FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 9, 2012
Contact: Jennifer Mayer Tel: 478/742-5084 Email: jmayer@historicmacon.org
HISTORIC MACON TO NOMINATE INGLESIDE NEIGHBORHOOD TO NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES MACON, Ga. — Already boasting more than 6,000, Macon will soon add more historic buildings to the National Register of Historic Places. Historic Macon Foundation will be nominating the Ingleside Neighborhood to the National Register of Historic Places as Macon’s 13th historic district. Project Summary The area being nominated is roughly bounded by Vineville Avenue, Forest Hill Road, Overlook Road and Pierce Avenue. Almost every building in the district that is at least 50 years old will be included on the nomination and will be listed on the National Register. The National Register of Historic Places “is the official Federal list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects significant in American history, architecture, archeology, engineering, and culture,” according to the National Park Service. Property owners will be able to install traditional bronze plaques proclaiming status as a historic building and will also be eligible for tax credit programs that can reimburse expenses for maintaining and renovating their homes and even freeze property tax values. These incentives do not come with any trade-offs; residents will not be subject to any additional restrictions. The Ingleside neighborhood began under the leadership of developer Louis A. Tharpe in 1917 and was billed as “Macon’s Most Beautiful Suburb.” Located only a 15-minute streetcar ride from offices in downtown Macon, lots featured 100 feet of frontage and a 200-foot depth. Such architects as Ellamae Ellis League, William F. Oliphant, J. Neel Reid and W. Elliott Dunwody created unique architectural treasures for the neighborhood. The history of the homes and neighborhood will be archived at the national level. Preservation Contractor Vickie Hertwig is the professional in charge of the nomination, and plans to submit the draft nomination to the State Historic Preservation Office in summer 2012. (MORE)
Historic Macon to nominate Ingleside, page 2
Funding & Public Participation This project was enabled by a grant from the E.J. Grassmann Trust, but local donors are needed to complete the project. Sponsorships are available from $100 to $2,500. Sponsors will be listed according to sponsorship level on a freestanding bronze plaque to be erected in the neighborhood. The front of the plaque will share the neighborhood’s history, and the sponsors will be listed on the back. Sponsors will also receive two tickets to an exclusive party on Osborne Place on April 22 with open houses and information about the history of the neighborhood. Historic Macon will host several events over the course of the research phase of this project so that the public can provide oral histories and copies of memorabilia (event information to be announced). To share information about Ingleside online, visit www.historicmacon.org or email Ingleside@historicmacon.org. Design Review According to the National Park Service website, "National Register listing places no obligations on private property owners. There are no restrictions on the use, treatment, transfer, or disposition of private property." Any historic neighborhood can opt, at its own discretion, by a majority vote of the neighborhood association, to petition Macon-Bibb Planning and Zoning to become a design review district. There are currently three design review districts in Macon: Intown/Downtown (the Macon Historic District), Cherokee Heights Historic District and Vineville Historic District. The other nine historic districts have no design restrictions. The processes for listing on the National Register and becoming a design review district are separate and unrelated. The Ingleside proposal will not change the restrictions currently in place. About Historic Macon Foundation Historic Macon Foundation is a nonprofit organization that advocates for Macon’s historic and architectural heritage, facilitates preservation and revitalization efforts in the community and educates and inspires appreciation for Macon, GA. The Middle Georgia Historical Society and the Macon Heritage Foundation merged in 2003 to create Historic Macon Foundation. The Foundation maintains and promotes the Sidney Lanier Cottage, which is open for public visitation Monday–Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Historic Macon Foundation’s offices are located in the Sidney Lanier Cottage at 935 High St., Macon, GA 31201. For more information, visit www.historicmacon.org or call 478/742-5084.
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