Urban Development in Practice and Theory: A Baltimore Neighborhood Revitalization Model and a UNESCO Framework

This thesis compares a nonprofit planning real estate development model and a preservationist framework recently created by UNESCO to explore to what extent can these two models of urban development be combined to create the most positive impact on quality of life at the neighborhood scale? The first, The Reinvestment Fund, Development Partners, a nonprofit operating in Baltimore, MD utilizes the Federal Historic Tax Credit to retain the character of the neighborhood and create a more stable economic landscape. The second, the Historic Urban Landscape approach, is a UNESCO recommended framework to integrate historic fabric into urban areas undergoing modern development and reconcile the modern needs of a city and its historic past. The goal of this thesis is to combine the two methodologies in order to equally provide a positive future for the buildings and people of historic neighborhoods.