Category Archives: Historic Preservation

Birmingham Historical Society, Historic Preservation, Planning, Engineering, and Permits

Is Your Commercial Property Eligible for Historic Tax Breaks?

Click on the interactive map above to locate your property. The State of Alabama encourages owners of historic income-producing properties to maintain them by providing tax credits for rehabilitation. Properties built before 1960 and in an historic district would most likely be eligible for the credit. Owners of income-producing historic properties can use this program to improve and repair their properties while receiving tax credits against income tax they owe to the State of Alabama.

1) Property must be at least 60 years old…

2) Property must be listed in the National Register of Historic Places either individually or as a contributing resource in a listed National Register district.

OR

3) Property must be eligible for the National Register either individually or as a contributing resource in an eligible National Register district.

Information on Alabama’s Historic Preservation Tax Credit HERE

2017 Alabama Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit

The Alabama Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit is a 25% refundable tax credit available for owners of income-producing properties who substantially rehabilitate historic properties that are listed in or eligible for the National Register of Historic Places and are 75 years old or older.

What expenses qualify for the credit?

Repair of exterior materials; repair of structural systems; repair of interior finishes like floors, walls, and ceilings; upgrades to HVAC, electrical, and plumbing; and architectural, engineering, and land surveying fees.

The Process of applying

Advalorem Tax Break

The Wallace Property Relief Constitutional Amendment (“Lid Bill”) Code of Alabama 40-8-1 Section 2. allows all historic property, regardless of use, to be assessed at 10% of the assessed value for ad valorem tax purposes.

Architecture, Birmingham Historical Society, Birmingham Landmarks, BOOK, Churches, City of Birmingham, Historic Preservation, Publications, Trustees

Birmingham’s Philip A Morris Fund supports preservation projects

Local Birmingham leader, preservationist, architectural historian, editor, and design enthusiast, Philip A. Morris, established a fund via the Community Foundation to perpetuate the good design for which he continually advocated during his lifetime. The first grants were only recently funded and included such notable preservation projects as Main Street Alabama, Sixteenth Street Baptist Church, Railroad Park, and Freshwater Land Trust.

Click image above to visit Community Foundation website

Morris was a strong supporter of the efforts to restore Vulcan, as well as a contributor to BHS publications below:

A long time member and supporter of the Birmingham Historical Society, his life long contribution will now live on through his Design Arts legacy fund. Thank you Philip!

Architecture, Bethel Baptist Church, Birmingham Civil Rights, Birmingham Historical Society, Birmingham Landmarks, civil rights, Fred Shuttlesworth, Historic Preservation, Research

Alabama may soon have a UNESCO World Heritage Site

Over fifteen years ago, back in 2007, the Birmingham Historical Society filed a nomination for Birmingham’s Bethel Baptist and 16th Street Baptist, along with Dexter Avenue Baptist in Montgomery to be included among the UNESCO “World Heritage Civil Rights Movement Sites”. At the time, the World Heritage Society was researching sites throughout the world of non-violent movements in the twentieth century that confronted and dismantled racial segregation. The sites in Alabama were considered along with campaigns & sites fighting colonialism in India, across Africa, and elsewhere in the world alongside the anti-apartheid struggle in South Africa. On Thursday, August 10th, 2023, the World Heritage Society team will be visiting Bethel Baptist to make a final determination on the Alabama sites.

CRITERION (iv) Significance in Human History:
“To be an outstanding example of a type of building, architectural or technological ensemble or landscape which illustrates (a) significant stage (s) in human history.”

CRITERION (vi) Heritage Associated with Events of Universal Significance:
“To be directly or tangibly associated with events or living traditions, with ideas, or with beliefs, with artistic and literary works of outstanding universal significance. (The Committee considers that this criterion should preferably be used in conjunction with other criteria).”

GSU World Heritage Initiative

Glenn Eskew, who has ties to Birmingham, is the historian who headed up the George State initiative to review all possible sites in the United States. Over 300 sites were considered and over half were visited. The Civil Rights Movement nomination in addition to those in Alabama includes 10 additional sites across the country. The complete nomination can be read HERE

Ultimately, the 13 sites were considered for final selection because “the location and setting for each of the component sites remains relatively intact, thereby enabling each to retain its cultural value. All of the components of the potential Serial Nomination of U.S. Civil Rights Movement Sites express a spirituality and feeling of being as in a sacred space. All have evolved into shrines where the public goes to comprehend how nonviolent protests removed racial barriers to achieve tangible racial integration and intangible associated values of freedom and racial equality.”

The significance and benefits of being on UNESCO’s World Heritage List

(For a copy of ‘The Walk to Freedom’ published by the Birmingham Historical Society and illustrated in the header above, please click HERE)

A Guide to Architectural Styles, Architecture, Birmingham Historical Society, BOOK, Book Sale, Historic Preservation, Housing, Neighborhoods, Publications, Research

The Simplicity of the Two Room House

Numerous examples of this style of construction existed in the antebellum South as slave quarters and later as company housing. This is a twentieth century example.

Find out about this and numerous other popular home building styles with Birmingham Historical Society’s book, A Guide to Architectural Styles featuring Birmingham Homes. It features the drawings of Auburn University’s Professor of Architecture, Cheryl Morgan, with descriptions by BHS Director, Marjorie White.
A Guide to Architectural Styles, Birmingham Historical Society, BOOK, family history, Historic Preservation, Research

How do you determine if you have a Greek Revival house?

