City of Mobile to host public meetings on Mobile’s first conservation districts and new guidelines for Mobile's historic districts

Jun 1st, 2015

The City of Mobile is hosting two public meetings focusing on new design guidelines for the City's historic districts and the creation of Mobile's very first conservation districts.

The first public workshop will be held on Tuesday, June 2nd in the Toolen Auditorium at McGill-Toolen High School from 6 to 8 pm. The meeting will address guidelines for Mobile's locally designated historic districts including Lower Dauphin Commercial, Church Street East, Detonti Square, Oakleigh Garden, Leinkauf, Old Dauphin Way and Ashland Place.

The Conservations Districts Public Workshop will also be held in the McGill Auditorium the following night on Wednesday, June 3 from 6 to 8 pm. Conservation Districts are new to Mobile but are utilized throughout the United States to protect and restore historic landscapes.

Winter and Company, a nationally recognized preservation firm, will facilitate both meetings. The City of Mobile contracted the firm to develop new guidelines to accommodate the growing needs of the City's historic districts.

"This is your opportunity to impact the revitalization of our City's historic assets," said Mayor Stimpson. "How Mobile can continue to progress while still preserving our historic gems is an important conversation to have as we draft our long range plan for the City."

Mobile's current historic district guidelines were adopted in 2000, but due to the expansion of existing historic districts, creation of new districts, advances in technology and new approaches to preservation, the Mobile Historic Development Commission is developing a user-friendly publication.