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Historic Preservation Conference - "Appreciating
the Past: Building for the Future"
The recent local historic preservation conference
entitled "Appreciating the Past:
Building for the Future" that was hosted by the Roebuck Springs
Historic Preservation Society held at Gabrella
Manor received universally positive evaluations by the participants.
The conference held on April 12th as a preservation community service
enjoyed the attendance of approximately 40 individuals for all or
part of the day including an individual who drove from Atlanta because
he owns property in the East Lake area and wanted to see what was
going on in Birmingham!
Topics at the conference covered subjects such as
local historic district designation, architectural style and diversity,
landscape and greenspace, researching your home, adaptive reuse
of historic structures, and website design for historic districts
and neighborhoods. In addition, local historic preservation consultant
Pam King got the conference started with a look at Birmingham's
Lost and Almost Lost historic structures and Chip DeShields from
the Alabama Preservation Alliance provided closing comments on the
importance of historic preservation.
The conference also brought out several city officials
in the Department of Planning, Engineering, and Permits including
William Gilchrist, Victor Blackledge, and Karla Calvert who lead
the discussion on the local historic district designation. Birmingham
City Councilor Valerie Abbott from District 3 and her assistant
Martha Espy were present as well during the entire course of the
day and were welcomed by members of the Society at the networking
reception that followed.
The members of the Roebuck Springs Historic Preservation
Society would like to thank all those who participated and attended
the conference and look forward to assisting in coming years to
make this an annual event for the preservation community here in
Birmingham!
Jump, Jive and Swing Fall Gala
Tops Expectations
Thanks to the efforts of everyone
involved, the first ever "Jump, Jive and Swing in Roebuck
Springs" event was a huge success. Hosted by the Roebuck Springs
Historic Preservation Society on a frosty 2000 November evening,
approximately 150 people were welcomed out to
Gabrella Manor to see what this area is all about.
A wonderful evening of food, dancing,
a silent auction, and networking raised over $7,000 for future preservation
efforts in this area.
Thanks again to the committee comprised
of Brenda Jones, Rodney Tucker, Tracy Ormond, Billy Connelley, Jill
Clesi, and John Persons which delighted everyone with a night that
surpassed expectations. And three tables were sold for next
year, even before the night was over!
Again, many thanks to the volunteers
for the evening for hosting, smiling, and representing the area
so well. The corporate and patron sponsors for the event included
Gabrella Manor, Bayer Properties, Councilor Bill Johnson, Anna Lu
Hemphill, Rodney Tucker and Billy Connelley, Steven Lee Johnson
and Mary Preston, Neonatal Practitioner Services of Alabama, Eastern
Health Systems, Gorham & Waldrep and the Crowne Plaza. Also
many thanks to our neighbor attendees, silent auction donors, and
Susan Bowen Photography, Sherry Merrifield catering, Botanicals,
the Blue Savoy Combo, Infinite Events, and especially Fred Astaire
Dance Studio for their exhibition. Everyone's contributions made
the evening very special.
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