Section III: Case Studies
Case Study One Mainland Philly
Philadelphia's Historic District stretches from the Delaware River to 7 th Street, as well as from Vine Street to Lombard Street ( Ryberg, 2013) . The historical district is found at the center of Philadelphia's original city, and it is acknowledged as the birthplace of the American nation as well as the first World Heritage City in the United States. The district is affluent in history and home to favorite restaurants, art galleries, and owner-operated boutiques among others. Some of the critical features of the historic district include the parks, buildings, and squares where people can meet for games and family picnics among other features. The features include the Independence Visitor Centre, which is located across the street from the Independence Hall and Liberty Bell, and it offers an ideal place to begin any visit within the Philadelphia region.
The Visitor Center is located a few meters from some of the most critical attractions within Philadelphia's Historic District, including the National Constitution Centre, the Museum of American Revolution, and the National Museum of American Jewish History among others. The President’s House, which is next to the Liberty Bell Centre, commemorates the lives of nine African slaves, including Oney Judge and Hercules, who served Martha and Washington ( Ryberg-Webster & Kinahan, 2014) . The site comprises an open-air area that can be accessed on a 24/7 basis. Independence Hall & Congress Hall is described as the place where both the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence were born. The American Philosophical Society Museum is also a key feature in the district, and it is used in the exhibition of Ben Franklin’s intellectual ideas, including the art, history, and scientific thought. The district also comprises of the Delaware River Waterfront, a recreational feature that includes museums, restaurants, parks, and piers. The historical feature is used to commemorate founder William Penn, who first arrived in the region via the Delaware River.
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Another significant feature found in the district is the Franklin Square, which comprises of snack bars, a playground, mini-golf, and other events for families. Moreover, the African American Museum found in the district showcases the artifacts and artworks that demonstrate the African Diaspora. Finally, the Washington Square, which is a former burial ground for 2600 soldiers who lost their lives during the American Revolution and victims of the yellow fever epidemic in 1793 as well as an old animal pasture, presently, offers an accessible and peaceful place for playing, reading, and picnicking ( Adams, 2014) . It is equipped with tree-shaded benches where visitors can sit and relax.
Philadelphia has managed to successfully maintain the historical district through a preservation policy that ensures that all buildings, parks, and other features that have historical meaning and preserved for the future generations ( Evans & Grosicki, 2017) . In this context, Philadelphia's historic district can be applied in Hawaii by identifying all the areas that possess a historical significance and establishing features, which may include buildings, parks, or other recreational features that will seek to inform the coming generations of the events that took place in the past. In achieving these features, non-profits will play a vital role in the identification of areas that have a historical significance and identifying the best approach for preserving them, while ensuring that the local communities are at par with the expected development levels, particularly concerning housing.
Hence, Hawaii can significantly borrow from Philadelphia's historic district, which has used parks, buildings, playing ground, and picnic areas as significant features for reminding the people of their history, while still embracing the modernity that comes with urbanization. Hawaii should consider establishing buildings that commemorate essential past events, people, art, and language, as well as the diverse architectural and art movements among others ( Kern, s2016) . However, the establishments should be established in a manner that creates a balance between the recreational and economic needs of the community. One of the critical aspects that the historical district should focus on preserving is the indigenous Hawaiian culture. With the growing immigration and globalization, the culture faces a high risk of extinction; therefore, the historic district should focus on such aspects of culture as buildings, language, and customs and beliefs among others.
Case Study Two; New York
Audubon Park Historic District is one of the significant historic districts in New York City. The district is located between West 155 th Street and West 158 th Street and between Edward M. Morgan Place and Broadway on the eastern side while Riverside Drive is on the west; specifically on five blocks in Manhattan’s Washington Heights neighborhood, NYC ( Kotarba, 2013) . The area comprises of one duplex house and nineteen apartment buildings as well as the Audubon Terrace Historic district to the Southeast. The district is named after John James Audubon, a naturalist, who bought 20 acres of land in the area in 1841, when the area was dominated by woodland, farms, and country estates for rich people ( Plain, 2015) . The land was then sold off for development in parcels by Audubon's widow, and it was renamed, Audubon Park. The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission designated the area as a historic district in 2009.
There are 12 houses built near Audubon Park that are facing a high risk of demolition to provide room for development ( Foster, 2013) . The houses were established on the southern side of the street, and they were all constructed towards the end of the 19 th century. The houses are historically significant since all of them were developed, designed, and constructed by one person. Moreover, the homes silently represent the changes that occurred in the 20 th century, bringing about the changes that can be observed in the surrounding neighborhood ( Levendis & Dicle, 2016) . While some parties are supporting the idea that the houses should be demolished to give room for the construction of new buildings with higher value, others have opposed the demolition continuously and continually supported the preservation of the houses. Parties that promote the maintenance of the houses argue that they are architecturally unique, and they comprise of front yards unlike the modern homes, which are conventional and highly predictable.
The 12 houses are regarded as crucial in representing an alternative vision of how development should occur as well as an earlier stage of development as transit shifted northward at the start of the 20 th century ( Levendis & Dicle, 2016) . The area was initially remote and only moved from farmland to a commuter-friendly suburb after the establishment of the Hudson River Railroad, thus making the area accessible. Residents of the area managed to sell their land and began building houses for lease or sale. The arrival of the railroad caused dramatic changes in the area, leaving the 12 homes as the only original feature in the area, a factor that makes supporters of preservation to argue that the houses are worth the status of a landmark.