Find out about this and numerous other popular home building styles with Birmingham Historical Society’s book, A Guide to Architectural Styles featuring Birmingham Homes. It features the drawings of Auburn University’s Professor of Architecture, Cheryl Morgan, with descriptions by BHS Director, Marjorie White. Here’s an example:

GREEK REVIVAL

Americans chose the Greek Revival style for early public buildings. In love with the concept of Greek democracy, they built 19th-Century versions of ancient temples to house state capitols and banks. Homeowners also chose this prominent, historic style.

In the South, an elaborate portico became synonymous with the agricultural elite. And although actual

Greek temples were polychrome,

American temple-front houses were almost always white. Their rectangular massing emulated the proportions of the masonry originals.

  • Symmetrical façade
  • Columned portico (often full-width)
  • Classical details: portico, cornice, entablature, columns, pilasters
  • Rectangular shape

GREEK REVIVAL

Americans chose the Greek Revival style for early public buildings. In love with the concept of Greek democracy, they built 19th-Century versions of ancient temples to house state capitols and banks. Homeowners also chose this prominent, historic style.

In the South, an elaborate portico became synonymous with the agricultural elite. And although actual

Greek temples were polychrome,

American temple-front houses were almost always white. Their rectangular massing emulated the proportions of the masonry originals.

Birmingham Historical Society, Birmingham Landmarks, Birmingham Public Library, City of Birmingham, family history, Historic Preservation, Historic Preservation Month, lecture, Planning, Engineering, and Permits, Research

Historic Building Research & Markers

A series of Birmingham lectures as part of the National Historic Preservation Month includes one on “How to Conduct Historic Building Research and How to Obtain a Historical Marker” THIS TUESDAY AT NOON.

Presented by the City of Birmingham’s Department of Planning, Engineering, and Permits, hear directly from the city authorities what you need to know to comply to historic requirements.

The lecture will be in the Birmingham Public Library – Arrington Auditorium, 2100 Park Place. Learn how to use sources in the public library and the county courthouse to research historic homes and buildings…and how to get a historical marker to recognize them. Should be an interesting lecture! Please plan to attend.

Historic Preservation Education Lecture Series

  • Tuesday, May 9: “The National Register of Historic Places.” Boutwell Auditorium.
  • Tuesday, May 16: “How to Conduct Historic Building Research & How to Obtain a Historical Marker.” Birmingham Public Library, Arrington Auditorium (Enter through main library, 3rd floor skywalk)
  • Tuesday, May 23: “Historic Preservation Tax Incentives.” Boutwell Auditorium.
  • Tuesday, May 30: “Birmingham’s New Adaptive Reuse Incentive for Historic Buildings.” Birmingham Public Library, Arrington Auditorium (Enter through main library, 3rd floor skywalk)

Click here for a printable schedule of events for Historic Preservation Month.

For more information, contact Hannah Garmon, Historic Preservation Manager, at 205-254-2424or Hannah.Garmon@birminghamal.gov. You can also reach Karla Calvert, Urban Design Administrator, at 205-254-2479or Karla.Calvert@birminghamal.gov.

Birmingham Historical Society, Brock’s Gap, Historic Preservation, Hoover, Meetings, Parks & Recreation, Planning, Engineering, and Permits, Shades Creek, Shades Crest Road

Town Hall Meetings for Hoover Parks’ Planning are THIS WEEK

Want some input into the future of Hoover’s Greenways and Blueways? Do you love Lover’s Leap and Tip Top Grill? The town hall meetings are THIS WEEK! See schedule below and read the article in the Hoover Sun:

Monday, May 8: Shades Crest Baptist Church

Tuesday, May 9: Spain Park High School Library

Thursday, May 11: Finley Center at Hoover Metropolitan Complex

Tuesday, May 16: Virtual town hall meeting at futurehoover.com

Each meeting will be from 5 to 7 p.m. The in-person meetings will be set up as a walk-through interactive exhibit, with displays giving information about the various parts of the plan and opportunities to provide feedback on the displays.

Representatives from the city will be on site as well to answer questions, talk about the plan and have conversations with people about what they would like to see regarding the focus topics, said Mindy Wyatt, a strategic analyst for the city who is serving as the project manager for the plan.

Friends of Shades Mountain (FOSM), working with the Hoover Historical Society, are promoting the creation of a Bluff Park Preserve on Shades Mountain.

Architecture, Birmingham Historical Society, Birmingham Landmarks, City of Birmingham, Historic Preservation, Historic Preservation Month, lecture, Planning, Engineering, and Permits, Publications, Research

Historic Preservation Month!

May is Birmingham’s Historic Preservation month, and the City of Birmingham will be hosting a series of events to showcase the economic and social benefits of historic preservation with walking tours and lectures. Please plan to attend! Select the image below to download a pdf file of events. Or download brochures below for more information on policies and federal incentives regarding Historic Districts.

Annual Gathering, Architecture, Birmingham Historical Society, Heritage Society, Historic Preservation, Membership

Reminder: Heritage Society Gathering

Heritage Society members, thank you for your support! Don’t forget that this Sunday, May 7th at 5:00 PM is the annual gathering. You should have received an invitation via USPS and this is an RSVP event. Any last minute responses should be directed to BHS Director Marjorie White.

Drawing for invitation by BHS Heritage Society member, Louise McPhillips

Missed this event but want to join for next year? More information is available HERE. See you Sunday!