HAVERHILL — Developers and historians might be able to coexist after all.
After two years of debate among city officials and preservationists, the Haverhill Historical Commission has come up with a procedure for reviewing historic buildings that are up for demolition.
In essence, it allows for a relatively brief review of the property for its historical significance instead of the one-year delay before demolition that some local preservationists had pushed for. Opponents of such longer delays have argued it was unfair to developers and other property owners, and would be a drag on economic development.
The city's Historical Commission has established a process it says is a common sense approach to protecting historically significant properties that have been targeted for the wrecking ball.
The commission unanimously passed what it calls a Procedure for Processing Demolition Requests. Commission Chairman Richard Raiche said the so-called "demolition delay ordinance" that the City Council voted not to approve in 2008 would have added another layer of bureaucratic review to dealing with an owner's property.
"It is a step in the direction of protecting historically significant properties without putting in overly restrictive ordinances," Raiche said of the new review process. "Prior to this, there was no procedure in place to manage demolitions of older properties."
Haverhill has a variety of historic buildings dating back centuries. Some, such as old churches, are protected by regional or national registries, so they have automatic protection from demolition.
But others that hold more subtle historical significance need to be reviewed when a developer or property owner suggests demolition, local historians have argued.
Raiche said 625 buildings in Haverhill are on the National Register of Historic Places and the city has 1,142 buildings of historical significance.
He said the Woolworth building, at the corner of Main and Merrimack streets, is historically significant because of its art deco architecture.
"I'd have to research this more as to whether it is on the National Register or something else, but if there was a demolition order it would come before the commission and undergo a historical review."
City Councilor William Ryan has proposed that the Woolworth building be demolished. Concrete from the building has fallen onto the sidewalk.
At the eastern end of downtown, the building has been vacant since the 1960s.
The owner, the Greater Haverhill Foundation, plans a review of the building's condition.
The seven-member Historical Commission serves as an advisory body to the City Council and its members are appointed by the mayor, with confirmation by the City Council. Raiche said the commission worked on the new historical review procedure for more than a year.
Former Mayor Theodore Pelosi Jr., chairman of the Bradford Common Historic Commission, sees this new process as striking a balance between development and preservation.
"It may not be the total answer, but at least it addresses the problem, which is that historic structures should not be taken down without a good review," Pelosi said.
"There was a need to have a procedure in place where the city can work with a developer, or those who seek to demolish or remove a historic structure to see if can be relocated, moved, or if the use of the location could be modified for some other use."
Raiche said his commission has an agreement with Mayor James Fiorentini and the building inspector that a demolition order won't be approved without the commission's consent.
"In the procedure, if we decide to try to preserve it (a building/property), we would go before the City Council to reject a demolition request, which would essentially delay it," he said.
Registered historic properties, such as the Armenian Church, which is opposite City Hall, would continue to come under existing protections, Raiche said.
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