historic preservation as part of a business plan

AGORA in Mt. Vernon: I've been aware of AGORA, Inc., since reading Financial Reckoning Day when it first came out back in 2003. Click through to see how they have integrated the idea of historic preservation into their business model--they focus on the idea, the message, first. This is what I think we can do exceptionally well in an area like Cleveland, if we begin to strive harder to communicate our values through our actions. We have a lot of exceptionally valuable properties to work with here, both in the residential and in the commercial stock of solid buildings built prior to the 1930s. We have a heritage, or an inheritance. Prior generations spent their money wisely so that we could stand on their shoulders and progress further. Are we taking advantage of that? Are we maximizing our opportunities? Have we acknowledged and appreciated our birthright as Northern Ohioans?
"It is no accident that Agora’s companies are housed in a collection of stately 19th century Baltimore mansions. These buildings represent, in architecture, what Agora's companies try to achieve in publishing — applying more than 2,000 years of evolved wisdom to the current situation. Wealthy Baltimore entrepreneurs of the last century roamed the world in search of architectural opportunity. What they brought back with them were the best architectural designs of the day...those that had their roots in ancient Greece and had been improved and elaborated over many centuries. Naturally, they wanted these designs in their own homes.
Agora’s companies are pleased to be able to help maintain these treasures and keep this neighborhood vigorous and full of young people, new ideas and lively commerce."