November 14, 2024
The Historic Preservation Commission of South Bend and St. Joseph County will review two district nominations for National Register of Historic Places listing at its next regular meeting, on Monday, November 18 at 6pm in the Council Chambers in the County-City Building.
The Commission identifies architecturally or historically significant buildings, structures, sites, and objects, and advocates for their protection and preservation to enhance human and economic welfare while also accommodating development and redevelopment. The Commission is dedicated to preserving the built environment of South Bend and unincorporated St. Joseph County.
As a Certified Local Government (CLG), the Commission is responsible for reviewing National Register nominations on behalf of the federal government. The National Register is a program that recognizes structures or sites of historical, cultural, or architectural significance. Listing on the National Register unlocks financial incentives for property owners’ historic preservation projects.
National Register listing requires a nomination be reviewed at the local level by the Commission, at the state level by the State Historic Preservation Officer and the Indiana Historic Preservation Review Board, and at the federal level by the National Park Service and the Keeper of the National Register of Historic Places.
Nominations are available online at the Historic Preservation Commission’s Laserfiche November 18, 2024, meeting folder: https://docs.southbendin.gov/WebLink/0/fol/386316/Row1.aspx.
What is the National Register of Historic Places?
The National Register is the official list of the Nation’s historic places worthy of preservation. Authorized by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, and administered by the National Park Service, it is part of a national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect America’s historic and archeological resources.
What are National Register Districts?
National Register Districts are groupings of properties listed on the National Register, which are eligible for tax credits and other financial incentives for property owners. Properties within an area to be designated are surveyed and assigned one of four ratings: “Non-Contributing”, “Contributing”, “Notable”, and “Outstanding”. “Non-Contributing” status does not confer any special incentives or benefits to the property owner. The other three ratings do.
What are Historic Preservation Tax Credits?
Tax Credit programs are available to qualifying renovation projects on eligible properties when applied for through the state Historic Preservation Office; up to 20% of the costs for such renovations can be claimed as a credit for subsequent years. For more information, please visit:
- Federal Tax Credits – https://www.nps.gov/tps/tax-incentives.htm
Indiana’s ‘Residential Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit https://www.in.gov/dnr/historic/3679.htm