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Ashland wants to get more historic By JOHN DARLING MailTribune.com By JOHN DARLING Posted May. 1, 1999 at 2:00 AM Updated Feb 16, 2011 at 7:48 AM By JOHN DARLING Posted May. 1, 1999 at 2:00 AM Updated Feb 16, 2011 at 7:48 AM » Social News Four more national districts proposed — ASHLAND -- Ashland could soon have four huge historic districts encompassing everything from Briscoe School to the university and from the railroad to a block above the main drag. Plans are under way to get the districts on the National Register of Historic Places, a move that raises consciousness about tradition and encourages preservation through state and federal tax incentives, said George Kramer, the city's historic preservation consultant. The newest one, called the Downtown Historic District, is slated for a June — City Council hearing before being sent to the State Historic Preservation Office, which administers the register with the National Park Service. The proposed district encompasses the Plaza, all downtown buildings, the library and the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. The city expects final listing in June for its first one, the Railroad Historic District, which runs from the railroad to Lithia Way and from Oak Street to Eighth. It includes the old Armory, the old commercial hub around Fourth and A streets, the old train depot and blocks of old homes. The city a few weeks ago applied for a $6,000 matching grant from the State Historic Preservation Office to create a third one, the Skidmore Academy Historic District, said Planning Director John McLaughlin. That district gets its name from what is now Briscoe Elementary School, site of the 19th century Skidmore Academy. It also includes a neighborhood of historic homes. Next year, the city will apply for its fourth and last -- the Siskiyou-Hargadine District, which includes the huge Swedenburg mansion at the edge of the Southern Oregon University campus. The benefits of historic status include a 15-year freeze on properties' taxable value and a federal tax credit on qualifying commercial buildings. There are restrictions on what can be done with the properties. The plans for the historic listings are not without their detractors. Everyone thinks it preserves history and does wonderful things, said developer and community organizer Philip Lang, but it drives up rents, drives out working-men's stores, where you can buy practical things, brings in bric-a-brac boutiques with nonfunctional goods and gives a quantum leap into kitschification. Real estate agent Kathie Kennedy said she sees no benefit for property owners because the owners of historic buildings can obtain listing on their own if they want without bringing in layers of government control. Brent Thompson, owner of the old Ganiard Opera House, which is now the Clay Angel store, said the districts raise sensitivity to the history of an area. It (the district listing) strengthens the area and gives it more pride because people consider it special. It becomes not so easy to flatten a historic building because consciousness is raised about the tradition of the area. Hal Cloer, a former member of the city historic commission who owns the old Bank of Ashland building on the Plaza, said the districts are in line with the economic route the city chose when it decided to become a tourist industry town. The success of the (Oregon Shakespeare) Festival depends on the setting. People like the town as a place to visit as much as they like the festival. There's really nothing but positive results for the community on this, said McLaughlin. There are no additional regulations on property. The Legislature is now considering several bills for tax credits for improvements made in listed historic districts, said McLaughlin. And the Chaffee-Graham bill being considered in Congress would expand the 20 percent federal tax credit to include residential historic properties, Kramer said. If successful, Ashland districts would join the 62 historic districts in Oregon, Kramer said, including the downtowns of Jacksonville, Medford and Grants Pass. Medford also has its South Oakdale and Geneva-Minnesota historic districts. By JOHN DARLING MailTribune.com By JOHN DARLING Posted May. 1, 1999 at 2:00 AM Updated Feb 16, 2011 at 7:48 AM » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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