Scottdale Downtown Revitalization Committee met this week at the Geyer Performing Arts Center to tout the benefits of historic preservation to community leaders, residents and business owners.
The speakers included Michell LeFevre, of the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission; Sue Hannegan, assistant borough manager in Bellefonte; and Patrick Baechle, an architect who lives in historic Hollidaysburg.
LeFevre focused on what makes something historical and offered some background on historic preservation in such places as Williamsburg and Charleston, Va.
He talked about what has gone on in Pennsylvania for municipalities to have legal rights in preserving buildings in historically designated areas, starting with the signing of the state Historic District Act in 1961 by then Gov. David Lawrence.
"This authorizes municipalities to create historic districts and regulate any erection, reconstruction or alterations in that district," he said.
In March 1996, the Scottdale Historic District was listed on the national register of historic places and includes such areas as Pittsburgh Street and Loucks Avenue.
LeFevre said historic preservation is just one of the tools in the revitalization tool bag for municipalities, but it is a factor in economic development, increased property values, new jobs, attracting private investments, the creation of small businesses and a strengthened tax base.
He said some of the things Scottdale can do to begin the process of historic preservation is to survey building conditions in the historic district, consider enacting a property maintenance code and provide zoning incentives to those who do any level of renovations.
"You also need to think about the signage being used for some businesses on historic buildings and try to bring the best out in them," LeFevre said. "There's a great old high school up on the hill that with tax credits could be turned into apartments. You have to do the best you can to make this a vibrant town that your kids will want to come back to."
Hannegan spoke to those in attendance about the steps that were taken more than 30 years ago to bring Bellefonte to the historic downtown borough it is today.
In 1970 the borough got its first listing on the National Register for a historic district and council passed a historic district ordinance.
In 1986 the borough was designated as a Certified Local Government, which allowed them to go after more grant money, and in 1996, the borough hired Hannegan as a professional historic preservation consultant.
Hannegan said in order to begin the transformation, those in charge would need to begin collecting resource materials, including architectural style guides, local histories, building inventories, old pictures and old maps.
They also need to begin building awareness for historic preservation by sending out newsletters and creating brochures and taking the time to speak to civic groups and organizations about the benefits of historic preservation.
Developing standards in the historic district is also a good step to take.
Baechle, who has his architectural firm in the historic town of Hollidaysburg, said he located his business there because of the setting.
"I moved to this town because I fell in love with the historic architecture," he said. "It lends a level of sophistication to my business."
As a citizen, he got involved in trying to bring a sense of pride in the structures the borough had and became a part of the local group getting residents to begin looking at preservation.
"The burdens of fixing up a historic property is not bad and no one regrets living in the historic district," Baechle said.
After the speeches, the group in attendance did a walk through town to look at the architecture and different changes that could be made to have a big impact on the appearance of downtown.
