
The Carter House State Historic Site and McLemore House – Hard Bargain Neighborhood Revitalization – These field sessions will provide participants with an on-site briefing of the unique preservation and revitalization efforts underway in two unique historic districts of South Franklin.
The Carter House State Historic Site – Eric Jacobson
Stop One, the Cultural Landscape Preservation and Interpretation developed at The Carter House properties showcase successful public and private partners and the strategic investments of local, state and national funding for this historical area will be featured. Franklin is nationally recognized as a model community who have protected and successfully interpreted the historical landscapes, properties and the events that occurred in this community during a critical phase of the country’s history. The part of the field session will focus on the successful use of partnerships to identify and obtain necessary resources and funding that preservation and landscape conservation leaders across Tennessee can use in support of their local and regional efforts.
The McLemore House and Hard Bargain Neighborhood – City and Neighborhood Revitalization Leaders
Stop Two, the current neighborhood revitalization and preservation developed in this diverse neighborhood will provide participants with a tour of the Historic McLemore House and an overview of the revitalization of housing and amenities located in the Hard Bargain Neighborhood. Franklin has made great strides through work with the City, Neighborhood and Non-Profit leaders who are protecting while revitalizing this historic neighborhood. A look at successful incentives and efforts to restore and create housing neighborhood resources for this Historic African American neighborhood in the core of Franklin will be featured.
Noon – Conference Adjourns and Lunch on Your Own – Middle Tennessee Venues
1:00 pm – 4:30 pm – Special Topics Workshop – Demolition and Design Review – Franklin City Hall Training Room – Led by Robin Zeigler featuring Dan Becker, Consulting Principal, Heritage Arts Raleigh North Carolina
This session will explore the important topic of preservation and revitalization through the lens of Demolition and Design Review processes. All buildings can be saved but when does saving a historic building become an economic hardship? What is the tipping point between preservation and reasonable rehabilitation? It’s a question that all design review boards, and even developers, contractors and property owners deal with frequently. During this session, participants will join Dan Becker, a nationally recognized preservation specialist from Raleigh NC to:
- Review key concepts of economic hardship
- Gain a broad understanding of the principles of preservation technology
- Recognize the key systems of a building that contribute to the lion’s share of rehabilitation challenges and costs (foundation, structural framing, exterior walls, roof
- Understand the potential environmental contaminants that may need to be dealt with
- Assess reports and how to recognize the straw men that are often tossed out to see what will stick to the wall
