Preservation in Cincinnati

During a visit to Cincinnati, historian and author David McCullough said, “Communities and nations can suffer from amnesia with devastating effect. If we don’t know who we are and how our institutions were created, then we don’t know where we’re headed.” As a city and as a people, we need physical reminders of the past to help us understand who we are.

Historic preservation is the sustenance of the historic built environment. It is one of the primary ways that we can maintain physical reminders of our past. Historic preservation gives us a sense of continuity in our daily lives, and helps us understand where to go from here.

This is why in Cincinnati our historic resources are something worth saving, and why Cincinnati has had a historic preservation program in one form or another for almost 30 years.

As Cincinnatians, we are justifiably proud of our city, its picturesque setting, its charming neighborhoods, and its attractive civic center. We are blessed with an outstanding quality of life that makes us want to stay. In great part, this is due to the wealth of historic landmarks and districts that give our streets and neighborhoods character.
Like many cities, Cincinnati has suffered some unfortunate losses, but thanks to our historic preservation legislation and support of building owners and the community, many of our outstanding historic resources are well cared for, such as the Cincinnati Union Terminal, City Hall, the Plum Street Temple, Findlay Market, the Carew Tower-Netherland Plaza Hotel and numerous historic districts, including Auburn Avenue, Betts-Longworth, Columbia Tusculum, East Walnut Hills, and Prospect Hill.

These resources are all part of what makes Cincinnati different from other cities and gives our city a unique sense of place. These resources are worthy of our protection and ongoing stewardship.

Historic Conservation Board (HCB) Members

The Historic Conservation Board (HCB) is a nine-member board of the City of Cincinnati established by ordinance in 1980. Its membership is designed to reflect the broad range of disciplines and interests relevant to preservation. The HCB must include at least one professional historic preservationist, one historian, one architect, one urban designer or planner, one attorney and one person engaged in the real estate or development business. At least two members must be registered architects, and at least three members must be community representatives.

HCB members are appointed by the City Manager and serve three-year terms. Acceptance of an appointment to the HCB anticipates regular attendance at scheduled meetings and subcommittee meetings to preserve the continuity of discussion, comments and decisions.

Current Members of the HCB

John Senhauser, chair
Judith Spraul-Schmidt, vice-chair
Jay Chatterjee
Ken Jones
Kenneth P. Kreider
Bobbie McTurner
Carolyn Wallace
Benjamin R. Young

Historic Conservation Office Staff

The Historic Conservation Office is staffed by professional planners in the City of Cincinnati’s Department of City Planning and Buildings.

Adrienne Cowden, Interim Urban Conservator
adrienne.cowden@cincinnati-oh.gov
(513) 352-4848

Caroline Hardy Kellam, Senior City Planner
caroline.kellam@cincinnati-oh.gov
(513) 352-4842