HP 601: Introduction to Historic Preservation
HP 615: American City and Regional Planning History
HP 609: Urban Revitalization in the United States
HP 301: World Heritage
Douglas Appler, Ph.D, AICP
Associate Profesor | Chair, Department of Historic Preservation
Douglas Appler is Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Historic Preservation at the University of Kentucky, where he has taught since 2011. His research explores the relationship between historic resources and all levels of government. Recent work has examined consequences of Title I of the Housing Act of 1949 for small cities, towns, and territories, as well as the processes by which neighborhood activists shaped cities’ use of urban renewal funds. This work has drawn attention to the experiences of cities in Kentucky, including Danville, Whitesburg, and Lexington, as well as other locations less likely to be studied for their experiences with urban renewal. Earlier work explored the role of historic preservation in disaster recovery and in the production of quality affordable housing, and he has also sought to recognize the public benefits of city archaeology programs. His most recent edited book, The Many Geographies of Urban Renewal, was published by Temple University Press in 2023. His teaching is heavily informed by his background as a city planner, and his courses help students to see historic resources not necessarily as objects to be curated, but as resources that can address a variety of modern challenges.
Appler holds a Ph.D. in City and Regional Planning from Cornell University, a Master’s degree in Urban and Regional Planning from Virginia Tech, and a Bachelor of Arts in History and Political Science, also from Virginia Tech. He is a former Planning and Zoning Director, is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP), Treasurer of the National Council for Preservation Education (NCPE), is a member of the Board of Directors of Preservation Kentucky, and was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Guatemala from 2000-2002.
Courses Taught
Books
2023
Appler, D. (ed.) The Many Geographies of Urban Renewal: New Perspectives on the Housing Act of 1949 (Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 2023). https://tupress.temple.edu/books/the-many-geographies-of-urban-renewal
2017
Baugher, S. Appler, D. & Moss, W. (eds.) Urban Archaeology, Municipal Government and Local Planning: Preserving Heritage within the Commonwealth of Nations and the United States. (Cham: Springer Press, 2017). http://www.springer.com/us/book/9783319554884
Selected Articles and Book Chapters
2023
Appler, D. Introduction. In Douglas R. Appler, (ed) The Many Geographies of Urban Renewal(Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 2023). 1-20 https://tupress.temple.edu/books/the-many-geographies-of-urban-renewal
Appler, D. Three Views of Urban Renewal in Puerto Rico. In Douglas R. Appler (ed.) The Many Geographies of Urban Renewal (Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 2023). 115-139. https://tupress.temple.edu/books/the-many-geographies-of-urban-renewal
2020
Hochfelder, D. & Appler, D. Introduction to the Special Issue on Urban Renewal in Small Cities. Journal of Planning History 19, no. 3: 139-143. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F1538513219898001
Appler, D. & Riesenweber, J. Urban Renewal through the Lens of Unsuccessful Projects: The Pralltown Neighborhood of Lexington, Kentucky. Journal of Planning History 19, no. 3. 164-186. https://doi.org/10.1177/1538513219898281
2019
Rumbach, A. & Appler, D. Integrating Historic Preservation into Post-Disaster Recovery: The Role of the Main Street Program. PER: Preservation Education and Research. vol. 11: 32-54. https://doi.org/10.1353/per.2019.a799472
2018
Poole, L. & Appler D. Building a Local Preservation Ethic in the Era of Urban Renewal: How Did Neighborhood Associations Shape Historic Preservation Practice in Lexington, Kentucky? Journal of Urban History. Online first: https://doi.org/10.1177/0096144218816650
2017
Appler, D. Changing the Scale of Analysis for Urban Renewal Research: Small Cities, the State of Kentucky, and the 1974 Urban Renewal Directory. Journal of Planning History. 16(3) 200-221. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1538513216657006
Appler, D. Towards a Theory of Municipal Archaeology: Why Local Government Should Become Public Archaeology’s New Best Friend. In Sherene Baugher, Douglas Appler, and William Moss (ed.) Urban Archaeology, Municipal Government, and Local Planning: Preserving Heritage within the Commonwealth of Nations and the United States. (Cham: Springer Press). 183-202
2016
Appler, D. & Rumbach A. Building Community Resilience through Historic Preservation. Journal of the American Planning Association 82(2) 92-103. http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/01944363.2015.1123640
Appler, D. Affordable Housing in National Register Districts: Recognizing the advantages of historic urban neighborhoods in Louisville and Covington, Kentucky, USA. Journal of Urbanism: International Research on Placemaking and Sustainability. 9(3) 237-253. http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17549175.2015.1056209#.Vdsq6pdMZ90