Page 11 - Explore Faulkner County 2020

ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT TO THE RIVER VALLEY & OZARK EDITION OF THE ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE • EXPLORE FAULKNER COUNTY
SUNDAY, AUGUST 30, 2020
11VV
PLANNING FOR
THE PAST
Conway develops historic preservation plan
District, which is pending NRHP approval. Parts of the Conway Commercial Historic District in downtown are included in the Old Conway Design Overlay District, but a local historic district designation would provide
the area with more protections, he said. Another area targeted by the plan is the historically African-American neighborhood around Pine and Markham streets. e area is home to landmarks such as the site of the Deluxe Diner, which was listed in the
Travelers’ Green Book.
e Pine Street CommUnity Museum,
which opened in February, is a great resource for the area, Walden said, adding that the plan also recommends creating an interpretive trail about African-American history in the area. e Historic District Commission also plans to survey the area and identify structures eligible to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places, he said.
e city presented a draft of the plan via Zoom — a video-conferencing application — this summer and is conducting a survey to solicit feedback about the plan, he added. e Historic District Commission will schedule a public hearing about the plan in September, after which the plan will be presented to the Planning Commission and City Council, Walden said, adding that he expects the city
to adopt the plan in October.
Some initiatives are already underway,
he said, adding that the Historic District Commission has secured grants to survey the area around Pine and Markham streets and to begin providing information about historic districts to title companies. In addition, he said the commission has received a grant to resurvey the Robinson Historic District, which was last surveyed about 20 years ago.
He added that Conway has a legacy of strong leaders who take bold action to benefit the city, such as investing in the University of Central Arkansas in 1907 or establishing Conway Corp in 1930 to meet the financial needs of Hendrix College and Central Baptist College. Telling that story is as important to envisioning the city’s future as it is to preserving its past.
“We have this history of being a progressive community, and we’ve had a lot of progressive leaders over time,” he said. “I think it’s important not only for us now, but for the kids who are growing up within our community now – those who are attending UCA now, those who are attending Conway High School now – that they see this legacy of what kind of community we are because we’re going to need them to lead our community in the future.”
BY SARAH DECLERK / CREATIVE SERVICES WRITER
From its beginnings at Cadron Settlement in the early 1800s to its development into an educational hub, Conway has a rich cultural legacy. e city is now working on a historic preservation plan that will allow the community to continue paying homage to its past while moving forward into the 21st century.
“It sounds a little bit funny, but it’s planning the future of historic preservation in your community,” said James Walden, Conway’s director of planning and development.
Last fall, the city received a $25,000 matching grant from the Arkansas Historic Preservation Plan and the National Park Service to create the plan, which will identify important historic resources in the community and provide a playbook for their preservation.
Working with the Walker Collaborative and omason & Associates Preservation Planners in Nashville, as well as a project steering committee composed of various community stakeholders, the city’s Histor- ic District Commission conducted a survey, hosted meetings and organized workshops to appraise the area’s historic landscape, assess the city’s strengths and weaknesses in terms of historic preservation, and offer recommen- dations for preservation efforts going forward.
e city had previously worked to protect several historic areas of town, most notably the Robinson Historic District. e district is not only listed on the National Register of Historic Places but is designated as a local historic district. Walden said that designation generated interest among those hoping to rehabilitate or build a home in the neighborhood, which increased local property values.
“Obviously there’s a benefit to the property owners that live within that area,” he said. “Moreover, people like my children or anyone that’s younger, that’s growing up, they can go into that part of the community and really see, ‘Hey, this is the architectural and built- environment legacy of our Conway, and we really have quite a bit to be proud of.”
However, the planners found that many residents were unaware of Conway’s
SUBMITTED PHOTO
Community members gathered at a workshop as part of the planning process.
historic structures. Walden said one of the biggest recommendations of the plan is to better communicate history by creating history tours and working with local schools to incorporate more city history into curricula. e plan also recommends working with real-estate agents and title companies to ensure those who buy property in a historic district are aware of the designation and guidelines.
Walden added that he was surprised that 71 percent of respondents to a survey con- ducted as part of the planning process were unaware of federal and state investment tax credits for rehabilitating historic structures.
“It can be expensive to rehabilitate a historic building in a way that is sensitive to the original facade of that structure,” he said. “But when you have those historic-rehabilitation tax credits, that’s one of those things that can take a project that maybe isn’t necessarily viable and make it a really good project for a developer or a property owner to take on.”
e plan also calls for some historic districts listed on the National Register of Historic Places to be designated as local historic districts, which will allow the city to preserve historic features of existing structures, provide design guidelines for new construction and regulate demolitions, he said. ose areas include the Conway Commercial Historic District, the Hendrix College Addition Neighborhood Historic District and the College Avenue Historic
Patios Create Wonderful
Outdoor Living Spaces We do outdoor concrete pool decks!
Greenbrier Ready Mix
583 Hwy 65 N • Greenbrier 501-679-3091