In July 2016, the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency agency informed local project partners that the proposed Downtown Kankakee Historic District district meets National Register of Historic Places criteria for both historical and architectural significance. The City of Kankakee, Kankakee Development Corp. and the Economic Alliance of Kankakee County, with Carlile Architects, are pursuing the honorary National Register of Historic Places designation in an effort to secure federal tax incentives for preservation-based property rehabilitation. For more information, call 815.935.1177.

2. I. INTRODUCTIONS
II. DESIGNATION BENEFITS
III. PROJECT TIMELINE
IV. PROPOSED DISTRICT BOUNDARIES
V. NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES FAQs
VI. SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR’S STANDARDS FOR REHABILITATION
VII. PROPERTY OWNER Q&A

3. DESIGNATION BENEFITS
• Formal recognition of a district’s historical, architectural or archeological significance based
on national standards used by every state
• Involvement from the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation when a federal agency
project may affect historic property
• A 20% tax credit for the certified rehabilitation of certified historic structures
• Available for properties rehabilitated for commercial, industrial, agricultural or rental residential purposes
• Equals 20% of the amount spent in a certified rehabilitation of a certified historic structure

4. PROJECT TIMELINE
• Project development - Kankakee County Planning Dept., KDC and Landmarks Illinois (2014)
• Collaboration of KDC, City of Kankakee and Economic Alliance with Carlile Architects and
Kankakee County Historical Society
• Current status
• IHPA Assessment and Statement of Eligibility
• Period of Significance 1861-1966
• More information, incl. on feedback process https://www.illinois.gov/ihpa/Preserve/Pages/Places.aspx
• Prospective Dates to Note:
September 2016 Nomination to be submitted
October 2016 Review by IHPA
December 2016 Review by Illinois Historic Sites Advisory Council
Spring 2017 Approval by Keeper of the National Register, Washington, D.C.

5. PROPOSED DISTRICT BOUNDARIES
• 71 properties
• Contributing
Within the period of significance
(1861-1966) with historic façade
largely intact
• Non-contributing
Newer than the period of
significance and/or having
undergone significant non-historic
façade alteration

6. NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES DESIGNATION FAQs
Because being listed to the National Register of Historic Places is an honorary designation, the
status does not:
• Require private property owners to obtain prior approval to change their property when using private, city
or county funds
• Require private property owners to preserve or restore their registered place
• Block state or federally funded/permitted/licensed projects when these are desired by the owner and
shown to be in the public interest

7. SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR’S STANDARDS FOR REHABILITATION
The Standards (Department of Interior regulations, 36 CFR 67) pertain to historic buildings of all materials,
construction types, sizes, and occupancy and encompass the exterior and the interior, related landscape
features and the building's site and environment as well as attached, adjacent, or related new
construction. The Standards are to be applied to specific rehabilitation projects in a reasonable manner,
taking into consideration economic and technical feasibility.
"Rehabilitation" is defined as … "the process of returning a property to a state of utility, through repair or
alteration, which makes possible an efficient contemporary use while preserving those portions and
features of the property which are significant to its historic, architectural and cultural values."

8. PROPERTY OWNER Q & A