Monday, November 14, 2011
Notes : Public Input Meetings
All of the notes that were taken by Alley Poyner Macchietto Architecture's Mike Thompson during the Public Input Meetings can now be found in the downloads section of the web site.
Canceled : November 17th Steering Committee Meeting
The Steering Committee Meeting that was scheduled for this Thursday, November 17th, 6:00 pm at the Montgomery County History Center has been canceled.
The Sub Committees will be meeting throughout the rest of November to finalize their recommendations to the Steering Committees. Please contact the Sub Committee chairs listed in the public meetings section of this web site if you have any additional questions or comments.
The Sub Committees will be meeting throughout the rest of November to finalize their recommendations to the Steering Committees. Please contact the Sub Committee chairs listed in the public meetings section of this web site if you have any additional questions or comments.
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Recap : Public Improvements Public Input Meeting
Approximately 30 downtown property owners, interested citizens of Red Oak, and community leaders attended the fifth and final public input meeting at 7:00 pm on Monday, November 7th at the Green Hills Area Education Agency Victory Conference Center in Downtown Red Oak. Daric O'Neal and Mike Thompson with Alley Poyner Macchietto Architecture presented concepts and ideas related to Public Improvements in Study Area. Items discussed included on street parking, off street parking, street conditions, sidewalk conditions, downtown specific signage, utilities, lighting, site furnishings and landscape. Those in attendance had an opportunity to ask a lot of questions and engage in dialogue related to the subjects.
If you were unable to attend, the presentation can be viewed by clicking here, or it can be found in the "Downloads" section of this web site.
If you were unable to attend, the presentation can be viewed by clicking here, or it can be found in the "Downloads" section of this web site.
Overhauling Preservation
Below is an article that was originally printed in the Omaha World Herald.
Overhauling preservation
By Jeffrey Robb WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER
Posted: 11/09/2011 1:00 AM
Omaha and Council Bluffs need a makeover of their historic preservation efforts to overcome a weak image and baggage from the past.
That's the conclusion of a new report written by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which urged preservationists in the two cities to step into the future.
To jump-start the efforts, the Omaha By Design organization announced Tuesday that it will launch a pilot project to create a historic zoning district for an Omaha neighborhood. After surveying dozens of people involved in preservation efforts and related fields in the community, the authors found that the local movement lacks vibrancy and that people don't consider historic preservation a community priority. In Omaha, the authors say the decades-old demolition of Jobbers Canyon outside the Old Market remains an open wound for many.
The report recognizes a number of successes over the years, including the revitalization of downtown Council Bluffs' historic 100 block of West Broadway and renovation of the TipTop building in north downtown and South Omaha's Livestock Exchange Building into apartments and commercial space.
The authors recommend improving the image of historic preservation, setting up a new leadership structure and capitalizing on incentives to promote projects.
The new report already is helping focus preservationists' efforts. In addition to the pilot zoning project, two leading Omaha preservation groups - Landmarks Inc. and Restore Omaha - are working to merge their organizations into a new advocacy group.
Connie Spellman, Omaha By Design's director, said she believes attitudes in the community toward preservation are shifting. "Let the past be the past and let's continue with the trend that's already starting to emerge," she said.
Omaha By Design, which has promoted conservation and development in established parts of Omaha, brought in the National Trust to provide an outsider's perspective amid concerns about lagging membership and funding among preservation groups. The report was funded through a grant by the Iowa West Foundation.
The authors found that a large group of people still bemoan the 1988-89 Jobbers Canyon demolition as a major defeat to preservation efforts.
In a controversial decision, city leaders approved the removal of the six-block warehouse district just outside the Old Market to make way for ConAgra's downtown campus. Although more than 20 warehouses were lost, Omaha kept ConAgra, gained a new base of downtown workers and sparked riverfront development. "Jobbers Canyon was a very unfortunate outcome," said Amy Cole, one of the report's authors. "But we must move forward."
The report says designation of local landmarks has all but stopped, use of historic tax credits for rehabilitation projects has slowed and the National Trust's Main Street program for historic downtowns is not active.
To boost local efforts, the National Trust recommends developing preservation incentives and implementing new zoning protections for older neighborhoods.
