Historic designation paves way for Northwood improvements

Published 12:00 am Friday, January 17, 2003

NORTHWOOD, Iowa &045; At the end of last year Northwood was awarded with the Iowa State Historical Society’s title: Certified Local Government (CLG).

The honor means that a number of buildings in Northwood can be considered for the National Register for Historic places.

&uot;Really, it provides an opportunity for a number of buildings we have in a two-and-a-half block area to be designated as historically significant buildings,&uot; said Mayor Bob Perry.

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The determination of these buildings as historic, Perry said, can open doors for revitalizing downtown. State and federal grants are available for the historic preservation of old buildings because of the designation.

The city has also put together the Northwood Historic Preservation Committee, a group of three people that acts as an advisory to the city council on historic preservation matters.

Perry said the preservation is really up to the private building owners, but he said the city will do what it can to make things as financially viable as they can be.

Restoring an old building with grant money or being placed on the national register means the owner must follow many guidelines, such as maintaining the building as well and keeping with historic code.

These things can get expensive, but Perry and the city council have tried to make things easier.

One thing the city has done is set up a tax-increment financing district in the area. The district effectively uses the money the financier would pay in taxes and puts it toward something in the project.

Northwood has also put together a design committee, which will act to advise the council and any building owner planning on redeveloping, on the kind of feel and designs they would like to see in the downtown.

Still in the preliminary stages of getting the long-term project off of the ground, Perry says there are many things for the city to do and learn.

One is educating the members of the design and preservation committees on following historic guidelines. The state, once it gives the CLG designation, requires that much of the planning work be done by people trained in preservation. Having the trained people in town is important in order to make projects move along swiftly, so the education is beginning for those people.

It is also beginning for Perry.

&uot;We’re still in the learning process,&uot; Perry said. &uot;But we are looking forward to seeing redevelopments.&uot;