Similar to the historic district in Philadelphia, the idea of Audubon Park Historic District can be applied in Hawaii by identifying essential landmarks in the region and preserving them for both economic and historical benefits. Given that protecting the Hawaiian culture is a significant area of concern, it is crucial to identify features and buildings that portray the culture and implement measures to preserve them for the future generations. The value of such establishments would be derived from their capacity to communicate about the heritage of the Hawaiian community as well as their rich history. Hence, both nonprofits and real estate agencies work together in ensuring that the character of the neighborhoods is improved while maintaining the areas’ historical and cultural value. Further, real estate is highly engaged in city planning, by clearly articulating the vision for the importance of the historic preservation of the future of a city. The roles of landmark preservation include neighborhood revitalization, economic development, and accommodation of new needs and activities. Non-profits, on the other hand, work together with real estate organizations in elaborating on the ideal strategies for achieving the vision of historical preservation by identifying potential landmarks and providing the necessary resources for their maintenance.
In Hawaii and Indigenous Hawaiian Culture
The Hawaiian culture is estimated to be approximately 1500 years old. The culture’s origin is traced back to the Polynesians, who traveled to and settled in Hawaii about the 5 th century AD, developing the Hawaiian art, cuisine, and the Native Hawaiian religion. According to Medeiros (2017), there are less than 8000 pure blood Native Hawaiians left in the world. The more significant proportion of the Native Hawaiians resides in the state of Hawaii while the rest is spread in other countries, particularly in the American Southwest and with the highest percentage in California ( Choy, Mau & Albright, 2017) .
The Hawaiian culture has significantly changed over the years. The first settlers in the area brought with them ancient Polynesian lifestyles and traditions, and over the years they adapted their ways of living and beliefs to accommodate the environment of the new home ( Young, 2014) . Eventually, they added such elements as gods, including Pele, and such skills as surfing. The changing culture also responded to the Island’s changing volcanic lands, coral reefs and forests, steep valleys, and shallow offshore waters. In most of the artistic work in Native Hawaii, including feather work, hula, and kappa making the level of skill and proficiency had improved significantly by the end of the transpacific migrations.
However, language is one of the critical aspects of the Hawaiian culture that were significantly affected, particularly after the 1896 law was established requiring English to be the only medium of instruction in both private and public schools ( Goodyear-Ka’opua, Hussey & Wright, 2014) . The law hindered Olelo, the Native Hawaiian language from being taught as a second language, putting the language at high risk of extinction. However, a cultural preservation program established in 1978 to revive the Hawaiian culture led to the elevation of Olelo Hawaii to the official language in the State of Hawaii. Native Hawaiian, however, predominantly use the English language, although the trend is slowing changing with the implementation of the cultural preservation program.
The Hawaiian culture is facing a high risk of disappearing as the Hawaiian population is slowly declining, making it possible for the assimilation of the population by the more important races. Hence, preservation of the Hawaiian culture remains crucial, particularly concerning language, art, and other cultural practices. Nonprofits would, therefore, play a critical role in the preservation of the Hawaiian culture by identifying essential aspects of culture that require maintenance and providing resources to help in the preservation processes. The non-profits could help by funding projects that focus on the Hawaiian language, art, and architecture, including buildings or spaces that specifically aim at the preservation of the cultural elements. Real estate, on the other hand, is essential in planning the region to determine the ideal area for a historical district and constructing appropriate buildings and features, while maintaining the economic value and preserving Hawaii's past. Real estate agencies would also be essential in the construction of the preservation sites as well as retaining the sections to ensure that they will be accessible to the future generations and add value to the local communities.
References
Adams, C. T. (2014). From the outside in Suburban elites, third-sector organizations, and the reshaping of Philadelphia . Cornell University Press.
Choy, L. B., Mau, M. M., & Albright, C. L. (2017). Physical activity among Native Hawaiians and Pacifi c Islanders and Tricia Mabellos. In Physical Activity in Diverse Populations (pp. 139-158). Routledge.
Evans, E., & Grosicki, B. (2017). Data-Driven Rightsizing: Integrating Preservation Into the Legacy Cities Landscape. ISPRS Annals of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing, and Spatial Information Sciences , 4 , 83.
Foster, L. O. (2013). Portland Hill Walks 24 Explorations in Parks and Neighborhoods . Timber Press.
Goodyear-Ka’opua, N., Hussey, I., & Wright, E. K. A. (Eds.). (2014). A nation rising: Hawaiian movements for life, land, and sovereignty . Duke University Press.
Kern, A. S. (2016). Modernizing state enabling legislation for locally designated historic resources.
Kotarba, J. A. (2013). Understanding society through favorite music . Routledge.
Levendis, J., & Dicle, M. F. (2016). The neighborhood impact of Airbnb on New Orleans.
Medeiros, M. (2017). Hawaiian History: The Dispossession of Native Hawaiians' Identity, and Their Struggle for Sovereignty.
Plain, N. (2015). This Strange Wilderness: The Life and Art of John James Audubon . U of Nebraska Press.
Ryberg, S. R. (2013). Historic preservation’s urban renewal roots: Preservation and planning in midcentury Philadelphia. Journal of Urban History , 39 (2), 193-213.
Ryberg-Webster, S., & Kinahan, K. L. (2014). Historic preservation and urban revitalization in the twenty-first century. Journal of Planning Literature , 29 (2), 119-139.
Young, K. G. T. (2014). Rethinking the native Hawaiian past . Routledge.
