The Historic Preservation Commission denied the demolition of a property located at 1431 South 10th Street. 

Siting termite damage, representatives of the homeowner pleaded for permission to demolish and rebuild.

While neighbors spoke at the meeting to voice their support of the demolition, the Commission ultimately decided that the damage to the structure was fixable, and the responsibility of the homeowner. With no motion to approve the demolition, permission was denied.

The Commission’s goal is to preserve the architecture and integrity of the historic district of the city.

The criteria for the Code of Ordinances regarding demolition of a resource in the historic district include the following:

The Commission shall consider the individual architectural, cultural, or historical significance of the resource.

The Commission shall consider the importance or contribution of the resource to the architectural character of the district.

The Commission shall consider the importance or contribution of the resource to neighboring property values.

The Commission shall consider the difficulty or impossibility of reproducing such a resource due to its texture, design, material, or detail.

New construction plans are evaluated based on the Oxford construction guidelines. The guidelines state that a new building located in the historic district shall preserve the integrity of the district, ensure that new construction and additions strengthen and maintain the integrity of individual buildings and the area at large, and encourage new development that will respect and enhance the visual character of the district.

New buildings must be compatible with the existing environment without exactly duplicating existing buildings, and should be seen as products of their own time.