Vol. 7 Presenter: Allan Affeldt
Presenting
Creating a Sense of Place By Investing in Historic Buildings
Summary
I believe it is important economically and culturally that places with deep community memory and pride be saved, and that this can only be done by creating self-sustaining businesses.
In order to link a sense of place and history with self-identity, residents must feel the attachment that motivates long-term community investment or stability—but entrepreneurs and communities have limited resources to allocate to saving pieces of the built environment, so we have to choose and invest wisely.
In this presentation I will briefly review the Plaza, Castaneda and Legal Tender—how they were restored and why, and how they act as economic and cultural catalysts for their communities.
Bio
Allan Affeldt is the owner of La Posada Hotel (1930) in Winslow, Arizona, where he was also the Mayor. He has served on many non-profit boards and founded the Winslow Arts Trust. He worked extensively in international conflict resolution including with the Soviet Union where he produced the International Peace Walks, Russia’s first Stadium concert and many other events.
In New Mexico Allan purchased the Plaza (1882) and Castaneda (1898) Hotels in Las Vegas and the Legal Tender (1882) in Lamy; all are restored and reopened. Allan restored the Winslow Depot as an art museum with a visitor center for James Turrell’s Roden Crater, and donated objects like the Hubbell Rug (24x36’ single-loom Navajo) and the Santa Fe Pleasure Dome Railcar (1950).