By JOANNE L. PAPAIANNI
Allenhurst residents recently received letters saying their homes may soon be listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
According to Jennifer Brennan of the Trust for Architectural Easements in Washington, D.C. her organization was contacted by some residents of the borough who would like to see the borough declared a National Historic District.
Mayor David McLaughlin said individual homeowners will have the option of whether or not they want to be included in the project.
“It’s up to the individual homeowner if they want to be a part of it,” he said.
McLaughlin said Arch 2, an historic architectural consulting firm located in Metuchen, made a presentation to the governing body in July.
McLaughlin said the designation, if granted, will not supercede local zoning ordinances.
The Trust for Architectural Easements has hired Arch 2 as consultants.
Nancy Zerbe, of Arch 2, said her firm will evaluate each property in the designated area and compose a detailed evaluation. She said her company has already determined that Allenhurst qualifies as a place of historic significance.
Now an evaluation of each property must be completed and sent to the state historical board for review.
Zerbe explained that a historic area can have a percentage of what they call “non-contributing” or non-historic properties within it. Allenhurst qualifies because of its architecture dating from 1850 to 1930. And also because of its significance as an older shore community.
Zerbe said most of the residential areas of the town are being considered, but Main Street has changed too much to be included in the district. Isolated properties are not considered for the historic district, she said.
There are two benefits to the historic district designation: it ensure in perpetuity that the historic integrity is preserved and it provides tax benefits for property owners.
“There are restrictions placed on their property,” she said. “But you have the tax benefit.”
Sandra DeMurley of Corlies Avenue received a letter in the mail explaining that her property was being considered for the historic register.
“I really have no opinion, it was all new to me,” she said. “I don’t have enough information.”
DeMurley said she is anxious to hear more about what restrictions would be placed on her property.
She added that her church, which is located in Shrewsbury, is on the state and federal historic registries and church personnel must get permission to make certain changes.
Zerbe said her firm has already drawn a preliminary draft identifying Allenhurst as an historical place.
“It’s a wonderful example of a late 19th and early 20th century shore community,” she said. “It’s an important part of New Jersey’s history.”
She said there is also architectural significance in the 1850 to 1930 time period of Colonial revival styles.The Trust for Architectural Easements will monitor the easements if the designation is accepted.
“The homeowners would be responsible for paying for that,” Zerbe said. “So you get a tax deduction, but then you pay.”
Typically, there are no signs posted for such a designation.
Mayor McLaughlin said the community is interested in historic preservation and the ordinance approved in town a few years ago governing it has been favorably received.
“People moving into town have to go through this process, but people tell me ‘we’re glad you did this,’” McLaughlin said.
“It’s working well, when people do renovations they have to comply,” he said. “It keeps the look of the property.”
Email to joanne@thecoaster.net.
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I’m not sure what all this means. If my home is determined to be “historic”, can I remodel it? Will my taxes go up or down?