Local historic designation recognizes the significance of a property or group of properties. The purpose of designation is not to prevent change, but rather to guide it through review of major alterations.

Once designated for heritage preservation, a property cannot be modified or demolished without being reviewed by Community Planning & Economic Development (CPED) and the Heritage Preservation Commission (HPC).

However, designation does not mean freezing a building in time. Alterations, demolitions, and new construction activities still take place, but these are first reviewed by the HPC to ensure that compatibility is maintained with the historic character recognized through a property’s designation.