The Allentown area, known to be Buffalo's premier historic district, is an ideal place to reside given its historical richness, unique architecture, and cultural and social activities. However, it can also be a confusing matter at times to own a property there, given the various boundaries that determine a property's status as within or outside of a certain preservation district.
In an effort to alleviate the confusion and make homeowners within the Allentown area eligible for investment tax credits, the Allentown Association has proposed a project that would consolidate the properties currently separated by the National Register and the City of Buffalo Preservation Board's boundaries into one Allentown historic preservation district.
"By creating one Allentown National Register and local historic district, homeowners will be able to easily understand the rights, responsibilities, and benefits of owning a historic home," said Christopher N. Brown, chair of the One Allentown committee and member of the Allentown Association. "With the availability of NYS historic tax credits, we expect significant investment in Allentown properties to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places that previously did not qualify for the tax credits."
The Allentown Association's proposal for this project does not identify any drawbacks to this consolidation. Because the local district is currently larger than the National Register district, with the exception of four structures, the current property owners already have all the responsibilities of owning and maintaining a historic property. What some of them don't have, however, are all the benefits associated with owning those structures.
According to Brown, the consolidation of the districts would also make it easier for the Allentown Association to promote the area to potential property-buyers and tourists. "Once it's all completed, that will allow the opportunity to create educational brochures and seminars to inform people who want to buy new properties," he said. Recently, that has been a difficult task with the way that the districts are divided. "There's a lot of 'what ifs,'" Brown added. "If you live here, you're in this particular district. By having uniformity, it will make a good opportunity to make very uniform educational programs."
Supporters of the project also hope to spread awareness about investing and increase the availability of grants and funding to help maintain the historic structures in Allentown. Brown noted that the Allentown district is a large tourist destination, both regionally and beyond. The Association hopes that this consolidation will help people to make more investments in the district, thus making it a more attractive place to visit.
The Allentown Association recently received a large grant of $9,500 from the Preservation League of New York State to help support a survey that would lead to the district's expansion. This would allow for new information to be obtained on economic development and would also position over 1,200 properties for the benefits of New York State residential and commercial tax programs.
While comprehensive costs of the project have not been determined, the Association anticipates that the research and cultural resource survey will cost $16,000 to create One Allentown Historic Preservation District. The funding for the proposal will come from the Allentown Association's funds earmarked for historic preservation, along with foundation grants and fundraising. The Association recently held a fundraiser on October 1 to benefit the project. Thanks to neighborhood associations, they were able to raise over $1,000
For more information on the One Allentown project or the Allentown Association, visit www.allentown.org or call (716) 881-1024.
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In an effort to alleviate the confusion and make homeowners within the Allentown area eligible for investment tax credits, the Allentown Association has proposed a project that would consolidate the properties currently separated by the National Register and the City of Buffalo Preservation Board's boundaries into one Allentown historic preservation district.
"By creating one Allentown National Register and local historic district, homeowners will be able to easily understand the rights, responsibilities, and benefits of owning a historic home," said Christopher N. Brown, chair of the One Allentown committee and member of the Allentown Association. "With the availability of NYS historic tax credits, we expect significant investment in Allentown properties to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places that previously did not qualify for the tax credits."
The Allentown Association's proposal for this project does not identify any drawbacks to this consolidation. Because the local district is currently larger than the National Register district, with the exception of four structures, the current property owners already have all the responsibilities of owning and maintaining a historic property. What some of them don't have, however, are all the benefits associated with owning those structures.
According to Brown, the consolidation of the districts would also make it easier for the Allentown Association to promote the area to potential property-buyers and tourists. "Once it's all completed, that will allow the opportunity to create educational brochures and seminars to inform people who want to buy new properties," he said. Recently, that has been a difficult task with the way that the districts are divided. "There's a lot of 'what ifs,'" Brown added. "If you live here, you're in this particular district. By having uniformity, it will make a good opportunity to make very uniform educational programs."
Supporters of the project also hope to spread awareness about investing and increase the availability of grants and funding to help maintain the historic structures in Allentown. Brown noted that the Allentown district is a large tourist destination, both regionally and beyond. The Association hopes that this consolidation will help people to make more investments in the district, thus making it a more attractive place to visit.
The Allentown Association recently received a large grant of $9,500 from the Preservation League of New York State to help support a survey that would lead to the district's expansion. This would allow for new information to be obtained on economic development and would also position over 1,200 properties for the benefits of New York State residential and commercial tax programs.
While comprehensive costs of the project have not been determined, the Association anticipates that the research and cultural resource survey will cost $16,000 to create One Allentown Historic Preservation District. The funding for the proposal will come from the Allentown Association's funds earmarked for historic preservation, along with foundation grants and fundraising. The Association recently held a fundraiser on October 1 to benefit the project. Thanks to neighborhood associations, they were able to raise over $1,000
For more information on the One Allentown project or the Allentown Association, visit www.allentown.org or call (716) 881-1024.
Click to enlarge^
sensible idea. good luck!