The City of Omaha's urban design rules allow individual areas to seek city approval of a neighborhood conservation district. But only two neighborhoods, Dundee and South 10th Street outside of downtown, have districts in place.
Omaha By Design plans to pick a neighborhood in the coming weeks and tailor preservation and building design rules to that area by March. The City Council will need to approve the zoning district.
With a template in hand, Omaha By Design hopes other neighborhoods can replicate the zoning district for their own areas, Spellman said.
Overall, preservationists need to develop a more positive message about successful projects and benefits to the community, the report says. And local groups should reach out to neighborhood groups, young community leaders and environmentally conscious people interested in conservation.
Restore Omaha is cited as a bright spot. The group first organized a conference in 2005 to give restoration advice to owners of Omaha's older homes. In addition to the annual conference, Restore Omaha held a historic restoration tour last month in Council Bluffs.
Now, Restore Omaha and Landmarks Inc., which formed in 1965 out of a failed effort to save Omaha's historic post office, are working on a merger.
Nicole Malone, committee chairwoman for Restore Omaha, said the two organizations have a lot of the same leaders.
The new, as-yet-unnamed organization would focus on advocacy and run the Restore Omaha conference and tour, Malone said. It would use Landmarks' existing nonprofit status for fundraising.
"If you can't move forward," Malone said, "you don't survive."
In Council Bluffs, Jim Kieffer, president for Preserve Council Bluffs, said the new report has provided direction for his organization. Kieffer said he will do more to get out information on financial incentives for restoration projects. "There really are things we can do here to make a difference."
Contact the writer:
402-444-1128, jeff.robb@owh.com
twitter.com/jeffreyrobb
Overhauling preservation
By Jeffrey Robb WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER
Posted: 11/09/2011 1:00 AM
Omaha and Council Bluffs need a makeover of their historic preservation efforts to overcome a weak image and baggage from the past.
That's the conclusion of a new report written by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which urged preservationists in the two cities to step into the future.
To jump-start the efforts, the Omaha By Design organization announced Tuesday that it will launch a pilot project to create a historic zoning district for an Omaha neighborhood. After surveying dozens of people involved in preservation efforts and related fields in the community, the authors found that the local movement lacks vibrancy and that people don't consider historic preservation a community priority. In Omaha, the authors say the decades-old demolition of Jobbers Canyon outside the Old Market remains an open wound for many.
The report recognizes a number of successes over the years, including the revitalization of downtown Council Bluffs' historic 100 block of West Broadway and renovation of the TipTop building in north downtown and South Omaha's Livestock Exchange Building into apartments and commercial space.
The authors recommend improving the image of historic preservation, setting up a new leadership structure and capitalizing on incentives to promote projects.
The new report already is helping focus preservationists' efforts. In addition to the pilot zoning project, two leading Omaha preservation groups - Landmarks Inc. and Restore Omaha - are working to merge their organizations into a new advocacy group.
Connie Spellman, Omaha By Design's director, said she believes attitudes in the community toward preservation are shifting. "Let the past be the past and let's continue with the trend that's already starting to emerge," she said.
Omaha By Design, which has promoted conservation and development in established parts of Omaha, brought in the National Trust to provide an outsider's perspective amid concerns about lagging membership and funding among preservation groups. The report was funded through a grant by the Iowa West Foundation.
The authors found that a large group of people still bemoan the 1988-89 Jobbers Canyon demolition as a major defeat to preservation efforts.
In a controversial decision, city leaders approved the removal of the six-block warehouse district just outside the Old Market to make way for ConAgra's downtown campus. Although more than 20 warehouses were lost, Omaha kept ConAgra, gained a new base of downtown workers and sparked riverfront development. "Jobbers Canyon was a very unfortunate outcome," said Amy Cole, one of the report's authors. "But we must move forward."
The report says designation of local landmarks has all but stopped, use of historic tax credits for rehabilitation projects has slowed and the National Trust's Main Street program for historic downtowns is not active.
To boost local efforts, the National Trust recommends developing preservation incentives and implementing new zoning protections for older neighborhoods.
