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Historic Preservation in Hastings DESIGNATION Historic research on seventeen properties around our community of Hastings has just been completed. The research indicates these these properties are significant to the history of Hastings by reason of age, design, use, builders, occupants and/or cultural associations. Interested parties may look through the research mate- rials at City Hall for the following seventeen properties: 615 West 3rd Street II 0 East 4thStreet 700 West 4thStreet 401 West 5th Street 412 West 8thStreet 323 Ramsey 1908 Vermillion 625 West 3"' Street 312 East 4th Street 1512 East 4th Street 200-202 East 7th Street 816 Eddy 307 Sibley 401- 403 Vermillion 403 East 2"' Street 216 East 4th Street 200 East 4th Street Commercial Depot Church School The Heritage Preservation Commission (HPC) will make a recommendation to the City on the designation of the properties as Heritage Preservation Sites. Their rec- ommendation will go to the Planning Commission and then ultimately to the City Council for consideration. The City Council, after a public hearing, may designate some or all of the subject properties as Heritage Preser- vation Sites. Once so designated as a Heritage Preservation Site, pro- posed changes to designated properties, particularly to the exterior design and materials, have to be approved by the HPC. Volume IV Issue 2 TAX CREDITS Minnesota State Senator Steve Murphy and State Rep- resentative Jerry Dempsey were among the sponsors of bills this past legislative session that would enact a Pres- ervation Tax Credit. This credit would provide an in- centive to Minnesotans for rehabilitating qualifying his- toric structures. The bill would have provided that a taxpayer who incurs costs for the rehabilitation of eli- gible property, whether it is commercial or residential, may take a credit against their income tax in an amount equal to 25% of the total costs of rehabilitation. To qualify eligible properties would have to be: I) on the National Register of Historic Places such as the Second Street districts; or, 2) designated as historic by a city such as thepro cess described above; or, 3) contributing properties within a locally desig- nated historic district such as the Old Hastings Historic District established by the City in 1997. The State Legislature failed to pass those bills during the 1998/1999 session, but the issue may be brought up again in the 199912000 legislative session. Hastings has many properties which would be eligible for these credits if the legislation passes next year. Federal income tax credits are also available for the rehabilitation of properties listed on the National Reg- ister. Call John Grossman, City of Hastings HRA Di- rector at City Hall (651) 437-4127 for more informa- tion on tax credit opportunities within the City of Hastings. Page 2