Community Projects: Hillsboro
According to the National Trust for Historic Preservation… dollar for dollar, historic preservation is one of the highest job generating economic development options. And yet, individuals and organizations often struggle to find financing from government grants, fundraisers or bankers.
In Hillsboro…an active community group is making progress in rehabbing two historic buildings on the city’s main street, while also changing minds.
“This [building] is so integral to our community,” says Don Foss of Dakota Heritage Bank of North Dakota. “and the history here is so much Hillsboro that if this were destroyed and knocked away it would be irreplaceable.”
Like many small town retail storefronts, after years of neglect and vacancy, two of the Union Block Buildings were deteriorating. Severe water damage has rotted away the second floor and the back of one building. When the county wanted to demolish 2 out of 4 buildings that make up the Union block on Hillsboro’s main street, local citizens stepped in.
The Hillsboro Community Partnership circulated a petition of support for the rehabilitation project and received 500 signature, enough to convince city leaders and the local banker that the buildings could be rehabilitated, be financially feasible and be an investment in the community’s future.
“Our goal is to get the buildings stabilized, according to Bruce Pearson spokesman for the Hillsboro Community Partnership. “We will not own it on a permanent basis. We will in turn sell it to somebody – another business or organization that has vision s of what they want in the building.” To date, a new back wall and roof has been constructed, and a community cornerstone has been saved from the chopping block.
Like many empty storefronts, the Union Block in Hillsboro suffered years of water seepage which destroyed architectural details.