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Citizens
for Property Rights is an informal coalition of citizens dedicated to the preservation of property rights, For several years, I have been sitting in on meetings of the HDSC, and the Chairs have courteously invited me to comment as appropriate. Here, from time to time, I summarize -- and perhaps comment on -- committee activities. -- Frank Versagi
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Committee
is
one of the governmental entities established by City Ordinance. For several years, I have been sitting in on meetings of the HDSC, and the Chairs have courteously invited me to comment as appropriate. Here, from time to time, I summarize -- and perhaps comment on -- committee activities. -- Frank Versagi |
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Recent HDSC News Historic District Study
Committee praised Current economic doldrums add another dimension to other factors which homeowners evaluate when considering historic designation. "But even during the housing bubble," Bashiri explained, "it was considered a negative factor that an historic designated house couldn't be sold to someone who wanted to demolish it to make room for another design or a Bigfoot." Economic downturn or not, she acknowledged, the limitations which come with historic designation cause the elderly and their children to hesitate. "An elderly couple on fixed income worry they won't be able to afford replacing deteriorating wood windows with their historic equivalent, for example. And their kids, who don't expect to live in the house and don't want to become landlords, fear an historic house will be hard to sell, whether times are good or bad." The speaker touched on the use and abuse of surveys to identify historical possibilities. "Sometimes, 'survey' is considered a 4-letter word." An historic residential district need not have every house designated. Even though all the properties need not be contiguous, at least 51% of the proposed district must qualify for designation. About commercial structures, one problem for preservationists is to develop strong weapons to prevent "too-easy demolition" of historic structures. Bashiri cited a couple of Detroit examples of owners deliberately permitting a structure to deteriorate, to make it easier to make the case for demolition. Her experiences seem to have convinced her that preservationist must learn to live with uneven support, or opposition, to historic designation as elected and appointed city officials come and go. All that being so, in the real world, historic preservationists have a permanent educational responsibility to promote the advantages of designation, including tax credits and neighborhood stability: "Schedule workshops and tours. Develop the case for renovation vs. demolition. Think 'sustainability' by showing more resources are consumed to demolish a structure and build a new one than to restore the structure." Big city. Small city. Each has advantages and disadvantages. Royal Oak and Birmingham benefit from being walkable communities, Bashiri concluded. -- Apr 09§ Royal Oak's Historic District Study Committee is currently working with two homeowners who have expressed an interest in having their homes designated a historic district. The committee (HDSC) provides guidance and assistance in acquiring and completing the necessary documentation to send to Lansing. Also on HDSC's agenda is the development of promotional material to inform the public about its work and about the existing and prospective historic sites throughout the city. -- Dec 07 Previous HDSC News in chronological order After the members of the Historic District Study Committee resigned en masse, there was celebration among CPR followers who support historic preservation but oppose mandated historic designation. We quickly warned, however, that so long as Royal Oak’s historic ordinances are in place mandated historic designation remains a threat to property rights. We said new appointments might be made at any time. Well, the committee is being re-staffed. As the former members ended their terms they issued a statement to the effect that until the population is more educated about matters historic, it may be wise to work toward historic recognition, rather than the controversial historic designation. Let’s see whether the new members remain in the “recognition-mode” or move to take control of one or more of the 40-some proposed historic districts identified in the so-called “windshield survey. Developer
seeking Historic Designation This voluntary seeking of historic designation is the direct result of the committee's chairman architect Mark McBride's push to spread the word, to educate citizens about the benefits of historic preservation, rather than attempting to force designation on unwilling citizens. The developer, Jon Carlson, of Real North, showed the committee old photographs of the 1926 building and described Real North's approach to restoring it. Carlson is also seeking to restore the original look of the 1939-built building at 417-419 South Main, across from the already begun Main Street Place. He frankly discussed the limitations of any State or Federal tax incentives, making it clear that the desire to assume the extra cost of "going-historical" has to come from the heart. At the October HDSC meeting, McBride had arranged for Mrs. Adelene Hoey to make a presentation about her residence at 1860 Vinsetta Blvd. The structure was designed by her deceased husband, noted architect Donald Hoey. Mrs. Hoey has applied to join the committee. McBride's efforts have resulted in even some individuals who were associated with earlier attempts to mandate historic designation suggesting that citizens whose homes are prospects for historic designation, or at least historic recognition, be invited to committee meetings to learn about the pluses and minuses of voluntary historic preservation. NOTE: Voice has offered the Historic District Study Committee space on this website for whatever it wishes to publish, including its minutes. Whether or not the committee takes advantage of that offer, I shall continue to sit in on occasional Committee meetings and report and perhaps comment on the committee's activities. 26 November 2002
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Return to CPR Home Page CPR Quick Finder The
Bank Building at Fourth & Main Homeowners are as much at risk as commercial property owners Citizens for Property Rights organized When the Barton Towers neighborhood was threatened with mandated historic designation,. CPR's dialogue with the City Commission Quoted without Comment Historical Groups
serving Royal Oak Historic District Study Committee news Should the Water Works Building be saved? Is it historical? Family forced to accept "landmark" status [go] Huntington Woods fights the historic battle [go] Philadelphia Story: City Hall and Historical Commission at odds [go] Chopping
down the Bank's Pillars Historical Society of Michigan meets in Port Huron [go] When 200 Preservationists gather [go] Holy Family in
Prison?
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The
Royal Oak's Historic District Study Committee was praised by
Birmingham City Planner Sheila Bashiri, at the
committee's April meeting, after she had listened to it
conduct its routine business. The lack of Power Point
projection equipment at the M&M Senior Center proved a
blessing when Bashiri quickly converted what would have been
a formal presentation into a conversation with the HDSC.
Drawing on her experience in Detroit and Birmingham, the
city planner exchanged information and opinions about
everything from how property owners perceive the pluses and
minuses of historic designation to dealing with city
officials.