Dr. Jacob Wagner, an assistant professor of Urban Planning and Design at the University of Missouri – Kansas City, presents a talk titled Rebuilding the Crescent City: Disaster, Demolition, and Preservation since Hurricane Katrina on Monday, April 13, at 6:30 p.m. at the Central Library, 14 W. 10th St.

Wagner will discuss the progress of disaster recovery and the role of historic preservation in the battle to rebuild New Orleans, with a special emphasis on the current struggle to preserve the historic Mid-City neighborhood.

Since December 2005, Wagner has worked on several recovery projects with his colleagues at UMKC. The partnership has involved The Urban Conservancy, a New Orleans nonprofit organization focused on the stewardship of the city's urban environment and local economy. Wagner's work also includes advocacy planning for the Lafitte Greenway, a 3-mile rail corridor conversion project in the Mid-City neighborhood of New Orleans.

Wagner's work has been funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. He is the author of several articles on New Orleans, including "Understanding New Orleans: Creole Urbanism" published in the book What Is a City? Rethinking the Urban after Hurricane Katrina.

This event is co-sponsored by the Historic Kansas City Foundation, of which Wagner is a member.