The City of Omaha's urban design rules allow individual areas to seek city approval of a neighborhood conservation district. But only two neighborhoods, Dundee and South 10th Street outside of downtown, have districts in place.
Omaha By Design plans to pick a neighborhood in the coming weeks and tailor preservation and building design rules to that area by March. The City Council will need to approve the zoning district.
With a template in hand, Omaha By Design hopes other neighborhoods can replicate the zoning district for their own areas, Spellman said.
Overall, preservationists need to develop a more positive message about successful projects and benefits to the community, the report says. And local groups should reach out to neighborhood groups, young community leaders and environmentally conscious people interested in conservation.
Restore Omaha is cited as a bright spot. The group first organized a conference in 2005 to give restoration advice to owners of Omaha's older homes. In addition to the annual conference, Restore Omaha held a historic restoration tour last month in Council Bluffs.
Now, Restore Omaha and Landmarks Inc., which formed in 1965 out of a failed effort to save Omaha's historic post office, are working on a merger.
Nicole Malone, committee chairwoman for Restore Omaha, said the two organizations have a lot of the same leaders.
The new, as-yet-unnamed organization would focus on advocacy and run the Restore Omaha conference and tour, Malone said. It would use Landmarks' existing nonprofit status for fundraising.
"If you can't move forward," Malone said, "you don't survive."
In Council Bluffs, Jim Kieffer, president for Preserve Council Bluffs, said the new report has provided direction for his organization. Kieffer said he will do more to get out information on financial incentives for restoration projects. "There really are things we can do here to make a difference."
Contact the writer:
402-444-1128, jeff.robb@owh.com
twitter.com/jeffreyrobb
Monday, November 7, 2011
Council Bluffs Workshop: Researching and Preserving Historic Buildings--Sunday, Nov. 13, 2011
Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs
600 E. Locust Street
Des Moines, Iowa 50319
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Nov. 7, 2011
Contact: Jeff Morgan, 515-281-3858
Fall Speaker Series final presentation moved to Sunday
Presentation at WHTC focuses on researching and preserving historic buildings
The final presentation of the Pottawattamie County Historical Society’s Fall Speaker Series at the Western Historic Trails Center in Council Bluffs has been changed to 2 p.m. Sunday, November 13th. The discussion had been scheduled for Nov. 20, 2011.
“Preservation, Preservation, Preservation” will feature a panel discussion about historic preservation, including historic downtown districts, Haymarket Square, residential areas and the 100 Block of West Broadway.
The panel will include:
The panel discussion is free and open to the public. Audience participation is encouraged and the discussion will include a question and answer period. WHTC is located at 3434 Richard Downing Avenue in Council Bluffs. Call 712-366-4900 for more information.
The Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs is responsible for developing the state’s interest in the areas of the arts, history and other cultural matters with the advice and assistance from its two divisions: the State Historical Society of Iowa and the Iowa Arts Council. DCA preserves, researches, interprets and promotes an awareness and understanding of local, state and regional history and stimulates and encourages the study and presentation of the performing and fine arts and public interest and participation in them. It implements tourism-related art and history projects as directed by the General Assembly and designs a comprehensive, statewide, long-range plan with the assistance of the Iowa Arts Council to develop the arts in Iowa. More information about DCA is available at www.culturalaffairs.org.
600 E. Locust Street
Des Moines, Iowa 50319
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Nov. 7, 2011
Contact: Jeff Morgan, 515-281-3858
Fall Speaker Series final presentation moved to Sunday
Presentation at WHTC focuses on researching and preserving historic buildings
The final presentation of the Pottawattamie County Historical Society’s Fall Speaker Series at the Western Historic Trails Center in Council Bluffs has been changed to 2 p.m. Sunday, November 13th. The discussion had been scheduled for Nov. 20, 2011.
“Preservation, Preservation, Preservation” will feature a panel discussion about historic preservation, including historic downtown districts, Haymarket Square, residential areas and the 100 Block of West Broadway.
