Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Historic Preservation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Consultants present Grand Island historic resources survey and tax-credit opportunities
Summary
Clinton Brown Company presented a townwide historic resources survey for Grand Island, identifying roughly 4,000 properties 50 years or older and outlining options for surveys, National Register listings and homeowner and commercial tax credits to encourage rehabilitation.
Consultants from Clinton Brown Company presented a townwide historic resources survey to the Grand Island Town Board, outlining areas with concentrations of properties 50 years or older and explaining state and federal designation options and associated tax incentives.
Consultant Clinton Brown summarized the work and its purpose: to document historic resources across Grand Island, help the town identify candidate districts and properties for further study, and point to funding and tax-credit incentives that can encourage private investment used for rehabilitation. He said the survey identified about “4,000 extant historic resources” — buildings, structures or sites with construction dates 50 years or older by the survey’s standard — and recommended phased reconnaissance surveys of prioritized neighborhoods.
Why it matters: National Register listings and state historic-homeowner tax credits can offset costs for homeowners and businesses that rehabilitate historic properties; consultants said such incentives can raise property values and stimulate local economic activity.
Key findings and recommendations
- The consultants recommended starting with reconnaissance-level surveys in targeted areas such as Grand Island Village and the Sandy Beach neighborhood; they estimated around 1,300 parcels across two neighborhoods that could contribute to district designations.
- Consultants explained homeowner and commercial incentives: an illustrative state historic-homeowner income tax credit of 20% for eligible rehabilitation costs, and combined federal/state commercial credits that can cover a larger portion of business property rehabilitation costs. Clinton Brown said homeowners who pre-approve projects with the State Historic Preservation Office and then complete eligible work can claim the credit on their income taxes.
- The presentation named individual properties and themes warranting deeper study, including an early smokehouse (described as one of the oldest extant resources) and midcentury modern commercial buildings that may be architecturally significant.
Public process, property-owner concerns and state review
Consultants emphasized that reconnaissance surveys are conducted from public rights-of-way only and explained the National Register and state processes. They said listing on the National Register does not by itself restrict a private owner’s right to alter or demolish a property; restrictions typically arise only if owners seek financial incentives that require adherence to preservation standards. The presenters encouraged the town to consider grant applications (for example through the Preservation League of New York State) to fund phased survey work.
No board action was recorded; board members asked to follow up with questions by email and discussed potential next steps such as targeted surveys and whether the town should consider local historic-district controls in addition to National Register nominations.
