dwell believes that designing for the modern world begins with honoring the precedents of the past. So it joined forces with Sub-Zero to conceive a contest dedicated to rethinking preservation!  Little Rock was nominated and now it is time to vote! A panel of judges selects the winner from the top ten that receive the most votes.  dwell donates $10,000 to a worthy preservation organization. To get in the preservation spirit read the special digital issue Rethinking Preservation presented by Sub-Zero.

This is what they say about Little Rock:

Main Street Little Rock, Arkansas represents a well-known story. In its heyday, it was filled with department stores, restaurants and offices. It was the center of commerce, close to government, and had architecturally renowned buildings. Arkansas’s history can be connected to Main Street for generations. Today, there are a handful of businesses along the street supported by loyal locals, but most former department store and office buildings are now vacant or have been demolished for surface parking. Main Street has struggled for the past few decades, but is now poised to be a leader in downtown redevelopment in the South.

Little Rock has seen significant success with the development of areas surrounding Main Street, and there are new tax incentives in place for historic rehabilitation projects. Sadly, several historic buildings have been lost unnecessarily, but many significant buildings remain. Main Street is worthy of preservation because it represents the heart of Arkansas and it presents a rare opportunity to make Little Rock a leader in sustainable development.

Imagine: well designed, environmentally sensitive infill buildings working in conjunction with LEED certified rehabilitated historic buildings.