At the Oct. 6 Cottonwood City Council meeting, officials gave their blessing to the development of a new grant program that would assist property owners fix up, restore and preserve historic buildings.
The program will be run by the Cottonwood Historic Preservation Commission and will provide matching funds to property owners who are spending money to improve historic structures.
The commission was established by the City Council in 2010 with the goal of looking at the identification, evaluation, protection, preservation and enhancement of historic properties that have significance for the city.
The buildings have to be identified and landmarked as historic, said Councilman Tim Elinski, a member of the commission.
So far, three structures are on the list, Elinski said: The Old Town Jail, the Cottonwood Civic Center and the old Garrison Garage by what’s now Burning Tree Cellars.
“There are more on the way,” Elinski said. “We’ve already been approached by a fourth property owner.”
The matching grants will be funded by proceeds from the historic home and building tour on Saturday, Nov. 14.
Proceeds from last year’s tour, the city’s first, went toward restoring the civic center.
Elinski said that the City Council has agreed to provide up to $1,500 for the year for the project.
“It’s just one year but I think the council might be willing to extend that,” Elinski said.
He said there are still details to be hammered out, but that Cottonwood’s program will be based on similar ones in Phoenix and Tucson.
“One of the driving goals of the Cottonwood Historic Preservation Commission is to increase economic development,” a report from the Cottonwood City Clerk’s office said. “Attractive, well-maintained historic neighborhoods have proven to increase property values, thereby furthering the goals of the commission and council. Other cities in Arizona have successfully administered programs which provide matching dollars for exterior restoration of historic buildings in return for a conservation easement.”
To read the full story, see the Wednesday, Oct. 14, edition of the Cottonwood Journal Extra.
