Historic Preservation Board requests bids for survey

Sidney’s Historic Preservation Board is requesting bids for an Intensive Level Survey, after being awarded a 2016 Certified Local Government (CLG) Grant from the State Historical Society and Historic Preservation Office.

Sidney Economic Development Director Tina Hochwender said this is the city’s 4th CLG Grant and second Intensive Level Survey. The first Intensive Level Survey was completed last year for the Original Old Town Plat of Sidney.

The intensive level survey will enable the board to gather greater detail and verifiable information for the properties within the Illinois Street and Highway 30 corridor, that supplements the Intensive Level Survey completed last year.

“The plan is to have the survey and supporting report completed by June 1, 2017. This is survey priority area No. 2 that was outlined in Sidney’s Historic Preservation Plan was adopted in July 2014. Last year, priority area No. 1, the Original Town Plat area was completed,” Hochwender said.

Hochwender said there are 11 priority areas recommended in Sidney’s Historic Preservation Plan.

Last year’s survey began in December and covered 175 commercial, governmental and non-residential buildings constructed prior to 1980 within Sidney’s original town plat, from Elm Street, on the north, to King Street, on the south. It also goes from 14th Ave., on the west, to 7th Ave., on the east.

Results of last year’s survey were presented publicly during a meeting of the Sidney Historic Preservation Board in April.

The research conducted with the survey will provide more definitive information about the buildings, the people associated with the properties, the significant physical and architectural features and completion of the Nebraska Site Inventory form.

The Nebraska Site Inventory form is used by the Nebraska State Historic Preservation Office (NeSHPO) to facilitate inventory and evaluation of the state’s historic and architectural resources.

According to the NeSHPO submission of the completed form, accompanied by photographs, floor plans, site plans, and bibliographical sources, provides NeSHPO staff with the basis for evaluating a property’s integrity and significance, and adds to the permanent record of Nebraska’s historic properties

In addition, an Intensive Level Survey of the Illinois Street/Highway 30 corridor will allow Sidney and the State of Nebraska to further expand the photo library of historic properties along the Old Lincoln Highway.

The survey area encompasses approximately 220 acres, comprised of approximately 147 properties from 17J Link Rd. to 23rd Ave. on the east and west side, Jackson St., Hickory St. on the north and south side, all excluding that have already been surveyed.

The City of Sidney is requesting proposals from qualified historic preservation firms to conduct the comprehensive survey.

In a Historic Preservation Board meeting Tuesday, Hochwender said requests for proposals to conduct the survey have been posted.

Hochwender said there is currently one bid in for the project and proposals are due by Sept. 23.