Downtown Independence has been declared a National Historic District per an announcement from Mayor Chris Reinersman earlier this month.
“It’s something we’ve worked on for a long time,” Reinersman said at the city’s November council meeting. “So, it is very exciting news.”
The effort to get downtown onto the historic register dates back to the early 2010s. The process had gone through fits and starts over the years, but the mayor said the effort finally paid off due to the joint efforts of Tim and Rebecca Waters, who serve on the city’s downtown revitalization committee, as well as the efforts of Wade Williams, an economic development consultant.
The designation, Reinersman reassured residents, “doesn’t mean any infringement on personal property rights.”
Instead, the designation allows property owners and businesses to take advantage of tax credits related to historical preservation and renovation.
“It’s an opportunity for tax credits, an opportunity for people who want to invest in our downtown area, who want to renovate some of these old buildings,” Reinersman said. “The tax credits can get pretty generous. You can actually make a difference on, a real difference on incentivizing a renovation project.”
Reinersman said that more information about tax credit programs and other opportunities arising from the designation will become available in the coming months.
“It’s a designation, something that sets Independence apart,” Reinersman said. “I’ve said that for years–our downtown is what makes us unique.”
