Officials in Newton are hoping that a historic district designation for parts of the city will lead to a revitalized downtown.
The city has applied to be put on the National Register of Historic Places. On Monday, Anne Swallow, National Register Coordinator for the North Carolina Historic Preservation Office, spoke to property owners and city officials, outlining some of the requirements for a property to be in a district.
The properties that have been included in the district are 51 commercial buildings, five homes and the 1924 Courthouse, Confederate monument and cannon at the courthouse, said Clay Griffith of Acme Preservation Services in Asheville, who is preparing a nomination for the designation to the N.C. State Historic Preservation Office registry and the National Register of Historic Places.
“The collection of architecture is quite good,” Griffith said.
Structures included in the district have to be at least 50 years old. Buildings also should retain features of the original structure.
That’s where state and federal historic tax credits can come in to play. Owners of properties within the historic district would be eligible for the tax credits to rehab their building. A building designated historic could receive 20 percent in tax credits from the state and 20 percent from the federal government. Rehabilitation work must meet federal standards and applicants for tax credits are subject to reviews by the state Historic Preservation Office and the National Park Service, according to information from the city.
Homes designated historic are eligible for 30 percent in tax credits.
Some of the work done on a structure could include heat, electrical work and plumbing to bring it up to modern standards, Swallow said.
For the city, a historic designation downtown would be an honor, said Griffith. It also can be used as a marketing tool to bring people and businesses into the area and might entice other property owners in the area to spruce up their places.
Ultimately, it could lead to a revitalized downtown, said Rob Powell, commercial development coordinator for Newton.
The North Carolina National Register Advisory Committee will consider the Newton application at its meeting on Feb. 9 in Raleigh. City officials expect that the committee will approve the nomination and forward it to the National Park Service for final approval.
Swallow said she anticipates the district to be listed in the National Register by April.
The boundaries for the district include sections of 2nd Street, N. Forney Avenue, A Street and N. Ashe Avenue.
Property owners within the proposed district have a chance to object to the listing but it has to be done in writing. Objections can be sent to: Jeffrey J. Crow, State Historic Preservation officer, 4610 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC, 27699-4610.
Email
Facebook
Google
Twitter
Favorites
More
Advertisement