What is the National Register of Historic Places?

The National Register of Historic Places is the official Federal list of the nation's cultural resources worthy of preservation. The National Register is part of a national program to identify, evaluate and protect structures, objects,sites and districts evaluated according to specific criteria and considered architecturally or historically significant at the local, state, or national level. The National Register is administered by the National Park Service and is implemented in Vermont, by the Division for Historic Preservation.

How is the National Register beneficial?

Most importantly, the National Register can often uplift the way a community percieves its historic buildings and boost awareness of and identification with a common sense of the past. One important building or district entered on the Register can begin a process that in time can spread renewed vitality throughout business districts or neighborhoods. When considering planning issues, local and regional officals can use National Register buildings and districts as a guide to determine future uses of zoning and land use. Beyond this, the National Register property owner may be eligible for certain federal tax incentives, such as the Investment Tax Credits, designed to encourage capital investment in historic buildings.

How is a building listed on the National Register?

Properties can be listed on the National Register individually or as part of an historic district. In a downtown commercial or residential area, historic districts have the advantage of facilitating preservation and revitalization planning and perhaps qualifying the area for other Federal grant programs. New listing can be suggested by individuals, groups or official commisions to the Vermont Division for Historic Preservation. Over 5,200 buildings in Vermont are currently listed on the national Register of Historic Places. Most are included in downtown historic districts.

What Are Its Limitations?

It is noteworthy that listing in th National Register does not interfere with a private property owner's right to alter or even demolish a property. Historical commisssions, design review districts or special zoning ordinances affecting individual property rights are established by state and local regulation and are not part of the National Register program. Thus preservation activity that relys solely on the National Register to protect important historic buildings may wish to augment their objectives.

Where To Go For Further Information?

If you wish to begin the National Register nomination process or need assistance contact the Vermont Division for Historic Preservation.

Preservation Plans

What is a preservation plan?

Preservation plans present an in-depth study of a particular area of a town targeted for revitalization, commonly the downtown area. Preservation plans typically include research of the project area exploring the history, original appearance and subsequent alterations of each building, which is then used as a basis for future rehabilitation. Final recommendations also may include guidelines for maintainence to historic buildings, signs, landscaping and lighting.

How can it help our community?

As part of a town's overall planning effort, a preservation plan can be helpful in revealing potential viability of projects to revitalize historic buildings. Effective preservation plans can also help officals and property owners visualize the possibilities towards the goal of making informed decisions about directions for the future.

What are its limitations?

While the preservation plan can present ideas, without property owners willing to participate and influence others to do the same, a plan may remain unrealized. A realistic and detailed plan can best assure that the finished projects will be a complete and coordinated whole.

Where to get help?

As part of the comprehensive statewide planning process, the Vermont Division for Historic Preservation has assisted Bellows Falls, St. Albans, Morrisville and other communities with preparing preservation plans. Funding for plans is also available for those plans which meet specific criteria. For more information contact the Vermont Division for Historic Preservation.

Downtown Revitalization

What is downtown revitalization?

A downtown revitalization program can provide the means for a community to rehabilitate this traditional commercial district.The commercial areas of Vermont towns share common characteristics. This is the heart of the community where citizens come to shop, visit the town offices and attend church. Whether a long main streeet with large nineteenth century commercial blocks as in St. Johnsbury, Bristol's diminuative, single-block downtown stretching out from the town green, or Chelsea's cluster of commercial buildings near the church and green, these areas are as diverse as the town's themselves. A new shopping mall or the loss of a major industry, however, frequently causes a loss of commercial vitality.

How does it work?

For effective downtown revitalization, preservation and economic revitalization work hand in hand. Many elements come together including merchant organization, downtown promotion, economic restructuring and most important, the capitalization of main street's distinct architectural heritage, something that no modern mall can replicate. Cosmetic approaches such as applying a frest coat of paint or installing expensive landscaping, only form part of an overall plan.

A vital and exciting downtown provides town residents with incentives to purchase locally, keeping money in the community. It will attract shoppers from nearby towns as well as the important tourist dollar. The health of "main street", the heart of a town, reflects on the well-being of the entire community. Successful revitalization depends on merchant cooperation and a clearly defined longterm vision for the downtown.

Where To Go For Further Information?

