i CHARLESTON CONTRADICTIONS: A CASE STUDY OF ...

knowledge from all of those disciplines, while not necessarily being an expert in any of
them.
This interaction generally takes place in two types of projects—restoration or
renovation projects that involve a historic building or district, or new construction that
may have an effect on a historic building or district. When either of these situations
exists, the project is generally subject to review by a preservation organization at the
local, state, or national level, depending on the scope of the project. A preservation
consultant is often hired by the proponents of the project to assess the effect of the project
on historic buildings or to guide it through the preservation approval process. While the
preservation professional may not be the most accomplished part of the team, he or she is
often one of the most influential, since projects cannot proceed without the necessary
approvals.
The philosophy and practice of historic preservation has changed significantly in
the United States over the last 200 years. While at first narrowly focused on saving sites
of national significance for museums, it has grown to encompass a broader view of
history and become an important factor in development and architecture. Historic
preservation has been extremely influential in raising awareness of the importance of
historic buildings. There is no telling how many buildings have been saved and projects
altered to respect historic buildings due to the influence of historic preservation.
Despite its many successes, however, there are some contemporary issues
associated with historic preservation. There have been claims that historic preservation
has inhibited innovative design in historic districts. In addition, now that the 50-year rule
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