The Iowa City Historic Preservation Commission and Friends of Historic Preservation are requesting nominations for the 2003 Historic Preservation Awards which recognize property owners, contractors and consultants for historically appropriate projects completed after May 2002. For further information or to nominate a project contact Shelley McCafferty at 356-5243 or shelley-mccafferty@iowa-city.org.

Editor's Note: We plan a series on this topic. Let us know topics or questions to be addressed. Read the latest in the series (LONGFELLOW ART PROJECT ENTERS FINAL STAGE: Longfellow Historic Markers) by accessing the latest issue of The Long View: On the left side of the screen, click newsletter.

Those who have lived in Iowa City for more than just the last few years may recall that our neighborhood was not always as popular a place to live as it is today. In the years before 1990, many of the houses appeared rundown, some to the point that they looked abandoned. Many Iowa Citians had given up on this area as yet another single-family district to be slowly converted into multiplex apartments. Fortunately, for the most part, this did not happen. Since that time, homeowners have repaired, restored, and renovated. The neighborhood has risen to the level of being a highly desirable place to live. Because a majority of the homeowners of the Longfellow neighborhood agreed with recommendations of the Iowa City Historic Preservation Commission, the City Council voted in January 2002 to create the Longfellow Historic District and Clark Street, and Dearborn Street Conservation Districts. The Lucas-Governor Conservation District was designated one year earlier. The South Summit Street Historic District was created in 1973, and the Moffitt Cottage Historic District in 1993. The three historic districts, as well as several individual properties are also listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

In these Longfellow districts, changes to the exterior of any structure, including installing new siding, entry doors and windows, the removal of porches, decorative features, railings or brackets, and new additions or demolitions require the appropriate building permit and review by the Historic Preservation Commission. The Commission determines if the proposed action is historically appropriate to the structure and the neighborhood. The Commission issues a Certificate of Appropriateness to the owner. The Historic Preservation Commission, which is comprised of citizen volunteers appointed by the City Council makes the determinations in accordance with the historic preservation guidelines, district guidelines, and the Secretary of Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation.

These procedures generally add minimally to the process of obtaining the required building permits. They help to preserve not only the historic character of our neighborhood, but also assist the property owner to preserve the historic value of their property and to foster our sense of the architectural history of the homes that make up our neighborhood. The Iowa City Historic Preservation Handbook is available online at www.icgov.org/documents or contact Preservation Planner Shelley McCafferty at 356-5243 or shelley-mccafferty@iowa-city.org.

• Warren Sprouse and Lauri Jennisch were recognized for the painting and the exterior finish of their home at 808 S. 7th Ave.

• Emily Martin and Nils Varney received an award for the additions and the new construction to their home at 742 S. 7th Ave.

• Timothy Weitzel and Wendy Robertson were recognized for their rehabilitation work on their 523 Grant Street home.

• George and Phyllis Lance received an award for the painting and the exterior finish of their Victorian era apartment house at 935 E. College.

Congratulations to the recipients! They are representative of the owners and the renters who care so well for their residences and add to the pleasantness of living in Iowa City.