Comparing Mid-Century Historic Preservation and Urban Renewal Through Washington, D.C.'s Alley Dwellings

Authors

Rebecca Summer, Portland State UniversityFollow

Published In

Journal of Planning History

Document Type

Citation

Publication Date

3-23-2021

Subjects

Urban Renewal -- United States

Abstract

Some understand mid-century, neighborhood-scale preservation to be a reaction to the destructive impacts of urban renewal. In Washington, D.C., however, neighborhood-scale preservation predated urban renewal. This article investigates the factors that influenced the implementation of both practices in the early 1950s, shedding light on later decisions in other cities, when the strategies were more commonly combined. A focus on the contrasting fates of alley dwellings in Georgetown and Southwest demonstrates that the built environment mattered little on its own; the scale of building conditions, geographies of race, and prevalence of private investment dictated the differential implementation of these planning approaches.

Rights

Copyright (2021) Sage

Locate the Document

https://doi.org/10.1177/1538513221997797

DOI

10.1177/1538513221997797

Persistent Identifier

https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/35359

Citation Details

Summer, R. (2021). Comparing Mid-century Historic Preservation and Urban Renewal through Washington, D.C.’s Alley Dwellings. Journal of Planning History, 153851322199779. https://doi.org/10.1177/1538513221997797