MANCHESTER, N.H. – Do a pair of buildings in the Gaslight District have “significant historical, cultural or architectural value?” That’s a question the Board of Mayor and Aldermen (BMA) will take up in a special hearing that could impact a proposed 260-unit apartment building.
On Tuesday at 5 p.m., the BMA will determine whether the proposed project, located at 24 Depot St. and 21 West Auburn St., is worthy of receiving community revitalization tax relief through RSA 79-E, a law that provides investment in incentives for developers in renovating or replacing underutilized downtown buildings.
The two connected buildings are located just north of Market Basket, bounded by West Auburn Street to the south, Canal Street to the west, Depot Street to the north and Murphy’s Taproom and Diner to the east.
However, the law requires the that building being replaced “does not possess significant historical, cultural or architectural value,” and that “the historical, cultural or architectural resources in the community will not be adversely affected by the replacement.” The determination on those two points is determined by a municipality’s Heritage Commission.
In a letter following the Jan. 25 Manchester Heritage Commission meeting, Heritage Commission Chairman Kevin McCue says that the Commission found that 21 Depot St. does have significant historical value to the city, given the building’s role with the Varick Companies through parts of the 19th and 20th centuries and its impact on the creation of preservation design guidelines in what is now known in Manchester’s Zoning Ordinance as the Arena Overlay District.
“It is impossible for the Commission to opine if the value of renovating the structure at 24 Depot Street and including it in the development would be less than the proposed redevelopment excluding it,” said Heritage Commission Chairman Kevin McCue in a letter to the BMA. “However, the Commission felt compelled to state this position as it is their task to ensure proper recognition, use and protection of resources that are valued for their historic, cultural, aesthetic, or community significance. The Commission does see the public benefit to this proposed development, but does not agree that the demolition of a historic building is the necessary sacrifice.”
If the BMA approves the proposal for 79-E applications for the two properties, the buildings would receive tax relief for up to 13 years.