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POLICY PROPOSAL
DATE FILE NUMBER SUBJECT Fire Station # 1 Designation PAGE-1-OF— .
7/5/78 CP-39 as Historical Site
PROPOSAL PROPOSED BYt Councilman CITY MANAGE ' REYIEW
Louis J. Zapata ``/ • �rt
Background
It is the desire of vast numbers of the Fort Worth community to restore and preserve
old buildings in our city that have historical background and significance. Fire
Station #1 located on 2nd and Commerce was built in 1907 and has quite a colorful
historical legacy as one of Fort Worth's first City Halls and our first fire station.
The Fire Department facilities are soon to be relocated and the building will be
left empty. The future of this site is undetermined at this time although several
options are being considered. Many historical societies and individuals have
expressed a desire to take the necessary actions to have this fire station officially
designated as a historical site in the interest of preserving an important part of
our heritage and in making .gaod use of public funds.
Proposal
It is proposed that the City Council give its formal endorsement to a plan to secure
the designation of Fire Station #1 as a historical site and that staff be asked to
take supportive measures to assure accomplishment of this end.
City Manager's Comments
The City staff has been examining various issues related to the preservation
of historic sites as a result of the adoption of the Inner City Study and the request
of the Stockyards Area Restoration Committee and Northside Historic Society concerning
tax relief opportunities for historic sites. The staff has concluded that selected
LEGALITY M
FISCAL NOTE 13
CITY MANAGER'S COMMENTS
POLICY PROPOSAL (cont'd) PAGEOF 3
sites of historic significance in our community should be preserved and it is
recommended that a study be undertaken to identify historically significant sites
and to determine the most appropriate action to encourage the preservation of these
selected sites. The study would consider various alternatives for protecting/preserv-
ing appropriate historic sites such as the following methods/incentives.
(1) historic zoning of the property
(2) retention of a facade easement
(3) property tax exemption as historic by political subdivisions
(city, county, etc.)
(4) reduction in property valuation (due to a facade or public
access easement) for property taxes by political subdivisions.
(5) federal tax incentives for sites zoned historical by our local
zoning ordinance (if certified by the Department of Interior).
Fire Station #1 should be included in the recommended study to identify histori-
cally significant sites for possible preservation. One or a combination of several
of these methods might be appropriate for the preservation of Fire Station #1 instead
of the site remaining in public ownership. However, since the study has not yet been
conducted, the relative importance of Fire Station #1 as an historic site and the most
appropriate method of preserving it has not been determined.
Another alternative for the preservation of Fire Station #1 could be for
the City to retain ownership and establish an adaptive reuse of the structure (such
as an historic museum) . Such a use could support the efforts for revitalization of
the area currently proposed and under study by Sid Bass.
Fiscal Note
The revenue and tax loss impact of the site not being sold to the private
sector are estimated to be as follows:
$30,000 sale price (Estimated)
Annual tax revenue - Land only $130
- Land plus renovated building $204
CITY OF FORT WORTH
POLICY PROPOSAL (cont'd) PAGE !--OF
Other fiscal impacts which should be considered include
o initial cost of restoration/renovation
o initial cost of equipment/materials for adaptive reuse
o continuing staffing and building operation costs
(for a reuse such as a museum)
Should the City Council desire, cost analysis of the conversion, equipping,
staffing and operation costs could be made on the basis of the building being____.___.
converted to a museum or investigate one or a combination of the other methods
of preserving the building and return the property to the tax rolls` if deemed
appropriate.
Legality
Attached is the comment of the City Attorney to the City Manager.
Attachment
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CITY OF FORT WORTH