One City, Two Districts

As the rezoning request of the Amherst Street corridor last week highlighted, Winchester’s local historic district and National Register district currently have different boundaries.  What does this mean for property owners? Currently, the Amherst corridor has  the regulation of the local Board of Architectural Review, but none of the financial incentives available to other properties that fall within both the local and national districts.

Dave Shore, a Planning Commission member who served on the Historic District committee, said he thought the panel’s intent was to seek expansion of the national district to mirror the local district.

That would provide economic incentives for property owners to improve buildings currently subject to BAR governance but without the fiscal advantages of being in the national district.

The hope is that the incongruities noted in the survey will drive the redrawing of the city’s historic district, potentially contracting the district from “non-contributing” resources and expanding to include contributing resources currently ineligible for tax benefits.

To read more about the potential boundary changes from the architectural and cultural resource survey, visit Vic Bradshaw’s article at The Winchester Star Online. (Login required.)

Amherst Street Rezoning

Proposed plans to remove the Historic District overlay from several properties along the Amherst Street corridor were not recommended to move forward at yesterday’s Planning Commission meeting.

As Vic Bradshaw reported,

. . . Chairman Nate Adams objected to removing the property from the local historic district specifically to advance a project. He said other businesses have obtained BAR approval to build in the district, and he was concerned that others might expect similar consideration in the future.

‘I’m not sure why we should carve out an exception here,’ said Adams.

Read the full article at The Winchester Star online (login required).

Saving America’s Treasures

Ask Your Representative to Join Others in Signing On in Support of Preservation Funding

Last week, hundreds of preservationists visited decision makers on Capitol Hill in an effort to promote good preservation policy and restore funding that was cut from key preservation programs.  The message was simple:  Preservation equals Jobs.

Now, you can do your part to assist in these efforts. Ask your Representative to sign on to a preservation support letter directed to the leadership of the House Interior Appropriations Subcommittee.  Continue reading Saving America’s Treasures

A Crazy Affair

The Patsy Cline event “A Crazy Affair…” is schedule for March 12, 7-11 PM at the Best Western Lee-Jackson Conference Center in Winchester, Virginia. The event features tributes to Patsy, music by Souled Out, dancing,  great food, live and silent auction, 50/50 raffle ($5 per ticket), door prizes, and meet and greet Wendy Pepper from “Project Runway.” Proceeds from the event will help fund the restoration of Patsy Cline’s home on South Kent Street.

Tickets are $20 each and can be purchased at the Winchester Visitor’s Center, the hotel desk at the Lee-Jackson, or by calling 540-454-3728 or 888-608-2726.  Click here for the brochure.

Changes to PHW Blog

The PHW Blog is receiving some behind the scenes tweaks. Content and format will not change dramatically, but it will be easier for us to update. Another post will announce when the new blog goes live; any changes to the RSS feed will be announced at that time.

Thank you for your patience while we make the transition!

Northern Shenandoah Valley Branch Quarterly Meeting

Please note: The quarterly meeting has been postponed because of the snow. Information will be posted concerning the new time when it becomes available.

The Northern Shenandoah Valley Branch of Preservation Virginia will hold its next quarterly meeting on Sunday, February 21, 2010 at 2:00 p.m. at the historic Springsbury Farm in Clarke County, Virginia. Free and open to the public, the meeting will offer a rare opportunity to tour this historic former plantation along the Shenandoah River. Following a short business meeting, Barbara Shea, president of Casey Trees Farm, will provide a tour of the property and light refreshments will be served.

Directions to Springsbury Farm from downtown Berryville: Take East Main Street to John Enders Boulevard. Turn right onto John Enders Boulevard. Turn left onto Springsbury Farm Road. Continue on Springsbury Farm Road to its end at Springsbury Lane. Go down the hill. The Trooper House, where the meeting will take place, will be on the left, before the barns. Address: 543 Springsbury Lane, Berryville.