Good Things Happening in this Neighborhood!
A survey of the Powning Addition was conducted between 2003 and 2008 and completed in August 2008. The surveyors were Felvia Belaustequi and Cindy Ainsworth along with volunteers from Historic Reno Preservation Society and interns from the University of Nevada Reno.
The primary purpose was to examine the possibility of nominating the addition as a National Register Historic District. The conclusion was that the Addition has many contributing buildings that would possibly qualify the neighborhood as a National Register Historic District.
In 2006, the City of Reno began working in cooperation with the Historical Resources Commission (HRC) to establish city-wide policies. The Historic Plan was developed through a lengthy public involvement process and goals were developed which are supported with policies and actions to further establish and maintain the City of Reno’s historic resources, i.e., buildings, sites, structures, objects etc. The Historic Plan was approved by the Reno City Council and other governing commissions in 2008.
A part of the Historic Plan includes the guidelines for establishing Conservation Districts, a new concept in Reno. A conservation district provides for a method of achieving preservation without regulations of a traditional historic district. The conservation district is designated through the establishment of precise boundaries and is non-regulatory. Conservation districts provide educational opportunities to residents and property owners. Information on what makes the conservation district unique and how to best preserve and enhance their appearance should be addressed through specific guidelines for each conservation district. The final goal is to recognize our unique, historic Reno neighborhoods and foster a sense of community belonging.
The first step is to conduct a comprehensive survey. After completion of this survey, the City of Reno felt that the Powning Addition should be recognized as a stand-alone area. Therefore, as part of the 2008 Historic Plan, it was decided that the Powning Addition should be designated as Reno’s first Conservation District.
The Powning Conservation District includes parcels north of the Truckee River a along Riverside Drive, south parcels that front Second Street, west of Arlington Avenue, and east of Keystone.
Soon there will be signage to designate this unique and historical neighborhood. A publication featuring architectural photos of the area is also in the works. This handbook will be available for those rehabilitating their Powning Addition homes or for planners and developers hoping to build in the area.
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