Frequently Asked Questions

 

Expansion of the Historic District:

 

How is an historic district created?
The City of Plymouth already has an historic district, the Kellogg Park Historic District. The Plymouth Preservation Network is working to expand that district to include more of our residences that are historical and architecturally noteworthy. Please click here to review the steps to creating an historic district.

 

What stage is the project currently in?
We are currently determining the boundaries of where the historic district should be expanded to.

 

Can I do the historical research on my own house?
Yes. We would love to have your help. Once we get to that phase, The Plymouth Preservation Network can help you with resources and the types of information needed to complete the study.

 

What are the boundaries of the current Historic District? Please look at the map. The red area is the current Kellogg Park Historic District.

 

My property is not in the proposed area of expansion. How can my property be added to the historic district?
Please contact Wendy Harless at wmharless@wowway.com to request that your home be considered by the Plymouth Preservation Network for the historic district. Please keep in mind that your house should be at least 50 years old, and that it should have historic or architectural significance.

 

My property is included in the proposed area but it is a 1960’s tri-level ranch. Will it still be considered part of the historic district?
Yes, it will just not be considered a “Contributing Property.” The guidelines for creation of an historic district require that an historic district be an entire area. This means certain properties cannot be “cut out,” leaving a swiss cheese effect. However, a single property that has historic or architectural significance can be listed in the National Register of Historic Places and the State Register of Historic Sites by itself.

 

If my property is not considered a “Contributing Property” will I still have to have any alteration and improvements of the property approved by the Historic District Commission before I can make the changes?
Yes. Being in an historic district is like receiving the “Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval.” Every exterior change must be reviewed for the impact that the changes could make on the properties that surround even non-contributing structures.

 

Are changes made to the interior of buildings reviewed by the Historic District Commission?
Only in cases where the interior changes will be seen on the outside of the structure. One example of this would be if the transom over a door was covered from the inside. Another example of this would be if the structure has very large windows where the inside of the structure is visible from the street such as the bank on the corner of Penniman and Main St. (this structure is in the current historic district).

 

What type of tax credits are available?

• Federal Historic Preservation Tax Credits
  A 20 percent federal income tax credit is available for the rehabilitation of certain depreciable historic resources.
• Michigan Historic Preservation Tax Credit
  A state income tax credit of up to 25 percent is available for the rehabilitation of certain historic resources.

Will my property qualify for tax credits?
Each property and project is reviewed by the State of Michigan Historic Preservation Office and Federal Government on a case by case basis.
There are several requirements that property owners must follow in order to qualify for tax credits on improvements made to your historic structure. One is that your structure must be considered a “Contributing Structure" in the historic district. This means that your structure is at least 50 years old.

 

REQUIREMENTS

• The resource to be rehabilitated must be located in the State of Michigan
• The resource must be an eligible resource.
• All project work must conform to the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation.
• Applicants must apply to the SHPO. To qualify for the tax credit, applicants must complete all three parts of the Historic Preservation Certification Application.
• Qualified rehabilitation expenditures must be equal to or greater than 10 percent of the State Equalized Value (SEV) of the property.
• If the resource is sold, or alterations not meeting the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation.Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation are made within five years after the tax credit is claimed, the tax credit will be subject to recapture by the State of Michigan.

Read more about the tax incentives for rehabilitation of historic properties.

 

Can I claim these tax credits retro actively?

Yes. If your property is added to the historic district and you made improvements to this structure in the last 5 years that qualify for the tax credit you can receive a tax credit on your next years’ income taxes.

 

Do these improvements have to make the property look more historic to qualify?
No. Improvements such as putting on a new roof, replacing a furnace, installing central air conditioning, painting the interior or exterior of the structure are all improvements that qualify for the tax credit. Please see above for further qualifications that do need to be met for the tax credits to apply.

 

If I sell my house after I claim the tax credit will the state want that money back?

If you sell the property within five years of claiming the tax credit, yes. The money will be subject to recapture by the state. There are other regulations in place that may cause the state to recapture the tax credit claimed. Read more about the tax incentives for rehabilitation of historic properties.

 

Will being in an historic district increase my property taxes? No. There is no special assessment added to your property taxes because your property is located in an historic district. State of Michigan property taxes cannot be increased by more than 5 percent in a given year until a sale of the property occurs. Click here for more information about the cap on property taxes in the State of Michigan and how it works.

 

What are the benefits of having an active historic district?
Studies show that the property values of homes in historic districts rise much faster that those not included in an historic district. In fact, John H. Logie, the longest serving mayor of Grand Rapids (he was instrumental in creating the Heritage Hill Historic District) recently said in a lecture that "Property values increased more than eight fold in the Grand Rapids Historic District, as opposed to the rest of Grand Rapids, which has only doubled."
These studies also report economic benefits. For more information, please read "Investing in Michigan’s Future."

 

About The Plymouth Preservation Network:

Who is the Plymouth Preservation Network? We are a small group of volunteers from the community who are concerned about the loss of the historic structures in both the City of Plymouth and Plymouth Township.
Visit our MEMBERS page.

 

Is the Plymouth Preservation Network a non-profit group?
We are currently in the process of applying for 501(c)3 non-profit status.

 

About the web site:

On the top of your History of Plymouth page there is an old picture of a street. Which street is it?
This postcard reads “Residences on Sutton St.-Plymouth Michigan” at the bottom. Penniman Avenue was once named Sutton Street.