It takes vision, to see the possibilities where most people just see problems. It takes money - though not necessarily more money than it would take to construct a comparable new building. As CSU president Albert Yates pointed out recently, rehabilitation and reuse of the Old Fort Collins High School is not only saving an important community landmark, it is also saving the university money. This project allows us to preserve history. Finally, preserving a historic building takes patience.
Demolition can happen overnight, but preservation takes months and sometimes years.
It takes patience to conduct the careful research and planning to ensure that the project is done right, and will result in a lasting legacy. It may take years to put together the financial package for a commercial rehabilitation project, or for nonprofit organizations to raise the money through grants and fund raising. In the case of local landmarks, it takes patience to comply with the regulations that govern changes to historic properties. In my 20 years working in historic preservation I have seen some remarkable examples of preservation perseverance. Looking at the barn today, it's hard to remember that at one time it was just a shell, its tall dome collapsed into a pile of sticks.