To start, I do like the direction this historic preservation ordinance is going. I further appreciate the briefing provided to me the Assistant Director, Anna Pehoushek on July 23rd. That briefing that lasted about an hour in Conference Room B. I shared a couple of the following comments during the meeting, that I share here with the Design Review Committee members.
1) Pay special attention to the social history for historic landmarks. This area needs the same level of scrutiny as architecture (building/landscape). Specifically, documentation on prior ownership, notable architect or builder of a potential landmark all show the layers of history. That complete research could find the “people of local importance” of that may be significantly connected to that resource. Example: the Old Towne Historic District was found stronger in its significance when the people that lived in the district were tied to the businesses located within the Plaza Historic District. The Gunther store in Plaza Square was easy to tie thru ownership records to the Gunther home nearby. Same is true for the Koegler, Dittmer, Armor names of Orange with businesses and buildings downtown to the homes they could walked to.
Social history is an additional powerful justification to preserve, restore, rehabilitate something. By doing so, community ancestors are respected and remembered. A study of older photographs that are reliable, insurance fire maps, oral histories/interviews, in addition to others all provide evidence of social history and worth understanding. All historic resources and records must be consulted as part of any documentation for listing.
2) Review the section on relocations of a resource. Moving anything is possible but it must be done through an in-depth study before it is pursued.
3) Economic hardship. This is a hard area to get right, but it is necessary to have it in the ordinance. Suggest it be further studied to make sure demolition of any resource be the correct option as all, I mean down to the last dollar, of its market value is no longer available.
Happy to provide my E comments.
To start, I do like the direction this historic preservation ordinance is going. I further appreciate the briefing provided to me the Assistant Director, Anna Pehoushek on July 23rd. That briefing that lasted about an hour in Conference Room B. I shared a couple of the following comments during the meeting, that I share here with the Design Review Committee members.
1) Pay special attention to the social history for historic landmarks. This area needs the same level of scrutiny as architecture (building/landscape). Specifically, documentation on prior ownership, notable architect or builder of a potential landmark all show the layers of history. That complete research could find the “people of local importance” of that may be significantly connected to that resource. Example: the Old Towne Historic District was found stronger in its significance when the people that lived in the district were tied to the businesses located within the Plaza Historic District. The Gunther store in Plaza Square was easy to tie thru ownership records to the Gunther home nearby. Same is true for the Koegler, Dittmer, Armor names of Orange with businesses and buildings downtown to the homes they could walked to.
Social history is an additional powerful justification to preserve, restore, rehabilitate something. By doing so, community ancestors are respected and remembered. A study of older photographs that are reliable, insurance fire maps, oral histories/interviews, in addition to others all provide evidence of social history and worth understanding. All historic resources and records must be consulted as part of any documentation for listing.
2) Review the section on relocations of a resource. Moving anything is possible but it must be done through an in-depth study before it is pursued.
3) Economic hardship. This is a hard area to get right, but it is necessary to have it in the ordinance. Suggest it be further studied to make sure demolition of any resource be the correct option as all, I mean down to the last dollar, of its market value is no longer available.