Phil Walker’s preservation expertise began with earning a bachelor’s degree in Historic Preservation in 1984, and preparing a historic preservation plan for St. Augustine, Florida, as part of his master’s thesis in 1986.

As the Downtown Manager for Pensacola, Florida, and the City Planning Director for Natchez, Mississippi, he performed design review and staffed historic preservation commissions on a daily basis.

As a consultant, Phil Walker has prepared numerous historic preservation plans and historic district plans for communities as diverse as: Natchitoches, Louisiana; Cumberland, Maryland; and Metuchen, New Jersey.

He has also prepared several battlefield protection plans, and has led the preparation of three Management Plans for National Heritage Areas and participated in a fourth such plan. Phil has served on the Board of Directors of Preservation Action, the Tennessee Preservation Trust, and the Tennessee Civil War Preservation Association.

Historic Preservation Project Portfolio

Conway, Arkansas

CONWAY HISTORIC PRESERVATION PLAN

Located 30 miles northwest of Little Rock, Conway is a community of 65,000 people with three colleges and a vibrant historic downtown. The City has a robust preservation program, but TWC was hired to prepare a plan to improve upon that existing program. Thomason & Associates served as subconsultants on the project. The public engagement process included an online public opinion survey, as well as multiple meetings and workshops.

Northwest Alabama

MUSCLE SHOALS NATIONAL HERITAGE AREA MANAGEMENT PLAN

The Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area encompasses six counties in the northwest corner of Alabama. In accordance with the federal legislation creating the MSNHA, the three key themes for interpretation include the Tennessee River, Native American Heritage, and Music. TWC was hired by the University of North Alabama, the Heritage Area’s local coordinating entity in partnership with the National Park Service, to lead a team of consultants in the creation of the federally-mandated Management Plan.

Northeast Mississippi

MISSISSIPPI HILLS NATIONAL HERITAGE AREA

The Mississippi Hills National Heritage Area encompasses 30 counties in Northeast Mississippi. Interpretive themes include Native American Heritage, Folk and Blues Music, Southern Literature, the Civil War, and African-American Heritage. The North Central Mississippi Resource Conservation & Development Council first hired TWC in 2004 to forge a common vision and strategy for development of the Heritage Area prior to its federal designation, which included several conferences, workshops and stakeholder meetings.

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

PITTSBURGH HISTORIC PRESERVATION PLAN

Pittsburgh covers a 55 square mile area in the center of Allegheny County. Despite today’s population of 330,000 people being roughly half of what it was 50 years ago, the city still serves as the economic and cultural hub of Southwestern PA. Up until now, the City has never had a historic preservation plan. TWC was hired as a subconsultant to T&B Planning to prepare a city-wide historic preservation plan for the City’s Department of City Planning (DCP).

Fort Worth, Texas

FORT WORTH CITYWIDE HISTORIC PRESERVATION PLAN

For a large community that has experienced substantial growth over the past several decades, Fort Worth has retained an impressive stock of historic buildings. The city is a showcase for nineteenth and early-twentieth century Texas architecture. As a subconsultant to LRK Architects, The Walker Collaborative’s Phil Walker served as the Project Manager for this plan, and he coordinated the efforts of multiple local sub-consultants.

Additional Projects

Phil Walker has played a key role in the following projects through The Walker Collaboration (since 2002) and previous firms.

Click Here To View More Historic Preservation Projects

Projects for which he was the Project Manager have been asterisked (*)

Burlington Historic Districts Design Standards: Burlington, North Carolina (2022)*

Fayetteville Historic Districts Design Standards: Fayetteville, North Carolina (2021)*

Madison Historic District Design Guidelines: Madison, Indiana (2021)

Oil Region National Heritage Area Strategic Plan: Northwest Pennsylvania (2020)*

Omaha Historic Districts Design Guidelines: Omaha, Nebraska (2020)

Okolona Downtown & Heritage Tourism Visioning: Okolona, Mississippi (2020)*

Mississippi Hills Heritage Trails Project: Northeast Mississippi (2020)*

Holly Springs Downtown & Heritage Tourism Visioning: Holly Springs, Mississippi (2019)*

Gullah Geechee Cultural Preservation Project: Hilton Head Island, South Carolina (2018)*

Garden City Historic Preservation Plan: Garden City, Kansas (2017)

Deteriorated Historic Buildings Strategy: Georgetown, South Carolina (2017)

Lumber Heritage Region Management Action Plan: North Central Pennsylvania (2015)*

Oakville Indian Mounds Park & Museum Concept Plan: Danville, Alabama (2013)*

Mississippi Delta National Heritage Area Management Plan: Mississippi Delta (2012)

Connecticut Statewide Historic Preservation Plan: Connecticut (2011)

