Not until the second week of July will Bloomington’s historic preservation commission (HPC) address the possible demolition of five houses along North Jefferson street on the eastern edge of Indiana University’s campus
That’s because this week’s Thursday meeting was canceled, like many other government meetings, in the wake of Tuesday’s storm. On Friday morning, around 6,000 Duke Energy customers were still without power.
At its July 11 meeting, the HPC will take up the question of “releasing” the demolition delay period for the five houses. That’s the term of art in the world of local historic preservation for allowing the requested demolition to take place.
That’s three days before the original 90-day period would have expired, allowing the demolition of the houses. But at the request of the HPC, on a unanimous vote taken at its June 13 meeting, HAND (housing and neighborhood development) director Anna Killion-Hanson granted a 30-day extension.
The demolition delay now ends on Aug. 14—unless the HPC eventually makes a recommendation to the city council that would have the effect of putting the houses under interim protection.
Responding to a B Square question, Killion Hanson wrote, “I executed that extension following that meeting to allow further citizen participation.”
That participation could include the nomination of a much bigger area as a conservation district, which would include parts of the Green Acres neighborhood. A conservation district is not the same as a historic district. Continue reading “Meeting canceled, demolition decision for 5 Bloomington houses put off 2 weeks”