The panel will include:
- Rose Brown, Council Bluffs Planning and Development Department representing the city’s Preservation Commissiom
- Jim Kieffer, president, Preserve Council Bluffs
- Arlo Burke, president, Main Street Council Bluffs
- Kori Nielsen, executive director, Historic General Dodge House
- Ralph Wright, Pottawattamie County Historical Society
The panel discussion is free and open to the public. Audience participation is encouraged and the discussion will include a question and answer period. WHTC is located at 3434 Richard Downing Avenue in Council Bluffs. Call 712-366-4900 for more information.
The Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs is responsible for developing the state’s interest in the areas of the arts, history and other cultural matters with the advice and assistance from its two divisions: the State Historical Society of Iowa and the Iowa Arts Council. DCA preserves, researches, interprets and promotes an awareness and understanding of local, state and regional history and stimulates and encourages the study and presentation of the performing and fine arts and public interest and participation in them. It implements tourism-related art and history projects as directed by the General Assembly and designs a comprehensive, statewide, long-range plan with the assistance of the Iowa Arts Council to develop the arts in Iowa. More information about DCA is available at www.culturalaffairs.org.
Technical Preservation Services, National Park Service--New Website!
Dear Iowa CLGs and Preservationists,
Please take an opportunity to reacquaint yourselves with the great information available on the redesigned Technical Preservation Services website.
Technical Preservation Services, National Park Service, is pleased to announce the launch of our expanded and redesigned website at www.nps.gov/tps . In the new site, you will find:
The new site features expanded information on Sustainability and Historic Preservation, including the recently-published Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation & Illustrated Guidelines on Sustainability for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings. Also included are links to research and studies on energy efficiency and historic buildings and to sustainability resources for home owners, historic districts and communities and Federal agencies.
Case studies highlighting successful tax incentives projects and projects that combined historic rehabilitation and green building practices rotate on the home page and in several sections of the site. A Site Map has also been added, at www.nps.gov/about/site-map.htm , to help users navigate the site.
Technical Preservation Services develops historic preservation policy and guidance on preserving and rehabilitating historic buildings, administers the Federal Historic Preservation Tax Incentives Program for rehabilitating historic buildings, and sets the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties.
Be sure to bookmark this website for future reference!
Paula A. Mohr, Ph.D.
State Historic Preservation Office
State Historical Society of Iowa
600 East Locust Street
Des Moines, Iowa 50319-0290
(515) 281-6826 (phone)
(515) 282-0502 (fax)
paula.mohr@iowa.gov
Please take an opportunity to reacquaint yourselves with the great information available on the redesigned Technical Preservation Services website.
Technical Preservation Services, National Park Service, is pleased to announce the launch of our expanded and redesigned website at www.nps.gov/tps . In the new site, you will find:
- Secretary of the Interior’s Standards and Guidelines; information about the historic preservation tax incentives; all of our publications, including the Preservation Briefs and Tech Notes;
- Guidance on meeting the Standards in rehabilitation projects;
- Information on the Historic Surplus Property Program and the Historic Preservation Internship Training program; online training; and much more.
The new site features expanded information on Sustainability and Historic Preservation, including the recently-published Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation & Illustrated Guidelines on Sustainability for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings. Also included are links to research and studies on energy efficiency and historic buildings and to sustainability resources for home owners, historic districts and communities and Federal agencies.
Case studies highlighting successful tax incentives projects and projects that combined historic rehabilitation and green building practices rotate on the home page and in several sections of the site. A Site Map has also been added, at www.nps.gov/about/site-map.htm , to help users navigate the site.
Technical Preservation Services develops historic preservation policy and guidance on preserving and rehabilitating historic buildings, administers the Federal Historic Preservation Tax Incentives Program for rehabilitating historic buildings, and sets the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties.
Be sure to bookmark this website for future reference!
Paula A. Mohr, Ph.D.
State Historic Preservation Office
State Historical Society of Iowa
600 East Locust Street
Des Moines, Iowa 50319-0290
(515) 281-6826 (phone)
(515) 282-0502 (fax)
paula.mohr@iowa.gov
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Recap : Redevelopment Public Input Meeting
Approximately 20 downtown property owners, interested citizens of Red Oak, and community leaders attended the fourth of five public input meetings at 7:00 pm on Tuesday, November 1st at the Green Hills Area Education Agency Victory Conference Center in Downtown Red Oak. Daric O'Neal and Mike Thompson with Alley Poyner Macchietto Architecture presented concepts and ideas related to Redevelopment Opportunities in Study Area. Items discussed including parking, second story housing, vacant or empty lots, and vacant buildings. Those in attendance had an opportunity to ask a lot of questions and engage in dialogue related to the subjects.
