What Are We Advocating

Good intentions are not enough. A 4-Pronged Approach to must be contractually mandated to assures the community that the historic character and architecture of the Race Course will be preserved for generations to come.
Current Historic Resources Inventory
An Historic Resources Inventory documents each structure and landscape feature at the Race Course with photographs and an assessment of its current condition. This provides a baseline document for all future maintenance and capital projects. An inventory was completed in 1978 as part of the Union Avenue National Register nomination. An updated inventory is needed to reflect the changes that have taken place at the Race Course over the last 30 years.
·Guidelines for Local Surveys, A Basis for Preservation Planning
Include Race Course in Local Historic District
The Saratoga Race Course property, all 200+ buildings plus 2 race tracks, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as part of the Union Avenue NR district.  While this listing recognizes the significance of the site, it does not provide any real protection to the architecture and landscape features.  Only by extending the Saratoga Springs local historic district to include the entire Race Course property, can we protect the architecture from inappropriate changes.
Master Plan for Preservation and Modernization
This plan would identify the design standards, based on the Secretary of the Interior Standards for Rehabilitation, that will guide an changes to the structures and landscape features, and would identify the capital and maintenance programs for the Race Course.
·Secretary of the Interior Standards for Rehabilitation
Establish Oversight Process
Governmental oversight needs to be established for the improvements to Saratoga Race Course. Place the Race Course under the architectural oversight of the Saratoga Springs Design Review Commission. The DRC must have the authority to review all proposed additions, renovations, or demolitions at the Saratoga Race Course.