This story map Cascade investigates the historic preservation program in Havana's Old City. Old Havana achieved UNESCO World Heritage status in 1982, and consists of over 3,000 buildings representing ten distinct architectural styles. But centuries of salty sea mist and regular hurricanes have bettered this historical treasure trove. In the 1990s, Havana's Office of the Historian confronted a looming crisis of building collapses. It sought and received permission from Fidel Castro to start a private holding company to generate revenue from tourism and self-fund restoration efforts. Today, the program has grown to over $120 million annually, and reinvests half of its revenue in building community services to keep the historic center a "living city."
