…a National Register district and a local historic district, that is…

The East Row Historic District in Newport, Kentucky is one of the commonwealth’s biggest local historic districts AND it encompasses two National Register districts: Mansion Hill, located north of 6th street, and East Newport (or Gateway), which extends to the south. This neighborhood consists of a very fine collection of late 19th and early 20th century urban house styles including Italianate, Queen Anne, Second Empire, Colonial Revival, Bungalow, and Craftsman. Currently, one 1880s Italianate–located at 623 Monroe Street (MLS# 435329)–is up for sale. This nicely updated home sits in the heart of the East Row Historic District as well as the East Newport National Register District.

 

So what does it mean for a homeowner that 623 Monroe Street sits in both types of historic districts?

A National Register listing–whether it is an individual property or a district–does NOT lead to public acquisition of properties, does NOT require public access, and does NOT automatically trigger local historic district zoning or local landmark designations. A National Register listing DOES get you prestige, consideration in Federal projects, and eligibility for special grants and tax provisions. And for the private homeowner, you still have the freedom to maintain, modify, remodel, renovate, or dispose of the property as you wish (as long as no Federal monies or permits are involved, of course).

A local historic district is a bit different. Local historic districts are basically a type of zoning that applies to a neighborhood or to other locations that include multiple historic properties (“historic” defined as 50 years or older). The zoning provides control on the appearance of existing and proposed buildings. Like a National Register listing, the designation is also considered to be an honor and signals that a community feels that the historic character of their area is worthy of recognition and preservation. From a real estate perspective, historic district zoning can also help to improve property values by stabilizing and even enhancing the neighborhood’s character. An additional benefit is that it can protect property owners from inappropriate changes by other owners that might destroy the special qualities of the neighborhood. A local historic district designation does NOT effect property taxes.

The East Row Historic District was formed in 1990. It has its own set of historic design review guidelines (available on-line here), which are part of the city ordinance and functions to protect buildings within the district from particular alterations and demolitions through the Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) process. Overall, being a part of two historic districts isn’t so bad after all…