On Tuesday, April 2, 2013, the City of Morrison’s Historic Preservation Commission literally took steps to define a Downtown Historic District. Their journey will likely take “nine months to one year…starting today,” stated preservation consultant Darius Bryjka, of Springfield, IL. “We need to begin to set up the boundaries today,” he added.
His first visit was in 2009. “It’s still a beautiful town,” he remarked during the HPC lunch meeting. Four years ago, Bryjka began a preliminary map of the proposed district. Today, the only differences are “the edges,” which need to “be ironed out,” he stated.
All HPC members were in attendance. Mayoral candidate Sarah Thorndike and Aldermanic candidates Vernon Tervelt and Harvey Zuidema listened.
Putting one foot in front of the other, the group set out to analyze the structures in Morrison. They began at the Morrison Post Office. Shown left-to-right are Commission members Sharon Moore, Bill Shirk, Chair Tim Slavin, Lonnie Rice, and Bob Vaughn. Darius Bryjka, partner of InAlliance consulting firm, is at the far right.
“We have a great handle on the process,” he declared, when Vaughn asked, “Why should we trust your qualifications?” InAlliance is Bryjka’s primary business, and it is four years old. However, he has ten years work experience in historic preservation, beginning as a State of Illinois Historic Preservation Agency (IHPA) employee for six years. There he worked on tax credit projects, National Register eligibility, and Register listing. The firm has projects in Illinois, Texas, and other parts of the Midwest.
The group briefly discussed the former stable on Orange Street–which may become the western boundary of the district; railroad tracks may become the southern. The seekers followed the tentative map east along Lincolnway from Orange Street to Madison Street. They stopped several times to discuss specific buildings and churches along both sides of the highway.
Everything within an Historic District is either “contributing” or “non-contributing” to the architecture, social significance, or history of the place. Historic integrity and age are criteria for these designations. Bryjka advised defining a district to include the most “contributing” buildings.
HPC members discussed holding two preliminary public meetings, from general in nature to specific. The third and final public meeting will be publicized by IHPA, which will notify building owners.
“There’s nothing to hide here,” Bryjka said. “The City’s not investing anything in this [Historic District designation]; they will be reimbursed.”
Slavin discussed the HPC commitment of $6000 of hourly research work as an in-kind donation to the project. “Thirty percent of the grant match in like kind will come from us.”
The next step is for Bryjka to meet with State IHPA officials and show his boundary proposal. It may be approved at that point, or the IHPA may send representatives to view the downtown. Bryjka will begin the nomination, which includes building descriptions, and it may take three or more months to complete a draft form. If necessary, he will resubmit a revised request to the review committee. They meet in November 2013, he believes. If approved at that time, the request for Historic District status goes to the Park Service.
The grant states the local HPC has until the end of 2014 to complete the process. Between now and then, Darius Bryjka needs local help with research, an inventory and construction dating of the buildings in the district, architectural classifications of them, reasons for their being built, uses of the buildings over the years, and the Lincoln Highway factor.
It is a giant step forward, but worth the trek. Tax incentives–from 20-to-25% of the cost of improvements–for owners of buildings within an Historic District could spur local rehabilitation of aging structures and, perhaps, outside investors. Basic operational improvements, such as new electrical systems, may qualify for Federal Tax Rehabilitation Credits, too.
Bryjka stated, “Very few things don’t qualify.”