Demolitions & Relocations

The Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) will not grant a Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) for the demolition or relocation of any property within a historic district unless the HPC finds that the removal or relocation of such building will not be detrimental to the historical or architectural character of the district. In making this determination, the HPC will consider the following:

1. The historic or architectural significance of the structure;
2. The importance of the structure to the integrity of the Historic District, the immediate vicinity, an area, or relationships to other structures;
3. The difficulty or the impossibility of reproducing the structure because of its design, texture, material, detail or unique location;
4. Whether the structure is one of the last remaining examples of its kind in the neighborhood, the county or the region or is a good example of its type, or is part of an ensemble of historic buildings creating a neighborhood; and
5. Whether there are definite plans for reuse of the property if the proposed demolition is carried out, and what effect such plans will have on the architectural, cultural, historical, archaeological, social, aesthetic or environmental character of the surrounding area.

A Demolition Application is required to be submitted to and approved by the HPC at its monthly hearing. This application shall contain the following minimum information:

1. The date the owner acquired the property, purchase price, and condition on date of acquisition;
2. The number and types of adaptive uses of the property considered by the owner;
3. Whether the property has been listed for sale, prices asked and offers received, if any;
4. Description of the options currently held for the purchase of such property, including the price received for such option, the conditions placed upon such option and the date of expirations of such option;
5. Replacement construction plans for the property in question and amounts expended upon such plans, and the dates of such expenditures;
6. Financial proof of the ability to complete the replacement project, which may include but not be limited to a performance bond, a letter of credit, a trust for completion of improvements, or a letter of commitment from a financial institution; and
7. Such other information as may reasonably be required by the commission.

In no event shall the Commission entertain any application for the demolition or relocation of any historic property unless the applicant also presents at the same time the post-demolition or post-relocation plans for the site. [Tuscaloosa, Ala., Code § 20-15.29(d)]