Historic District Resources

Technical Assistance

Historic preservation staff provides technical assistance and advice to residential and commercial historic property owners both within the historic district as well as to owners in other parts of the city who are interested in restoring their historic buildings. Director of Planning Nicole Schell is ready to assist you with your Certification of Appropriateness application for proposed work and/or answer questions you have concerning the ordinances, design reviews, and Historic District Board of Review meeting process.

Guidelines & Publications

Often, historic property owners have questions regarding the preservation or rehabilitation of their properties. The following guidelines on common rehabilitation questions and technical advice were developed by preservation professionals and are available at the following links:

National Park Service Preservation Briefs offer technical advice on various preservation topics.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation publishes numerous articles relating to common issues historic homeowners face including energy efficiency, disaster preparedness, and maintenance.

The Environmental Protection Agency offers energy efficiency tips to historic property owners.

Secretary of the Interior Standards for historic preservation offers guidance on the treatment of historic properties.

Illustrated Rehabilitation Guidelines from the National Park Service.

Researching Your Historic Home.

Historic District Board of Review Design Guidelines

The Design Review Guidelines are a valuable reference for applicants. The updated manual, effective Jan 1, 2023, includes brief chapters on the historical and architectural development of the City's historic district and landscape. Through a series of photographs and illustrations, the manual also explains the intent behind each of the review standards as they apply to a variety of building projects.

Funding Options and Incentives

The Preservation and Community Enhancement (PACE) grant program promotes economic development by encouraging proper exterior historic rehabilitation and preservation to both residential and commercial property owners located within the local Madison Historic District boundaries. This program provides eligible private-property owners with funds to aid in their rehabilitation or preservation projects through three types of grants.

Indiana tax incentive programs offer subsidy programs for privately-owned and funded historic preservation and/or rehabilitation projects for both commercial and residential properties. Eligible citizens may qualify for tax credits or grant funding.

Federal tax incentive programs, administered by the National Park Service and the Internal Revenue Service, offer federal tax credits of up to twenty percent (20%) for the rehabilitation of income-producing properties recognized to be certified historic structures.

50% Disabled Access Income Tax Credit is an IRS program reduces the building owners’ federal income taxes by 50% of the amount spent making a business handicap accessible, to a maximum of $5,000 of credit per year. 

HUD’s 203(k) Rehabilitation Loan Program allows a qualifying private owner to borrow a single, long-term mortgage loan to finance both the acquisition and rehabilitation of an existing home. Administered by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).