Should I keep the historic designation on my future home?

June 15, 2009 10:26 PM

RenovationFilter: I'm attempting to buy a registered historic home. The bank might require some repairs which, if required and done, could coincide with other renovation that may or may not affect the historic designation (roofing/ windows etc). What resources or advice might inform my decisions?

What changes affect the historic designation? Perhaps not all changes affect designation? Some of the windows surely aren't original, for example... But can I expand a dormer without losing the historic designation? What considerations will help me decide if I should do it anyway?

Are there good sources of information about what to do about weighing the tradeoffs between the original windows and something more energy efficient? Techniques for dealing with lead paint on the siding?
Is there an on-line source for small-pane windows? The standard dimensions of the vinyl ones just make me sad!

I've had the place inspected, and was thrilled with the verdict: no (unexpected) skeletons. I plan to own this one for a lifetime, so I'm inclined to make choices for personal preference rather than maximizing immediate economic value. The historical aesthetic is more important to me than the designation itself.

This (1920's) house is in a state which does not offer (tax/loan) breaks for historic homes, but where might I check for federal benefits for restoration/renovation, if any exist?

posted by iiniisfree to home & garden (10 comments total)

In some places you're not permitted to do anything to a building which would have the effect of changing its historicity. It's part of the local building code that all updates to such buildings maintain the historic look. That's the case in downtown Lexington MA, for example.
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 11:13 PM on June 15

The national trust for historic preservation has a Find Funding that might help you find some resources to preserve your historic home. They also have a lot of other resources available on their site specifically for historic home owners. Check it out and see if anything looks useful to you.
posted by Arbac at 12:11 AM on June 16

The realtor has stated that I can choose whether I want to maintain the historic registration on the home, or not. She said there are some assistance packages that help with renovations on registered historic homes, but that the renovations have to be congruent with certain rules. I don't know what these rules might be, or where to find them however! She said if I chose not to maintain the historic registration of the home, that there were not limits on the changes permitted to the building. Perhaps there's a place I can verify that, however?
posted by iiniisfree at 12:15 AM on June 16

Where are you buying the house? If it's in a city somewhere, try to find information about your neighborhood planning department, and see if they have a historic preservation person. They can probably tell you all you need to know, or at least tell you where to look to find it.

In Pittsburgh, you could find this person by going to the zoning counter, but your mileage may vary!
posted by that girl at 3:06 AM on June 16

Hmm, is the real estate agent the director of your local historic district? No? Yeaaaah, let's not just go on the word of some dingbat "Realtor" (which kind of sounds like some sort of bond villian), who may either:

A - really want to sell you the house so she will tell you anything about it to make it sound better, even if it's untrue

B- really want to sell you the house, so she will tell you anything about it that she probably believes is true, but in reality isn't

C- really want to sell you the house, so she will tell you anything about it that is true in some cases, but not always

In any case, YOU (or .. more preferably the attorney you hired and are paying to represent you in this transaction) need to do your own due diligence on the actual legal status of this property, and all the rights, responsibilities, and pains-in-the-neck that it brings with it. I'd talk to the historical district people, the state historical society, the town planning people, the mayor, neighbors...

The reason why I suggest a RE attorney from the area is that they are most likely to be familiar with the exact historical district and what being inside that district will entail. Also, real estate agents are blood sucking parasites who really only exist to shuffle paperwork back and forth.
posted by Geckwoistmeinauto at 5:27 AM on June 16

Oh, forgot to add: the local historical society, in conjunction with the local historic district folks, will probably have all the information on local, state, and federal grants.

I think as far as lead paint goes, unless you've got little kids around, it's probably best to encapsulate with standard paint than it is to totally remove, which can be expensive and tedious. That said, if you're planning kids soon, and you've got the money, you could just take care of it now.
posted by Geckwoistmeinauto at 5:29 AM on June 16

Well, I used to work in the historic preservation field, so I know a little bit about this. There are many kinds of "historic designation," ranging from National Historic Landmark status to local Historic District zoning. The most common is probably the National Register of Historic Places. Buildings and structures can either be individually listed or listed as contributing elements of a listed district. The important thing to know about the National Register is that it places NO RESTRICTIONS on what the property owner can do with the structure. You can list your house on the NR today and then demolish it tomorrow if you want. I assume this is what your realtor is talking about, since they mention that it is optional.

Resources:
* Your local planning and zoning department.
that girl is right that they will have almost all of the information you need easily to hand. They will be able to tell you if your house is in a local Historic District, and if it is, they will be able to tell you what restrictions are placed on it, and most likely will give you a nice Design Guidelines document to help explain everything.
* Your State Historic Preservation Office.
Every state has one, and they will be the ones who can advise you on any state or federal funding sources that are open to you.
* Preservation Briefs
These are nice, simple documents that explain the basics of appropriate maintenance and rehabilitation of historic buildings and features. There are dozens and dozens of books on these kinds of topics, but the Briefs and the info from your local preservation offices will get you started.

MeMail me if you have more specific questions.
posted by Rock Steady at 6:11 AM on June 16

Check your local preservation office. Our municipality has one which spells out specifically what can or cannot be done to the house. Be advised that any change in status that you may want to make is going to be a lengthy and involved process and even then it may not lead to results that will work for you. Following the requirements to keep its designation will be more costly than the usual alternatives but there may be prestige that comes with that cost. Weigh your options but be prepared.
posted by JJ86 at 6:47 AM on June 16

Also you want to make sure what kind of historic designation the house has. Is it just a NRHP, or is it actually in a historic district. Historic districts often have planning boards and require very specifc procedures for changes to homes in the district.
Technical information on the actual upgrades or renovations you may do to the home can be gotten from the National Park Service site. They're pretty comprehensive. Also, if you are in an area with a university nearby, see if the school has a Public History program either at the graduate or undergraduate level. A lot of times our students will do write ups for historic preservation plans for homes and private residences to guide the owner in proper renovation or preservation procedures.

If you're in the Middle Tennessee area, you might want to check here for more info. Dr. West is a good guy and does a lot to help folks out like this.
posted by teleri025 at 8:12 AM on June 16

Don't trust a Realtor when it comes to what you can or can not do to a historic home.
posted by patnok at 11:34 AM on June 16 [1 favorite]