The National Trust Main Street Program:

The National Trust , America's national preservation organization, has developed a successful "Main Street Program". This approach, which encompasses all the important aspects of revitalization, requires a full-time "Main Street Manager". More information can be obtained from the National Trust's office in Washington D.C.

Vermont's Community Revitalization Program:

The University of Vermonts Extension Service through its Community and Rural Development Offices and Small Business Development Centers, as a small business councilling service, offers a series of management programs that create an awareness of the need for Vermont towns and cities to plan for their economic growth.

These offices have available a series of information packages covering the various aspects of Main Street revitalization. Packages include slides, slide tape or videocassettes, many with accompanying technical manuals. In addition, specialized management programs are offered to meet the specific needs of small business owners.

Agency of Community and Development Affairs:

The Community Affairs Office of Vermont's Agency of Community and Development Affairs provides guidance for both the residential and commercial development of towns. This office assists towns in preparing overall comprehensive plans and administers the Community Development Block Grants from the federal Housing and Urban Development office. These grants have been important to the revitalization of towns such as Bristol.

Investment Tax Credits

What are Investment Tax Credits?

Investment Tax Credits (ITCs) are federal tax incentives designed to encourage capital investment in the rehabilitation of older and historic buildings.

What does it do?

The Investment Tax Credits have created a nationwide wave of building renovation since 1981 and can be credited with saving many architecturally important buildings. In Vermont, the ITC has been used to rehabilitate the Champlain Mill in Winooski, the Windsor House in Windsor, the Equinox House in Manchester Center, the Brandon Inn in Brandon, and many other projects statewide.

How does it work?

Under the Economic Recovery Act of 1981, a percentage of the cost of rehabilitating older buildings can be taken as a credit on ferderal income taxes. Although subject to changes in the tax laws, ITCs most recently allowed for a three-tiered schedule of tax credits: 15% on buildings over 30 years old, 20% on buildings over 30 years old, and 25% on certified rehabilitations of historic structures.

To qualify as a historic building, the structure must listed on or be eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places or be included in a National Register district.

Before the 25% tax credit is allowed, the complete rehabilitation must be certified by the Secretary of the Interior. Vermont residents interested in obtaining Investment Tax Credits should plan their projects in conjunction with the Division for Historic Preservation in Montpelier.

What are the limitations?

The certified rehabilitations (25%) must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation of Historic Buildings, which encourage a compatible use of the building that minimizes alterations, changes or damage, retains significant architectural features, and does not falsify its historical appearance. The rehabilitations must be substantial, therefor, smaller projects are generally not eligible. Also homeowners connot use the program for their private residences.

Where to go for assistance and information?

Throughout the process close contact with the Vermont Division for Historic Preservation will be necessary. Their office can also propvide more specific details about Investment Tax Credits.

Certified Local Governments (CLG)

What is the Certified Local Government program?

This program transfers federal historic preservation funds to local governments to assist various historic preservation activities which may enhance a community's sense of identity and economic development through the preservation of its historic resources.

How does it work?

To participate, local governments must request certification from Vermont's Division for Historic Preservation. To be certified, the local government must establish a historic preservation review commission and agree to work with the Vermont Division for Historic Preservation to enforce state planning and historic preservation legislation. Once certified, the town or city may apply to the Division for matching grants. At least 10 percent of the state's federal historic preservation funds is allocated to Certified Local Governments.

What does it do?

The main uses for CLGs are to fund comprehensive historic preservation plans and the preparation of nominations of significant districts, buildings, structures and sites to the National Register of Historic Places.

Funds may also be used for activities which enhance public understanding and appreciation of historic resources, predevelopment planning for historic properties, and completion of the Vermont Historic Sites and Structures Survey and Inventory of Archeological Sites.

Another provision of the program allows funding for historic preservation development projects, however the federal goverment has not yet allocated any funds for such projects.

What are its limitations?

Most grants must be matched locally by at least 50 percent of the total project cost from non-federal sources.

Where can we get more information?

The Vermont Division for Historic Preservation administers the program. Brandon and Bellows Falls (Rockingham) are two Vermont towns currently involved with the CLG program.

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The Vermont Heritage Network
The University of Vermont Historic Preservation Program
Wheeler House, University of Vermont
Burlington, VT 05405
(802)656-3180
http://www.uvm.edu/~vhnet
E-mail To: vhnet@zoo.uvm.edu