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Meads Row
As indicated earlier, a few groups on H Street are thinking about applying for a historic district designation on that corridor.
Yesterday I reached David Holmes, a vice chair of Advisory Neighborhood Commission 6A. Holmes’ group along with the Capitol Hill Restoration Society applied to make “Meads Row” on the 1300 block of H Street a historic landmark. They were rebuffed.
Holmes is not hanging his head. He and others are making a first move in creating a historic district: ANC 6A, H Street Main Street, Abdo Development and the Staunton Park Neighborhood Association have all contributed funds to hire EHT Traceries Inc, which will be researching H Street properties’ histories.
That’s all good. But the most challenging, controversial part of the process is often surveying the local business and property owners to see if they’re supportive.
“That’s a big step,” says Holmes. “But we’re encouraged by the fact that H Street Main Street is throwing in money for it.”
The entire application process often takes two years, according to Tim Dennee a staff reviewer with the Historic Preservation Review Board.