One thing advocates of “smart growth” and supporters of historic preservation agree on is the importance of concentrating development where existing infrastructure is already dense—and where houses, businesses, schools, hospitals, and public transportation are already located. Each time a new housing development is located in an outer-ring suburb or on outlying rural land, local government is burdened with the responsibility to construct and maintain new roads, utilities, and public services. For example, only 25 percent of these “exurbs” connect with existing public transportation systems—the remainder clog roads with more automobiles (and the air with more toxic exhaust). In stark contrast, 60 percent of existing urban neighborhoods are already served by public transportation and have schools, hospitals, and other community services already in place.

As May, which is National Preservation Month, draws to a close, evidence of renewal can be seen in the places—cities, small towns, and neighborhoods—where preservation has taken root. The dynamic sense of renewal we experience in May is very much at the heart of preservation. From dormant old buildings, preservation brings forth qualities that revive our communities socially, economically, and environmentally. We can see such renewal here in Richmond and in cities and towns across Virginia.

Welcome to our city: Richmond. Spring is a wonderful time of year to enjoy and appreciate our city, with all of the dogwood and azalea blooming. Richmond is rich in history, not just our own, but the nation’s. Important aspects of our nation’s roots are right here at the core of our community: starting with the James River, “America’s founding river,“ the view of which inspired William Byrd to name the city Richmond; at St. John’s Church and the surrounding neighborhood, where the quest for liberty and independence was given its distinct American voice; and Jackson Ward, where the largest African-American entrepreneurial district in the South flourished in the first half of the 20th century.

History is the study of the past, “the branch of knowledge that deals systematically with the past; a recording.“—Webster’s New World Dictionary of the American Language—College Edition. Richmond is a charming city with a wealth of historic districts and architecture that convey its remarkable history. Each building tells a story about when it was built and who lived there.