If you were unable to attend, the presentation can be viewed by clicking here, or it can be found in the "Downloads" section of this web site.
If you were unable to attend, the presentation can be viewed by clicking here, or it can be found in the "Downloads" section of this web site.
Preservation Iowa: Most Endangered Program Deadline
This is a friendly reminder that the postmark deadline for nominations to Preservation Iowa’s Most Endangered Properties program is quickly approaching! The postmark deadline is November 14th! While you may not be aware of any properties that should be or are going to be nominated you may have constituents that do know of properties. Please help get the word out and remind others that the deadline in November 14th.
The nomination forms can be downloaded by going to: http://www.preservationiowa.org/programs/endangered.php.
If there are any questions regarding the process, please contact:
Sheriffa M. Jones
(712) 262-2083
Preservation Iowa, Vice-President
The nomination forms can be downloaded by going to: http://www.preservationiowa.org/programs/endangered.php.
If there are any questions regarding the process, please contact:
Sheriffa M. Jones
(712) 262-2083
Preservation Iowa, Vice-President
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Financial Incentives for Historic Properties Workshop in Council Bluffs
PRESS RELEASE: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Re: PRESERVE COUNCIL BLUFFS TO OFFER PROGRAM ON FINANCING THE PRESERVATION OF HISTORIC PROPERTIES
Contact: President Jim Kieffer, Preserve Council Bluffs (712-256-0923) or JKiefferJr@cox.net
Preserve Council Bluffs (aka Council Bluffs Historic Preservation Alliance) will host a program on financial incentives for the rehabilitation of historic commercial and residential buildings on Thursday, November 3, 2011 at 7 pm in the first floor meeting room of the Council Bluffs Public Library, 400 Willow Avenue, in downtown Council Bluffs.
Presenter of the program will be Vincent Lintz, president of Preservation Iowa – the statewide nonprofit dedicated to historic preservation which exists to build partnerships that enhance Iowa’s economic and cultural future through the preservation of Iowa’s historic resources. He comes with more than 30 years of experience working with communities promoting affordable housing and economic development on local, state, regional, and national levels.
Mr. Lintz’s responsibilities with Preservation Iowa include implementing the programs and policies of Preservation Iowa with emphasis on the Main Street Development Loan Program; networking with national, state, area agencies, and other organizational partners to further the mission of Preservation Iowa; and guiding the development of additional funding mechanisms for preservation activities throughout Iowa.
The program is for owners of historic buildings that lie within the designated boundaries of historic districts or are independently designated; those considering purchasing or investing in such buildings; realtors; anyone involved in city government, its boards and commissions; attorneys and CPAs; chambers of commerce, and anyone interested in historic preservation.
President Jim Kieffer, who welcomes all who are interested in attending, says: “This program furthers the mission of our organization, which is to promote and preserve the heritage of Council Bluffs through its architecture, sites, and people.”
The program is open to the public. There is no charge for admission.
Re: PRESERVE COUNCIL BLUFFS TO OFFER PROGRAM ON FINANCING THE PRESERVATION OF HISTORIC PROPERTIES
Contact: President Jim Kieffer, Preserve Council Bluffs (712-256-0923) or JKiefferJr@cox.net
Preserve Council Bluffs (aka Council Bluffs Historic Preservation Alliance) will host a program on financial incentives for the rehabilitation of historic commercial and residential buildings on Thursday, November 3, 2011 at 7 pm in the first floor meeting room of the Council Bluffs Public Library, 400 Willow Avenue, in downtown Council Bluffs.
Presenter of the program will be Vincent Lintz, president of Preservation Iowa – the statewide nonprofit dedicated to historic preservation which exists to build partnerships that enhance Iowa’s economic and cultural future through the preservation of Iowa’s historic resources. He comes with more than 30 years of experience working with communities promoting affordable housing and economic development on local, state, regional, and national levels.
