Growing through Preservation: The Economic Impact of Historic Preservation in Philadelphia

Paul Steinke serves as executive director of the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia, a membership-based organization whose mission is to promote the appreciation, adaptive re-use and development of the Philadelphia region’s historic buildings, communities, and streetscapes.   He started in this role in June 2016 after serving on the organization’s board of directors for many years.

Previously, Paul served as general manager of the Reading Terminal Market for 13 years, where he oversaw numerous improvements in the facility and tenant mix.  In 2014, the market was recognized by the American Planning Association as one of the Great Places in America.

Earlier in his career, Paul served for four years as the founding Executive Director of University City District, a neighborhood improvement organization that has been central to the revitalization of West Philadelphia.  Before that, Paul was a founding staff member of the Center City District, Philadelphia’s downtown improvement agency, where he spent seven years as its Finance Director.  

A lifelong Philadelphian, Paul holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and economics from Pennsylvania State University and an MBA from Drexel University.  Paul serves on the board of directors of the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance, National Preservation Partners Network, Temple University Libraries, Logan Square Neighborhood Association, and the City & State PA advisory board.  He has also been named to Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker’s H.O.M.E. Advisory Committee and Market East Advisory Group. He lives near Logan Square with his husband and partner of 30 years, David Ade, an architect with a practice based in Philadelphia.

Donovan Rypkema is president of Heritage Strategies International and principal of PlaceEconomics. Working at the nexus of historic preservation and economic development, Rypkema has undertaken assignments in 49 US States and nearly 60 countries. Recent projects include studies of the impact of historic preservation in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and Philadelphia and recommendations for incentives for Modern Heritage in Abu Dhabi.  He serves on the Real Estate Market Advisory Committee of the UN Economic Commission for Europe, the Board of Directors of Global Urban Development, and the Advisory Board of the Small Business Anti-Displacement Network. He is the author of The Economics of Historic Preservation which has been translated into Russian, Korean, and Georgian and the Feasibility Assessment Manual for Reusing Historic Buildings. Rypkema teaches preservation economics at the University of Pennsylvania where he received the G. Holmes Perkins Award for Distinguished Teaching. He was also the recipient of the Crowninshield Award from the National Trust. The Crowninshield is the nation’s highest preservation award and is presented for lifetime contributions to the field of historic preservation. 

Hanna Stark is the Director of Policy and Communications at the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia, where she advocates for policies that protect historic spaces while encouraging sustainable development. Hanna enjoys translating complex preservation policy initiatives into accessible and actionable advocacy strategies at the federal, state, and local levels.

Prior to her current role, she served as the Policy Communications Coordinator for the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Government Relations department. Hanna has an M.S. in Historic Preservation from the University of Pennsylvania and a B.A. in Architecture from Clemson University.

In addition to her work at the Preservation Alliance, Hanna serves on the board of the Preservation Action Foundation and Young Involved Philadelphia.