HAMLET — The National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 established a federal grant program to aid states in preserving historic properties, requires all federal agencies to take historic properties into consideration in project planning and development and created the National Register of Historic Places.
During Hamlet’s monthly city council meeting last week, Claudia Brown and Jeff Adolphsen of the North Carolina Historic Preservation office made a presentation that could benefit the town not only financially but also in preserving a large portion of the historic area.
“They started calling in the fall when the new historic preservation tax credits were passed,” said City Manger Marcus Abernethy. “They called to let us know they’ve been passed, and Hamlet could expand its national register district. A map was created for much of the residential area of Hamlet that encompasses 75 percent of the town. Getting the map designated would allow homeowners to file for the tax credit. Their presentation was to be informative and let the town know this is an opportunity to pursue in the future.”
Brown said during the meeting that her office was created in the late 1960s because of “demolition in the name of progress.” Before the National Historic Preservation Act, a lot of historical buildings were lost, she added.
The office reviews about 4,000 projects each year mainly through surveying, and a large district consisting of the northeast and northwest parts of Hamlet have been listed since the 1990s.
“Properties within a district don’t have to be individually historic but must contribute to the overall historic district,” said Brown. “Getting listed is an honor. Lots of times people hear historic district and think, ‘Oh, you’re going to tell me what I can do with my property.’ The only kind of district I’m talking about is a national register listing. Local historic districts have guidelines that have to be followed — national listings do not. A large area of Hamlet is eligible as the historical district.”
The district map Abernethy alluded to was drawn so that it goes around commercial areas near the railroad tracks near downtown Hamlet.
Brown said she had previous conversations with the city manager and with national register districts being in high demand, she and Adolphsen highly recommended the city nominate the entire large area for the register.
“The fees vary, but this is not a minor undertaking to prepare a nomination of this size,” Brown added.
Adolphsen, who is the restoration specialist with the restoration department, said listing is a way to recognize properties’ historic significance to the community and a way to recognize and celebrate its heritage. Listing also affords limited protection from federally funded and permitted development.
Financial incentives include a 15 percent state income-producing rehabilitation tax credit, plus a potential 5 percent for mills and/or 5 percent for properties in economically distressed counties, in addition to a 20 percent federal rehabilitation tax credit.
“If you qualify for the federal tax credit, you automatically qualify for the state one,” said Adolphsen. “We’ve done really well compared to other states mainly because of a really active office. We were 12th in the number of projects that were completed and 12th in proposed projects. They don’t have to be large projects. Asheville and Wilmington are leading the state in the count of commercial projects by town. Raleigh is third. Hamlet is 110(th) in population in the state. This program is for everybody.”
Adolphsen, much like Brown, agreed that fees will vary to prepare a nomination for such a large part of the city, but he put a ballpark figure for a consultant price at around $30,000.
“You get more bang for the buck if you do a district,” Adolphsen said. “Owners could potentially take advantage of the tax credit and increase tax revenue over the years.”
Reach reporter Matt Harrelson at 910-817-2674, follow him on Twitter @mattyharrelson and listen to him at 12:30 p.m. Mondays through Fridays on G-104.3 FM.