Historic Preservation Commission seeks city funding for Brady Chapel restoration, proposes downtown interpretive plaques

Marty Viscara, chair of the Historic Preservation Commission, told the Pocatello City Council at a work session that the commission adopted a 10-year historic preservation plan and is now seeking city funding to help restore Brady Chapel.

The commission said the plan, adopted by council in May, will guide monthly commission work and aims to make preservation efforts “ongoing, feasible, valuable, efficient, and productive,” Viscara said.

The plan matters because it identifies projects the commission says will preserve local historic resources and help owners access incentives. Becky Babb, planning manager, said a consultant-assisted update of the downtown historic-district survey and a National Register nomination are under way, funded by a $17,000 grant through the Certified Local Government (CLG) program.

The commission reported several recent certificates of appropriateness (COAs) reviewed in the 2025 fiscal year and administratively approved by planning staff, including: rehabilitation of a basement door on the North Building, a new mural on Mind Your Body Yoga Studio, new signage and a mural behind Dudes Public Market, and the Idaho Motel sign at Lookout Point.

Vascara and Babb described the Brady Chapel restoration as a multi-phase project. Babb said exterior work such as roof and window resealing is estimated at about $80,000 to $100,000; making the chapel accessible and usable as a public venue is estimated at $200,000 to $300,000. The commission is raising funds through a Friends of the Brady Chapel nonprofit and seeks city funding to provide matching dollars for preservation grants, noting many construction grants require a 1:1 match.

On pedestrian-oriented improvements, the commission proposed a downtown interpretive-signage program to add historical context for visitors and residents. Viscara said individual interpretive signs typically cost $2,000 to $3,000 each and that a modest downtown program could total “less than $20,000” depending on scope and site preparation.

The commission urged the council to consider direct program funding to support the chapel restoration and other items in the preservation plan so owners can pursue tax credits and grant opportunities available to properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Viscara emphasized that National Register listing is honorary and does not, by itself, impose local design standards unless a property also sits inside a locally protected historic district.

The commission said it will continue design review work for exterior alterations in the downtown Pocatello Historic District and ongoing public-education efforts, including a historic marker plaque program, school-curriculum integration, and partnerships with community organizations.

Council members asked about costs, public use and outreach; Viscara and Babb said more precise cost estimates are in the preservation plan and that the Brady Chapel work will require additional fundraising and potentially city match funds.

If the council elects to provide direct funding, the commission said it would use city funds in part to leverage preservation grants and tax-credit opportunities for property owners.

The commission offered to answer follow-up questions and said it will continue coordinating with planning staff on implementation.