Planning Commission to Debate New Roof for IOOF Building
Troy Historic Preservation Alliance makes their first ask to preserve embattled building
The City’s Planning Commission will meet on Wedensday, February 27th and the meeting’s agenda has the Commission making a decision on whether to give permission to the Troy Historic Preservation Alliance to put a new roof on the structure at 112-118 West Main Street in downtown Troy.
The historic preservation group has been working to redevelop the building since purchasing the site as a result of a settlement agreement that was agreed upon in late December of last year. As part of that agreement, the Troy Historic Preservation Alliance was to rehabilitate the structure by April 30th.
A deeper reading of the settlement agreement shows that the building at 112-118 West Main Street is actually being treated as two separate buildings. The front part of the building, which is the more familiar IOOF hall, is referrred to as the “1902 Building” which roughly correlates to the year the addition was put on the building. The back part of the building, which is the old courthouse is called the “1841 Building”, again referring to when that part of the building was built.
It is an important distinction between the two because the Troy Historic Preservation Alliance must report to the city by March 1st, whether it itends to demolish or repair either one or both buildings. The alliance must also certify to the city that it also has funds available to complete the work and must commence work by the same day.
The request the Troy Historic Preservation Alliance is making of the Planning Commission is to allow the two have buidings to have one matte black standing seam metal roof. This small detail shows that the Troy Historic Preservation Alliance has the intention to save both the “1841 Building” to the rear and the “1902 Building” towards the front. It is also important to note that the roof structure, on the “1841 Building” is probably the portion of the entire structure that needs the most attention; most of the building elements that were failing and detailed in the settlement agreement dealt specifically with the roof.
In reviewing the application, the City’s Development Department Staff is recommending the Planning Commission approve the new roof structure based on the fact that the matte black colors will compliment neighboring properties and that the roof and gutters comply with the Development Department’s Design Manual.
It will no doubt be an interesting discussion since this will be the first time that the City’s Planning Commission has been asked to make a decision on this building since the Troy Historic Preservation Alliance has taken ownership of the site. The same Planning Commission approved demolition of the building by a 4 to 3 vote in October 2021.
Thank you for reading today’s Civic Capacity Newsletter. Please feel free to share this information with your friends and neighbors and also leave your ideas and insights in the comment thread.
Bill, can you post and comment on results. I have not seen city planning commission response regarding decision.
Let’s hope they act like adults, and not the petulant children we know they are, and approve this.