Discover Astoria » Mill Pond Village

Shifting Sands Communities and the Human Development Overlay District

jmohill — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 07:07:08 +0000

I admit it. I was lax in reading about the Ford Foundation’s visit to our fair city last year. I remember vaguely reading about it but for some reason it didn’t really sink in. I am ashamed. I think I was too busy ~~changing diapers~~ writing offers. My years of marketing the new urbanist community Mill Pond Village sparked an interest in urban planning. Tonight’s writeup in the Daily A finally got my attention. We’ve actually been selected to be part of a pilot program that is meant to help neighborhoods undergoing rapid change. The Human Development Overlay District (HDOD) is defined as a new initiative intended to integrate human capital, social, and community planning through the innovative use of information technology in rapidly changing neighborhoods and communities. Our input will be necessary and meaningful. This is very timely with all that the city has on it’s plate at the moment. I’m still researching this happening, I want to understand better what this really means for Astoria. There’s nothing on Ford’s website but here’s their mission statement. I like it. I did find a press release on the Environmental Simulation Center site. We are in good company too. Los Angeles, Boston, and St. Paul are the other three cities that made the cut. I can’t wait to see what develops!

Navigating Historic Home Ownership

miranda — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 03:18:46 +0000

Homes and landmarks with Historic designations are scattered throughout the North Coast and most commonly perched proudly on the hills of Astoria. They continue to be one of the most popular and really exciting parts of our local real estate market , and I am often asked about the responsibilities of owning a home that is considered historic so I recently set out to give myself a “refresher course” on historic home designations and to get the facts and try and dispel some of the myths of historic home ownership. (like the most popular question; does the city really tell you what color you have to paint your house? the awnser is no by the way)

Your first stop in Historic home ownership should be to check in with The Historic Landmarks Commission, which is a seven member branch of the city government that is responsible for reviewing new and existing Historic landmarks. They are there to provide support and guidance to existing Historic homeowners, and successfully guide new applicants through the process . The commission is responsible for only exterior alterations including, but not limited to, decks or porches, siding, windows, removing or adding historic ornamentation, rooflines additions etc. They do not review interior alterations. New construction adjacent to Historic properties is also reviewed to ensure compatibility in scale, style, materials, architectural detail etc. and serve as a protection of the integrity of the Historic property.

There are some great perks that go along with the historic designation for its owners. The city offers design consultation by trained staff to review the history of the structure, characteristics, and suggestions on how to mesh new alterations to the home with the original character. Financial incentives are also avaliable. The state Historic Preservation Office offers a “Special Assessment” which is a freeze on the assessed value of a home for 15 years. (For more information about this program check out this link http://prd.state.or.us ) Along that line the US Department of the interior offers a 20% Federal tax credit on income producing buildings (bed & breakfast, apartments, etc.).

One of the most frequently used incentive programs locally is a tax credit from the National Trust for Historic Preservation which requires you to open parts of your home to the public once a year. The Bank of Astoria, in partnership with the City of Astoria offers a local incentive also, which is a low interest loan, up to $25,000, for exterior improvements of downtown and some Uppertown buildings, regardless of whether or not they are historic.

There are lots of resources avaliable throught the Historic Landmarks Commission to make Historic home ownership a positive experience so get out there, buy that historic home and be a part of history!

For more information about Historic home ownsership visit the City of Astoria website at http://www.astoria.or.us

New Urbanism at work in Historic Mill Pond Village

jmohill — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 21:09:54 +0000

2855 Mill Pond Lane, Astoria, Oregon

What is New Urbanism?

”Giving people many choices for living in sustainable, convenient and enjoyable places, while providing the solutions to global warming, climate change, and peak oil”

Astoria is lucky to have such a project in our midst. Award-winning Mill Pond Village was the brain child of Developer Art Demuro and Lennerz, Coyle & Associates. Mill Pond Village showcases many of the brightest designers and builders in our area as well as offering the best riverfront living in Astoria! Creative planning has encouraged a true community spirit here. Residents can walk to shopping, congregate on their covered front porches, stroll the riverwalk or catch the historic trolley.