By Mark Scheer
Niagara Gazette
NIAGARA FALLS — Supporters of a plan to create an historic district for the Chilton Avenue and Orchard Parkway neighborhood are hoping to present their project to a state review board in a matter of months.
That is, of course, if they can get the required 51 percent of the qualified homeowners in the area to consent to move forward with the project.
For some property owners who met Tuesday to hear more information about the effort, that is still a pretty big if.
“There’s nothing anybody has done at an agency level to make our street what it is,” said Max Teller, a property owner who isn’t convinced the historic district is wise or necessary. “The people who have been on the street put their own money and their own sweat equity to make this neighborhood what it is.”
City officials commissioned Clinton Brown Company Architecture to pursue historic designation for the neighborhood in an effort to allow homeowners living on both streets to qualify for a New York Historic Preservation Tax Credit program adopted by state lawmakers last year. The program was created to provide residents living in distressed communities with incentives to invest in historically significant properties. It provides for tax credits of up to 20 percent on various structural improvements. Before homeowners can take advantage of the program, the district must be formally recognized on the state and federal registers of historic places.
During a meeting with about 25 residents at Earl Brydges Library on Tuesday, company President Clinton Brown indicated a formal application is in the works and the plan is to submit it to a state review board in June. If approved by the review board, the district would be added to the state register of historic places. From there, the federal designation would likely follow.
“This is really an honor that’s afforded to very few properties across the country,” Brown said.
Under the guidelines of the state tax credit program, 51 percent of the qualified homeowners living in the proposed district would have to consent to participate in the program before the application could be sent.
Residents learned Tuesday that Brown’s company has formally designated the boundary of the district which would include residential properties along Chilton Avenue and Orchard Parkway between Whirlpool and Main Streets. The area was selected based on its history and architecture, according to Jennifer Walkowski, an architectural historian from Brown’s company. Project designers have determined that a total of 81 properties within the area qualify as “contributing” properties that would be eligible under the tax credit program.
Supporters like Brown maintain the program offers significant tax benefits with little to no impact on the individual rights of property owners. They also note that participation in the tax credit program is entirely up to the individual homeowner and those that do decide to participate will not be subject to approvals for home improvements by state or federal officials.
Daniel McEneny from the State Historic Preservation Office told residents that he believes the program will help homes in the area not only retain, but increase their value.
“I truly think this is a really wonderful program,’ McEneny said. “Niagara Falls doesn’t have any historic districts and it’s a real shame.”
Some residents still aren’t convinced it is the right project for the neighborhood. They questioned all the focus on the effort, taking note the district includes the home owned by Mayor Paul Dyster. The mayor, who attended the meeting and said he is interested in performing repair work on his home’s roof, has consistently maintained the project is about maintaining the integrity of one of the city’s nicer neighborhoods, not gaining tax advantages for himself.
Orchard Parkway Block Club President Scott Akdogan expressed support for the state and federal designation, which he believes may lead to more investment and improvement in the neighborhood, especially in homes along Chilton Avenue. Akdogan acknowledged that many members of his block club are concerned that the state and federal designations will open the door for the local historic preservation commission to come into the neighborhood and create its own district which would impose tighter restrictions on homeowners.
“There’s less apprehension,” Akdogan said, referring to the tax credit program. “The fear is of the local board. The people on the street are most against the local designation.”
Historic Preservation Commission members have said in the past that the idea of a local designation has been discussed, but would not be pursued without public input and hearings.
