Visitors line up to view historic home on Fifth Avenue during recent tour.

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City May End Up With 2,000 Buildings on National Historic Register

Process Underway to Qualify City, Historic District Homeowners for Grants

January 21, 2010
By: Dave Rogers

Wow, a whole city nearly full of historic structures!

The city of Bay City currently has 252 buildings in the Center Avenue Historic District, according to Patti Stowell, city economic development and marketing manager.

Now the city is in the process of adding another 1,750 buildings and determining whether the number of historic structures rises to national significance. If so, that might open the door for more grant funds.

"Bay City has an abundance of 19th and 20th century structures that deserve to be listed on the National Register," said Ms. Stowell.

Many buildings have been photographed and researched using Polk directories from the mid-1800s to the present with about 30 volunteers working on the project.

An application for listing of additional structures on the National Register is in preparation and will be submitted to the State Preservation Office in the fall, said Ms. Stowell.

The next step -- preparation of a Historic District Study Committee Survey Report -- will be submitted to the city for approval by January 2011.

The city has received a Certified Local Government (CLG) status through the State Historic Preservation Office and the National Park Service. This program allows the city to apply for additional grant dollars and property owners in the historic district to apply for tax incentives and credits for certain home improvements.

The Historic District Study, evaluation of historic resources and a photographic inventory of the resources are part of the report.

Funding for these projects is covered by the Center Avenue Neighborhood Association's Byways Grant therefore no costs accrue to the city.