The City's Historic Preservation Commission, in partnership with a Historic Preservation Fund Grant from the Missouri Department of Natural Resources Historic Preservation Office, is sponsoring a study of the economic impact of historic preservation in Columbia.
Since 2002, we've seen over 24 historic tax credit projects that have created around 800 jobs and generated close to $80 million for the local economy. On top of that, we've seen some adaptive reuse projects here in The District that have given new uses to aging properties--a roofing company into art studios, a laundry facility into a coffee shop and ballet, and a grocery warehouse into loft apartments.
The excitement over preservation was such that in 2006, we placed the downtown on the National Register of Historic Places in order to make it easier for individual property owners to list and rehab their buildings. We also worked with state legislators to protect the State Historic Tax Credits, a successful economic incentive package that is constantly at risk for being eliminated.
The impact of the State and Federal Historic Tax Credits--and the projects that resulted--is clear. Property values in The District have increased:
As the city works to refine this study, the public is invited to learn more about the project, ask questions, and provide input.
For more information, and to view the draft executive summary, call the Community Development Department at (573) 874-7239 or visit them online at www.gocolumbiamo.com. The public hearing will be on Tuesday, May 1 at 6:00 PM in rooms 1A & 1B, City Hall, 701 E. Broadway.
