Historic Preservation Commission, city of Albany kick off historic district survey

ALBANY — The Albany-Dougherty Historic Preservation Commission and the city of Albany on Wednesday officially kicked off a survey in the Rawson Circle and Rawson Park neighborhoods which could lead to a significant expansion of the city’s existing historic district.

According to city/county Senior Planner Rozanne Braswell, the survey will cover 855 parcels in the area and record historical resources 40 years or older in the designated area.

The survey area includes McKinley Street to the east, North Haley Street to the west, the south side of Ninth Avenue to the north, Residence Avenue to the south, and along Palmyra Road to North Jefferson Street as far as Seventh Avenue.

Property owners in the survey area will receive a questionnaire to assist with the project.

Alpharetta-based History Inc. will perform the survey under the direction of Project Manager Jaime Destefano with assistance from Architectural Historian/Photographer Michelle Taylor. The pair will be in Albany Friday through Sept. 21 completing the surveys.

History Inc. has considerable experience and extensive knowledge and understanding of American architectural history and the criteria for National Register evaluations.

“They (the History Inc. team) will be looking at homes that were constructed before 1974 and concentrating on structures that have not been significantly altered over that period,” Braswell said.

Braswell said the research will start with the county’s tax digest before beginning a walking survey of the neighborhoods.

“We are here today to try to protect and preserve the history of Albany,” Destefano said.

Albany-Dougherty Historic Preservation Commission chairman Greg Fullerton said the survey was needed because, except for minor additions, the historic properties roll has not changed for several years.

“We are trying to be proactive here,” Fullerton added. “We all will benefit by the designation and improvement of these neighborhoods.”

Destefano said she was eager to begin work.

“We will begin a walking survey Thursday and we encourage the homeowners who see us to come out and talk to us,” she said. “Their information could be helpful to us.”

The survey is being funded by a $15,000 Historic Preservation Grant and the project is expected to be completed by 2015.

Those interested can follow the progress of the project and find information about specific buildings or resources in the survey area at http://www.ruskinarc.com/historyinc/cityofalbany.

The public will be able to view online the progress of a project that could lead to the expansion of Albany’s locally designated Historic District.