River City Renewal hosts guest speaker
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[River City Renewal Project members hosted guest speaker Darius Bryjka of (IN)ALLIANCE during a recent meeting held at the Chester Country Club.
Bryjka, aided by his power point presentation gave details, to those in attendance, regarding the numerous properties in Chester that would qualify and told of how the City of Chester would benefit from being a part of this program.
He presented those in attendance with a list of properties within Chester that he believes has architectural significance and physical integrity.
"The initial properties selected were based on architectural significance and physical integrity. The period of significance circa 1850-1962," said Bryjka. " The final list could include more properties with high, local significance."
The National Register of Historic Places is the nation's official list of places recognized for their historical, architectural significance and considered worthy of preservation. The National Register is maintained by the U.S. Department of Interior, and nominations of Illinois properties to the register are processed through the Illinois Historic Preservation?Agency.
"Historic preservation is not about pretty things. It's about important things," said Bryjka. "Chester's architectural and historic resources include Greek Gothic, Tudor,?Colonial, Classical, Queen Anne, Arts & Crafts,?Art Deco, Modern, Vernacular and commercial &?industrial."
Some of the initial properties chosen include the John Gilster House, Chester Firehouse, Chester Municipal Swimming Pool, St. Louis Flats, Cole Farm, Louis W.?Gwin Apartments, Weinstock House, Cole House, Frager Building, Rickman Mansion, Charles Brigg Cole Memorial, James B. Chadwick House, Welge Studio, Gilster Mary-Lee building, Buena Vista National Bank, United States Post Office, Middendorf Building, Buena Vista Annex, Courthouse addition, Alice Cole House and the Stone Bridge.
Properties eligible for listing on the National?Register include building, district, sites, structures, and object that are significance to local, state and national history through the integrity of their location, design, setting, materials, feeling, and association.
National Register listing provides limited protection, makes a property eligible for certain financial benefits, and may increase a community's awareness of its cultural resources.
" The benefits are prestige, heritage tours, protection, economic benefits include tax incentives, grant eligibility," stated Bryjka. " disadvantages? None, only myths."
The National Register does not interfere with a private owner's property rights, nor does it prevent private property owners from making changes or force owners to make improvements to their property; limits the use of listed buildings or require owners to erect or purchase plaques; required that properties be accessible to the public or open to the public.
Applications to the National Register must pass through a four-step process coordinated by the Illinois Historic Agency's National Register staff. The steps that must be completed are: preliminary staff review, submitting the National Register Form, a positive vote from the Illinois Historic Sites Advisory Council and designation from the State Historic Preservation Officer.
For more information call the Chester Chamber of Commerce at 826-2721.