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Board urged to craft preservation easement for Louisa Swain Federal Building sale
Summary
Staffers and members recommended drafting a historic-preservation easement for the Louisa Swain Federal Building sale because the city does not enforce covenants; next steps include reviewing a template from the Cultural Trust Fund and consulting city attorneys.
The board discussed the imminent federal sale of the Louisa Swain Federal Building and whether the city should accept a role monitoring covenants that would protect the building's facade and lobby. Erin from Planning & Development (S6) explained that, unlike a recorded easement, covenants are not enforced through city permitting and recommended a recorded historic-preservation easement as a stronger protective mechanism.
"If there is a recorded easement on that property, we do have to enforce that easement," Erin said, noting that the Cultural Trust Fund provided a template the board could use as a starting point. Members agreed the first steps are to review the template, have city attorneys examine the draft, and ask the GSA when the sale will be posted so the easement can be uploaded to the sales package.
Millward (S2) and others suggested contacting Renee Beauvais at the Cultural Trust Fund and the Sheridan contact who previously executed a similar easement. The board also discussed who within the city should carry out ongoing oversight if an easement is recorded and whether the board itself or planning staff would bring the document forward for review and approval.
