The Owego Historic Preservation Commission (OHPC) will hold a meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 16, starting at 7 p.m. at the DPW conference room located at 20 Elm St. in Owego, N.Y. The public is welcome to attend.
The OHPC, which will soon celebrate their 20th year, is involved in preserving and enhancing the historic character of the Village of Owego. The Commission assists property owners who seek to maintain or restore structures in the village, which in turn benefit Owego’s Historic District for visitors as well as for individuals who work and live there. Part of the work done by the OHPC involves reviewing and approving renovations, restorations and new construction in the Historic District.
Speaker James Finelli, a historic preservation program analyst with the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, will provide a training session following the OHPC’s meeting. Finelli, who serves as a representative for Central and Western New York, conducts training for local historic preservation groups.
Topics include “Preservation 101,” the best practices for managing a local historic preservation program and challenges of replacement materials.
Earl Hartman, Village of Owego trustee and OHPC commissioner, encourages the public to attend the Nov. 16 meeting. Attendees will gain a better overall understanding of OHPC’s role, including regulations and protocols, as well as the benefits of owning a historic structure and being part of a historic preservation area. The meeting will allow attendees to ask questions and get to know the OHPC, including the Commission Chair, Mark Trabucco.
Hartman shared, “The public is welcome to come and better understand the process,” and he added, as a way to build a partnership, “To understand the value that the OPHC can bring to them.”
By maintaining the Historic District of Owego, the work of the OHPC benefits owners by improving property values, and in turn, boosts commerce and tourism.
In the future, as part of the OHPC’s 20th anniversary, a proposed plan is to feature stories about homes and other notable structures within the Village. Hartman explained that OHPC will discuss a goal to select about four structures to showcase; particularly those properties that reach beyond Front and Lake Streets, and that are otherwise lesser known within the community.
Additional information about the OHPC can be found online at www.villageofowego.com.
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