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Board advances preservation programs, revises awards criteria and seeks city input after downtown demolition
Summary
The board reported progress on two grants (signage and website), revised preservation-award criteria to require owner notification, and requested the city attend a future meeting after the unannounced demolition of a downtown building that board members said reduced tax-credit investment potential.
Danville’s Architectural Review Board on March 19 said it has secured city commission approval for two preservation-related grants — a downtown signage grant and a website grant — and formally revised its preservation-award application criteria to require owner notification. Board members also raised concerns about a recent city demolition of a downtown building and asked the city to meet with the board to discuss documentation and process.
Joanie (staff director) told the board city commissioners have approved the grant applications and staff submitted paperwork to the Kentucky Heritage Council. The board chair reported the signage project’s total cost was “right at $21,000” and the website project cost figure was stated in the meeting; federal funding was described as covering 60 percent of eligible costs with the city providing a 40 percent match.
The board voted to amend preservation-award application language so the property owner is notified and can accept or decline a nomination before it is scored; that motion passed by voice vote.
Board members voiced concern that the city-owned demolition of the former USA Bank building on Fourth Street (described in the meeting as the district’s only International-Modern building) eliminated a potential candidate for historic-tax-credit rehabilitation and removed an opportunity for documentation. The board asked staff to send a letter to the city outlining preservation and planning concerns and requested city representatives attend a future board meeting to discuss the demolition and documentation steps. Staff said a request to have city staff attend the next meeting would suffice.
Staff also said Ephraim McDowell’s preliminary expansion plans will be presented to the board at its May meeting; staff will circulate materials to board members as they become available.
