City council members approved 29 properties to be part of an agreement with Rosin Preservation, LLC to prepare downtown Gardner for a National Register nomination for the section of Main Street from Elm Street to Center Street to be designated as a Gardner Downtown Historic District.

Elizabeth Rosin, principal, said it would be an honorary designation.

“It says you’re upholding something here worth saving,” she said.

Rosin said there are no restrictions or property rights transfers and a federal law review provides an extra layer of protection.

Rosin said six buildings are already listed on the Kansas Historical register.

The basic criteria, she said, is a certified historic structure that is listed with certified rehab, substantial investment and qualified rehab.

Rosin said the first step to a historical district is the nomination.

“The designation allows state and federal review of rehabilitation projects to insure buildings retain their historic status,”she said.

Rosin said there was a lot of oversight involved.

Jim Pruetting, city administrator, said it would be consistent with the city’s revision of downtown.

In February 2020, the city adopted the Destination Downtown Plan. Numerous improvements to downtown to revitalize and promote it as a destination is part of the plan.

The proposed district encompasses buildings that meet the general criteria for recognition of maintaining the appearance and character as they were originally constructed.

Rosin said it gives property owners access to federal and state tax credits for rehabilitation with 20 percent from federal and 30 percent of expenditures from the State of Kansas.

Pruetting said the City sent letters to property owners and Steve Hines, Groundhouse Coffee owner, was in strong support of the historical district designation.

Kacy Deaton, council member, said would making downtown a designated historical district hurt the chances of someone buying space and wanting to revamp it.

Rosin said it doesn’t restrict if someone wants to revamp.

Steve Shute, council vice-president, said it would be structural.

Rosin said there is a range of criteria and the the designation helps with expenditures.

Todd Winters, mayor, said were there any ADA requirements grandfathered in.

Rosin said tax credits can be used to redo things and ADA requirements would be based on local code.

“I think a lot of people would like to make their building more accessible but can’t afford to,”Shute said.

Mark Baldwin, council president, said he thinks there is a misconception that the historical designation is a guarantee to protect a building.

Rosin said the State of Kansas has state law review.

“Whatever you permit there is little oversight,”she said. “It has to retain historical integrity, but you can override it. You don’t have to apply for credit.”

Baldwin said since the city only received one response back “it’s for them not us.”

“If business owners are not interested we should put a pin in it,”he said.

Pruetting said they mailed hard copies to all the business owners.

“I think the lack of response is no objection,”he said.

Shute said business owners downtown would like to rehab the buildings but can’t afford to.

“This incentivizes them,”he said.

Winters said he wanted to know if the building east of the insurance building could be included in the district.

Rosin said the district designation map wasnt a hard set in stone but a guideline.

“We would have public meetings,”she said.

Cherry Brandon, B & H appliance owner, said they were definitely in favor of the historical district designation, but they had been a unable to attend the zoom meeting.

“I think it is a wonderful thing to preserve history and beauty,”she said. “For is it has been the timing of everything. We are ready to rock and roll on renovation.”

The agreement is $30,000 through the Transient Guest Tax Fund. Rosin Preservation submits the draft National Register nomination within 75 days.

Pruetting said the official national register listing will occur roughly 90 days after the city’s approval of the agreement with Rosin Preservation, LLC.