Preserve Arkansas to announce ‘most endangered’ historical properties

The nonprofit Preserve Arkansas will announce on May 19 at 10 a.m. the historical properties it has deemed Arkansas’ Most Endangered Places for 2017.

Properties on the list face threats including “deterioration, neglect, insufficient funds, insensitive public policy and inappropriate development,”according to the Preserve Arkansas website.

By releasing an annual list of “endangered” historical properties each year, the group hopes to raise awareness of the significance of historical places and the need for preservation, according to a press release from Preserve Arkansas.

This year’s announcement will take place at the historic Fulk Building,  a restored building that’s now home to advertising and public relations firm CJRW, on Main Street in downtown Little Rock.

Little Rock’s Central Business District downtown, where the Fulk Building is located, was named to the list of endangered places in 2009.

Since then, the district has undergone streetscape improvements and rehabilitation of historic buildings, and downtown events have “brought new life to parts of Main Street,” according to the release.

In conjunction with the announcment, Preserve Arkansas is also planning a bike tour of Little Rock’s most endangered places, past and present, on May 18 at 6 p.m. It will start at the River Market and conclude at Stone’s Throw Brewing. Tickets are $20 to Preserve Arkansas members and $25 to non-members.

Tickets and more information are available at preservearkansas.org.

The Most Endangered Places list began in 1999 to raise awareness of the importance of historic properties to the state’s heritage.

Founded in 1981, the Historic Preservation Alliance of Arkansas (Preserve Arkansas) aims to help preserve architecturally and historically significant places through education, state and local legislation advocacy and assistance to property owners.

May is Arkansas Heritage Month, National Preservation Month and National Bike Month.