DFI , City and Heritage Council staff have completed their review of the draft National Register nomination for Central Frankfort and the project now begins it’s public review by the Architectural Review Board on April 21, 2009, the City Commission on April 27, 2009 and the State Review Board on May 12, 2009. All meetings are open to the public and participation is welcomed. Further, there will be a special community meeting at 5:30 pm on April 21, 2009 at City Hall, 315 W. Second Street, prior to the ARB’s consideration of the proposed district.
The proposed district is bounded by East and West Second Street, Logan Street, the Kentucky River, High Street and Mero Street. Map is available at meetings. A total of 401 resources were surveyed and are included in the proposed district. The results of the survey are very positive for encouraging the rehabilitation of structures as an additional 86 properties have been identified as “contributing” to the district and therefore would potentially be eligible for State and Federal Tax Credits if the nomination is approved by the State Review Board and the Department of the Interior (Federal).
In order for a district to be eligible for listing in the National Register, it must meet specific criteria established by the Federal Government. The Central Frankfort National Register District retains integrity and meets three federal criterion including but not limited to the:
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Strong concentration of primarily residential and commercial historic resources built largely on a late eighteenth century grid of streets |
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Historic state government buildings representative of the cultural patterns of governance, commerce and community planning |
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Homes of series of individuals of transcendent importance to the locale, state and nation. |
It is important to note that the creation of this National Register District will NOT change the current zoning of any properties in the study area and therefore there is no change in property owner rights or restrictions.
Should you have any questions about the nomination, please contact the Kentucky Heritage Council staff, Marty Perry, at (502) 564-7005, extension 132.
This project sponsored by the City and by DFI involves a field survey and building inventory of historic properties within downtown Frankfort and the preparation of an updated National Register of Historic Places historic district nomination for the area. The National Register component will include the combining of the Old Statehouse Historic District, the Corner in Celebrities district, the Frankfort Commercial district, and the South Frankfort neighborhood district into a single new overlay National Register district. These earlier historic districts were listed in the National Register as early as 1971.
Historic preservation can play a role in community and neighborhood development and in the downtown revitalization process. National Register designation imposes no control of private property rights but does make available significant state and federal financial incentives to assist those interested in rehabilitating properties within the district. There are various ways in which the preservation and rehabilitation of downtown Frankfort’s historic architecture can contribute directly to an improved overall quality of life. Historic preservation is often a major component in the economic and tourism development strategy for a community or region.
The consulting firm of Taylor & Taylor Associates was engaged by Downtown Frankfort, Inc. to undertake the project, which was funded by a Certified Local Government grant from the Kentucky Heritage Council.
