Residents of the Downtown Historic District began receiving letters recently from the city’s building department reminding them of what changes to their property require prior approval.
For most, the letter was exactly that – a friendly reminder. For others, it’s how they became aware they live in the district, Building Official Nathan Katona said.
“That’s exactly why the Historic Preservation Commission asked for that letter to be sent out,” Katona said. “… (Some) people had no idea the historic district even existed. … (The commission) will probably be doing other outreaches to make people aware.”
So, where is the historic district? What kind of changes merit prior approval? What is the process for getting that approval?
Where is the Downtown Historic District?
Established by the city council in 1996, the Downtown Historic District is shaped sort of like a key, Katona said.
From west to east, it runs from Second Street to the railroad tracks past 14th Street. It includes blocks between Second Avenue North and College Street for that entire length, but runs as far north as Fifth Avenue North and as far south as Third Avenue South in some areas.
The purpose is to maintain the historical integrity of the exteriors of properties in the district, and the city’s nine-member Historic Preservation Commission was created to oversee that process.
“Who’s to say what you’re doing is historically appropriate and what your neighbor’s doing is not?” Katona said. “So this gives an independent board to (say), ‘These are our guidelines.’”
What changes need prior approval and what is the process?
Per the letter from the building department, any exterior changes to a structure in the historic district require a certificate of appropriateness from the Historic Preservation Commission.
That could be anything from adding a fence, replacing windows and doors, or painting part of the exterior a different color.
“Just cutting down a tree, believe it or not,” Katona said. “We’re not talking about trimming or in emergency cases. … But if you’re like, “You know what? I don’t like the trees on my property. I’m going to cut them down.’ … Usually it’s just paint, windows shutters, doors, things like that.
“It’s part of being in a historic district,” he added. “It’s part of what I believe Columbus is trying to preserve – just the historic nature and character of that one specific area.”
Maintenance, or repainting something the same color, doesn’t require approval, Katona said. Nor do interior renovations.
When changing colors, commission chair Barbara Bigelow said, there are plenty of appropriate options.
“We have a paint chart of historical colors which we use to assure buildings maintain a historical look,” she said. “There are many colors in all hues on the chart, and I do not recall, during my time of the commission, having an issue with color.”
Applying for a certificate of appropriateness with the building department is free. Just provide a description of what you want to do with visual samples.
From there, Katona adds you to the agenda for the next monthly commission meeting.
Katona said the commission hears two to three cases each month. It very rarely denies a request outright. Sometimes, he said, commissioners will suggest alternatives.
Why does it matter?
James Henry and his partner Robert Sowerwine are renovating the McCarty House at 1109 College Street inside and out. The exterior changes are significant. For those, the Historic Preservation Commission-issued certificate of appropriateness is posted in a front window.
The pair removed aluminum siding covering the house, replaced the wood underneath and plan to paint the house soft gold with cream trim – in keeping with what Henry believes the house looked like when it was built more than 100 years ago.
A Realtor for 22 years, Henry said he had lived in the Key West, Florida, historic district, and moved to Columbus a few months ago from the New Orleans French Quarter where “you couldn’t change the color of a doorknob without permission.”
Henry doesn’t mind that sort of thing. In fact, he prefers it, and he described Columbus’ historic preservation process as easy.
“I’m an adamant preservationist,” Henry said. “I’m fanatical about it.”
In New Orleans, in particular, Sowerwine said many old homes were “modernized” out of their historic character.
Henry has a different word for that.
“I’ve seen so many houses destroyed by what I call ‘remuddling,’” he said.
For more information on the Downtown Historic District and its guidelines, contact Katona at (662) 245-5055.
Zack Plair is the managing editor for The Dispatch.
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