Due to its massive historical heritage, the USA can be defined as one massive museum. However, the same is under siege from the dictates of capitalistic federal policy that encompasses near absolute non-interference with the right to own property. Among the principle designations of historical sites in the USA is the historic district. A historical district is a collection of properties, buildings or sights that have been designated as a significant mark to American history. This may be premised on the architectural design or structure of the building or on an important event that took place within or around the building or neighborhood. Since a historical district will have more than one building, the buildings within it are also designated into two major categories. These are the contributing and non-contributing building, erection or structure. Contributing buildings are those structures that are considered in designated the area as historic while non-contributing buildings are those found within a historic district but do not have any historical significance.
As indicated, federal policy is capitalistic to such a great extent that under federal laws, a proprietor’s right to alter a property is near absolute. Through the National Register of Historic Places, the federal government recognizes and indeed lists all historic districts. This however, does not create any obligations upon the proprietors to preserve the buildings. In a similar manner, the state designates and lists historic districts without an obligation for preservation. Therefore, the federal and state governments only offer incentives to owners to preserve historic districts. Without an obligation to preserve under the force of law, a historic district will only be preserved if it is commercially viable.
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It is however at the local government level that proprietor discretion is abandoned and replaced with government compulsion. Indeed, it was at the local government level that the historic district movement commenced with Charleston, South Carolina being considered as the pioneer. Once a historic district has been designated at the local government level, there is an actual chance of preservation under the unction of the law. Different states and localities have different rules relating to the management and preservation of historic districts. However, there is the common similarity of an absoluteness of authority being placed in the local authority to control changes on contributing buildings.
Indeed, over 2,300 historic districts have been preserved in this manner with major success. Once the local government recognizes and officially designates a place as a historic district, the same will be surveyed and properly marked. The owners of the property may be asked to present their opinion about the designation and mode of preservation. However, their opinions are not binding to the local government authorities. Under the auspices of the Secretary of Interior Standards, the local authority will arrive at the level of preservation for each historic district and the buildings therein. In the event the proprietors for any reason whatsoever desires to make any structural alterations within the district, the same is subject to approval.
The proprietor will, therefore, prepare an accurate plan and blue prints of the anticipated changes and present them alongside an application for a Certificate of Appropriateness (COA). Subject to the rules relating to the particular district, a historic commission or architectural review board will consider and approve the anticipated changes with or without amendments. The board however, reserves the right to reject any modifications that would interfere with the historical integrity of the building. Ordinarily, the process of COA issuance is extremely ceremonial almost to a point of obsequiousness perhaps with the intention of minimizing applications. In this manner, the local authority has achieved great success in the preservation of historic districts.