Mr. Lintz’s responsibilities with Preservation Iowa include implementing the programs and policies of Preservation Iowa with emphasis on the Main Street Development Loan Program; networking with national, state, area agencies, and other organizational partners to further the mission of Preservation Iowa; and guiding the development of additional funding mechanisms for preservation activities throughout Iowa.
The program is for owners of historic buildings that lie within the designated boundaries of historic districts or are independently designated; those considering purchasing or investing in such buildings; realtors; anyone involved in city government, its boards and commissions; attorneys and CPAs; chambers of commerce, and anyone interested in historic preservation.
President Jim Kieffer, who welcomes all who are interested in attending, says: “This program furthers the mission of our organization, which is to promote and preserve the heritage of Council Bluffs through its architecture, sites, and people.”
The program is open to the public. There is no charge for admission.
Call for Projects : Iowa Department of Economic Development
CALL FOR PROJECTS - Downtown Revitalization Fund
Recaptured and reallocated funds, when approved by the Director, may be used to fund downtown revitalization projects. IDED will consider funding a project if it meets and addresses the criteria below:
Communities can apply to IDED any time during the year with a pre-application. If IDED determines the community and the proposed activity are eligible for funding, it shall notify the community and invite them to complete a full application which will be due by February. Awards will be announced in May. Pre-applications, instructions, program rules and rating criteria are available on the IDED website.
Communities can meet the national objective requirements one of two ways; either they can complete a city-wide income survey to meet the low-to-moderate income requirement or they can qualify if they meet the slum and blight criteria. Meeting the slum and blight criteria involves the community designating an area as slum and blight using the criteria established by the state, completing a building inventory, and demonstrating how the project would positively affect the area.
A copy of the application can be found here.
Recaptured and reallocated funds, when approved by the Director, may be used to fund downtown revitalization projects. IDED will consider funding a project if it meets and addresses the criteria below:
- The project must meet the slum and blight national objective;
- It must be eligible under the CDBG program;
- Positive impact on the community;
- Readiness to proceed with the proposed activity and likelihood that the activity can be completed in a timely fashion;
- Level of community support for a downtown revitalization effort;
- Degree to which downtown revitalization fund assistance would be leveraged by other funding sources and documentation of applicant efforts to secure the maximum amount of local support for the activity;
- Degree to which the activity meets or exceeds the minimum building and site design criteria established by IDED to be eligible for funding;
- Level of planning completed for comprehensive downtown revitalization efforts.
Communities can apply to IDED any time during the year with a pre-application. If IDED determines the community and the proposed activity are eligible for funding, it shall notify the community and invite them to complete a full application which will be due by February. Awards will be announced in May. Pre-applications, instructions, program rules and rating criteria are available on the IDED website.
Communities can meet the national objective requirements one of two ways; either they can complete a city-wide income survey to meet the low-to-moderate income requirement or they can qualify if they meet the slum and blight criteria. Meeting the slum and blight criteria involves the community designating an area as slum and blight using the criteria established by the state, completing a building inventory, and demonstrating how the project would positively affect the area.
A copy of the application can be found here.
Recap : Zoning and Codes Public Input Meeting
Approximately 35-40 downtown property owners, interested citizens of Red Oak, and community leaders attended the third of five public input meetings at 7:00 pm on Tuesday, October 25th at the US Bank Community Room in Downtown Red Oak. Daric O'Neal and Mike Thompson with Alley Poyner Macchietto Architecture and Steve Jensen AICP, ASLA with Steven Jensen Consulting presented concepts and ideas related to Zoning Overlay Districts, Pattern Books, Form Base Guidelines, and Smart Codes. Those in attendance had an opportunity to ask a lot of questions and engage in dialogue related to the subjects.
If you were unable to attend, the presentation can be viewed by clicking here, or it can be found in the "Downloads" section of this web site.
If you were unable to attend, the presentation can be viewed by clicking here, or it can be found in the "Downloads" section of this web site.
November 3, 2011 Steering Committee Agenda
You can find the agenda for the next Steering Committee Meeting to be held at 6:00 pm, November 3rd, 2011 at the Montgomery County History Center by clicking here.
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