Downtown Wilkesboro Master Plan: Wilkesboro, North Carolina (2011)*

Little Rock Historic Preservation Plan: Little Rock, Arkansas (2009)

Cary Historic Preservation Plan: Cary, North Carolina (2008)

Bagdad Historic Zoning: Santa Rosa County, Florida (2007)*

Mississippi Hills Heritage Area: Northeast Mississippi (2004-2005)*

Corinth Historic Preservation & Tourism Plan: Corinth, Mississippi (2000)

Collierville Historic District Comprehensive Plan: Collierville, Tennessee (2000)*

Central High Neighborhood Design Guidelines: Little Rock, Arkansas (1997)*

Economic Analysis of Historic Resources: Franklin, Tennessee (1997)

Historic District Comprehensive Plan & Design Guidelines: Natchitoches, Louisiana (1996)*

“Saving the Farmstead” Design Guidelines: Williamson County, Tennessee (1996)*

Alexander Road Preservation Plan: Princeton, New Jersey (1994)*

Cumberland Historic District Design Guidelines: Cumberland, Maryland (1994)*

Vicksburg Heritage Tourism Plan: Vicksburg, Mississippi (1993)*

Metuchen Historic Preservation Plan: Metuchen, New Jersey (1990)*

Mercer County Historic Preservation Plan: Mercer County, New Jersey (1990)*

See the section on Zoning & Design Guidelines for additional historic zoning and design guidelines projects.

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“I can tell you project managers make all the difference in the overall success of major planning initiatives. Phil Walker provided leadership at every step of the project. He took the lead role in all public meetings, served as the key point of contact with the City, and oversaw all aspects of the planning process. He exhibited a high level of expertise, professionalism, and responsiveness.”

Joey Dunn, AICP
Director of Planning & Development Services
City of Bryan, Texas
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“You and your team did a fantastic job with this comprehensive plan.
It clearly reflects a high level of care on your part.
We feel like the City of Midway really got its money’s worth.”

Don Emmons
Mayor
City of Midway, Georgia
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“I enjoyed your session. Your presentation was streamlined so it was easy to follow and grasp concepts,
entertaining with your natural injection of humor, and you had excellent presence.
You really connected with your audience.”

Merideth Hildreth, AICP
Hillsboro, New Mexico
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“… the City hired The Walker Collaborative (TWC) to craft a detailed revitalization strategy in 2013… Issues addressed included uses and development along the Coosa River … Although budgets are tight, we have used the plan to make steady progress in revitalizing the district… The City of Wetumpka was quite pleased with the services and end product provided by The Walker Collaborative.”

J. David Robison, AICP
Planning & Program Director
City of Wetumpka, AL
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“Working with TWC on the Washington Drive District Plan was enjoyable and rewarding. Phil’s team was very qualified and easy to work with. The high-quality renderings made the plan catch people’s attention. The vision and strategies detailed in the written text inspired those who will implement it. Phil is very attentive, quick to respond, always willing to listen, and incorporate your ideas.”

G. Lee Burnette, AICP
Director, Planning & Development
High Point, North Carolina
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“Philip and his team are sincerely nice people with no pretense –
a delight to be around and interact with.
I am looking forward to helping implement all the great ideas and images they created for our City.”

Denise Boswell, Ph.D.
Senior Planner, Planning and Development Services
City of Wilson, NC
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“The reason the City continuously hires The Walker Collaborative, even over the course of multiple political administrations, is because they do a good job. Phil is good at listening to his clients and the public in general, and he takes the time to understand the various existing conditions in a thorough manner. His solutions for our community always seem to be the most technically sound and pragmatic path to take, so we value his recommendations.”

David Bennett
Mayor
City of Lookout Mountain, GA
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“Phil’s charrette process exceeded our expectations… Phil and his team demonstrated an outstanding ability to work with anxious developers, interested property owners, and concerned neighbors. The caliber of Walker’s work was proven when the resulting Downtown and Riverfront Master Plan was awarded the 2009 Outstanding Planning Award from the Alabama Chapter of the American Planning Association.”

Katherine E. Ennis, AICP
Planning Director
City of Northport, Alabama
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“Phil is a pleasure to work with and for. He is committed to giving his clients
everything they seek while providing high-quality professional recommendations and plans.
He is always seeking the best in colleagues and consultants, as well.”

Ron Emrich
Former Executive Director
Preservation New Jersey
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“From all accounts, The Walker Collaborative knows what it’s doing when the aim is downtown revitalization… What we like most about this process is the strong desire this organization has to get public input…
The Walker Collaborative seemed to truly care about getting local buy-in.”

Courier Staff
The Courier (Russellville, AR)