SHELBY — Kate Curren said she wants the Shelby Historic Preservation Commission to be a “positive light” and source of help.
Not a “thorn” in people’s side.
“We’re trying to outreach, talk to people, get involved and give them the resources they need to start maintaining buildings,” said Curren, chairperson of the commission.
In May 2024, Shelby City Council adopted local design guidelines for the city’s historic district. The commission spent about four years crafting the rules and procedures for design and restoration.
Guidelines are based upon the U.S. Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation — nationally recognized standards used when a historic property undergoes a preservation or rehabilitation project.
Another objective of 2024 was education and outreach. The commission invited historic building owners to meetings highlighting the importance of historic preservation and the role of the commission, including funding options and practical guidance on building maintenance and repair.
“This year, we’ve been developing a brochure that we can give out to building owners that also describes what we do, how we can help and also (has) a list of resources for them,” Curren said.
Local landmark designations
The Shelby Little (Girl Scout) House and Seltzer Park Gateway were both designated in 2024 as local landmarks.
Areas the commission plans to research this year as potential landmarks include Clark Street and lighting around the Grand Boulevard.
Curren said restoration efforts to the community mausoleum at Shelby’s Oakland Cemetery are something the commission hopes to assist. Constructed in 1907, it’s the second oldest community mausoleum in the state, according to Friends of Oakland Mausoleum.
“They (Oakland Cemetery Board) are looking for some guidance (and) they are getting some help, so we look forward to kind of seeing what can happen this year,” she said.
Signage options for the historic district in downtown Shelby are also being explored to raise awareness of the city’s history.
Shelby Mayor Steve Schag said the commission has continued to evolve since its inception around 2016.
“I think the educational piece has really become important,” Schag said. “I think the brochures will be a great tool to try to get folks a better education as to what historic preservation looks like and how it can be accomplished with their buildings.”
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Mausoleum at Shelby’s Oakland Cemetery in need of restoration
The Oakland Cemetery Board is working alongside Shelby historian Christina Yetzer Drain to restore the cemetery’s historic mausoleum.