Our Mission

Preservation Durham’s mission is to protect Durham’s historic assets through action, advocacy and education.

Our Values

Respect: We believe in accountability, transparency, and responsiveness among Preservation Durham staff, the board, our members, and all those with whom we interact. The effectiveness of our organization depends on the empowerment and equity of all in the Durham community.

Diversity: We believe that the most vibrant communities are well integrated culturally and economically. Historic buildings and neighborhoods provide the greatest variety of architectural style, size, and affordability, bringing together a wide cross-section of businesses, families, and individuals of all ages, occupations, and ethnicities.

Uniqueness: We recognize Durham has a unique multicultural history and a distinctive building stock (commercial, industrial, large and small) that represents a varied community. We believe we need to protect and preserve important parts of this history to ensure Durham retains its character.

Sustainability: We believe that preservation of our historic assets is a method of responsible stewardship of resources that maximizes the value of previous investments, reduces negative environmental impact and supports sustainable growth by utilizing existing infrastructure within the urban core.

Inclusivity: We believe that a well-informed and actively involved citizenry is crucial to the vitality of every community. Historic preservation requires an exceptional level of community awareness and political will, and including a range of voices in historic areas fosters that sense of belonging.