Monday, July 28, 2014 (Halifax, NS) – Regional Council has approved a two-year extension of a heritage incentives program that encourages businesses and residents to restore, improve and enhance buildings located within the Barrington Street Heritage Conservation District Boundary.
The Barrington Street Heritage Incentives Program was first introduced in June 2009 as a five-year initiative, with the option to extend the program based on its success. Council voted July 22 to make the program available for another two years in order to award unused grant funding from projects that were approved but did not proceed.
There is approximately $400,000 in grants still available under this program. Applications for the 2015/16 fiscal year will be accepted between Jan. 1 and March 1, 2015.
Within the limits of the annual approved budget, the Barrington Street program provides matching grants of up to $100,000 for exterior restoration work.
For exterior restoration work above $200,000, the program offers a 15 per cent tax credit, which may also include interior restoration or renovation work that contributes to the ongoing functional viability of the entire building.
Finally, the program offers to waive the application fees for building and sign permits for building owners located within the Conservation District. The boundaries are detailed online at http://www.halifax.ca/heritage-properties/Documents/ScheduleABarringtonH500.pdf.
Building owners may only apply for one municipal incentive program at one time.
For more information on the terms and conditions of the Barrington Street program, or to download an application form, please visit http://www.halifax.ca/heritage-properties/HertPropIncentProg.php or contact Heritage Planner, Maggie Holm, at 902-490-4419 or by email at holmm@halifax.ca.
Source: Release