Title
Northwest Fifth Avenue Historic Structure Survey Project (B)
Explanation
In May 2006, the Florida Department of State awarded the Gainesville Community Redevelopment Agency a Historic Preservation matching grant from the General Revenue Fund administered by the Division of Historical Resources. The original agreement of the Historic Preservation Grant award was a $10,000 grant to conduct a Historic Structure Survey of the Northwest Fifth Avenue Neighborhood in Gainesville, Florida and to prepare Individual Nominations and a District Nomination for both the Florida Master Site File and the National Register of Historic Places. After considerable deliberation, the Individual Nominations and District Nomination were deleted from the project. Staff then drafted a request for proposals for the Northwest 5th Avenue Survey Report and contracted with Environmental Services Inc. to conduct the Historic Structure Survey of the Northwest Fifth Avenue Neighborhood, meeting the requirements of Chapter 1A-46.001 Florida Administrative Code.
The purpose of the Northwest 5th Avenue Historic Survey and assessments was due in part to the Model Block Project which was a partnership with the National Historic Trust, Fannie Mae, and the City of Gainesville Community Development Block Grant. One of the recommendations from the National Historic Trust was to conduct a historic survey of the Northwest 5th Avenue area within the Fifth Avenue/Pleasant Street Redevelopment Area.
The Consultant recommendations of the Northwest 5th Avenue Historic Structure Survey are that copies of the Report and Florida Master Site Files should be distributed at the Alachua County Historical Commission, the University of Florida George F. Smathers Library, and the Gainesville branch of the Alachua County Library. Community awareness of local historic architecture and historic places can be handled through a continuing education program, initiating a building plaque program that identifies historic buildings, and the continuation of a marker program. Staff should also review the individual properties suggested for listing in the National Register of Historic Places.
The City Commission reviewed the CRA's request to refer the inventory of structures eligible on the National Register of Historic Places to the Historic Preservation Board. As part of this request, Commissioner Mastrodicasa moved to tentatively exempt the property owned by Mr. Pearce from the list of eligible structures. Staff contacted Sharyn Heiland, Historic Preservation Grants Specialist with the Bureau of Historic Preservation, who stated that, "we do not need the property owner's permission to include them in a survey or have their property documented in the site file. You would however need their permission, if the property is individually nominated or is part of a district that is nominated to the National Register. If the City has a list of potentially eligible properties that are being considered for nomination, derive from the survey, the City could simply eliminate the properties in question without having to revise the original inventory or survey report, i.e. those properties would never be included in a nomination. Staff concurs with the opinion of Sharyn Heiland, Historic Preservation Grants Specialist with the Bureau of Historic Preservation. The Historic Structure Survey should remain as written.
Note: The City Commission had previously been provided with a CD at their September 17, 2007 meeting.
Fiscal Note
None at this time.
Recommendation
The City Commission forward the Northwest 5th Avenue Historic Structure Survey to the Historic Preservation Board. Staff is also requesting that two property owners whose structures are listed in the Historic Structure Survey prepared by Consultant Jennifer Nash of Environmental Services Inc, not be considered as part of the recommendation process of the Historic Preservation Board. Owner Nidal Boughannam and Aref Boughannnam whose property is located at 907 Northwest 4th Place, Gainesville, Florida, and Mr. Robert Pearce, owner of 912 Northwest 3rd Avenue Gainesville, Florida.