Idea of expanded historic district gets chilly reception | Local News
LACONIA – A proposal to place the entire downtown area in the city’s historic district was received with concern by city councils, who expressed concern that such a move could slow the momentum of the area’s revitalization.
The Chair of the Historic District Commission, Tara Shore, outlined the plan to expand the area to nine city blocks roughly bounded by Church Street, Veterans Square, the railroad tracks to the intersection of Water Street and the Winnipesaukee River.
The expanded district would be an asset to the city, Shore said, and would fuel the downtown revitalization momentum fueled by the multimillion-dollar restoration of the Colonial Theater.
“Our heritage and our history tell the story of our city,” she told the council.
The area to be added to the borough includes nine of the city’s 15 buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
City councils said Monday they were concerned that changes could complicate plans to convert the former Holy Trinity School into apartments, in addition to the prospect of redeveloping one of the largest business blocks on Main Street.
“We are not here to create trouble on anyone,” Shore assured the council. She noted that the process a building owner or developer would go through with the Historic District Commission could happen simultaneously with submitting her proposal to the planning committee.
Councilor Bob Hamel said he was concerned that the expansion could create difficulties for owners looking to modernize their buildings. He also said he did not endorse the proposal as it would include buildings that are not historic.
Bree Neal, whose polished and tidy hair salon is on Main Street in one of the buildings that would fall into the expanded district, said she was against the plan because she saw the vagueness of the regulations for the historic district.
“The regulation is completely subjective,” she said.
But Charlie St. Clair, who owns and operates the Laconia Antique Center on Main Street, defended the area’s expansion.
“This is our chance to preserve these buildings,” he said.
Council Henry Lipman called for the Council, after the mandatory public hearing, to reject the proposal and then assist in drawing up a plan that balances the interests of conservationists and building owners or developers.
“We need more specifics about what they can and can’t do,” said Councilor Bruce Cheney.
The council unanimously voted for Lipman’s idea and scheduled a public hearing for Monday June 28th.
KNM Holdings recently purchased the vacant Holy Trinity building from the city for $ 1 and plans to convert it into apartments.
Another development potential that the local council is looking at on Monday is the Pemaco building at 622-634 Main Street. The building, which went up for sale for $ 1,050,000, is now under contract, according to realtor REMAX Bayside’s website. The 95-year-old, three-story building includes a 12,000 square meter theater with a wraparound balcony.
When presenting the planned expansion of the district to the planning committee last month, the deputy chairman of the historic district commission, Karl Reitz, cited several examples that, in his opinion, showed that the residents of Laconia recognize the importance of monument preservation: the renovation of the colonial theater, the Belknap Mill and the Lakeport Opera House; Opposition to the possible demolition of St. Joseph Church and a historic home on Lakeside Avenue in Weirs Beach; and the shared concern for the future of the Gardens Theater and the Masonic Temple.