The public is invited to the City of Round Rock’s 2012 Historic Preservation Open House from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Tuesday, April 17, at the Round Rock Library, 216 E. Main St.

Attendees will be able to learn about the City’s preservation programs and activities, including the ongoing Historic Resources Survey project in the downtown area.

The Open House will be followed by the Round Rock Historic Preservation Commission meeting at 6 p.m.

City Staff and Historic Preservation Commission members will be on hand to talk about all of the City’s preservation projects.  In addition, for historic building owners and tenants, staff will be available to provide technical advice on upcoming renovation projects to historic property or answer questions pertaining to the City’s property tax exemption program for historic sites.

Refreshments will be served, and door prizes will be awarded, including copies of the “Preservation Minutes” DVD and “Round Rock,” a book of historical photographs by former Historic Preservation Commissioner Bob Brinkman.

After the adoption of the Downtown Master Plan in 2010, the City started a multi-phase project to update its Historic Resources Survey for the downtown area.  The City currently has over 70 designated historic landmarks, including its commercial historic district downtown. The Historic Resources Survey project identified several additional properties and two areas downtown that the City should consider designating as historic landmarks and districts because of their historic significance.  To date, a process for designating these properties has not commenced.  The latest phase of this project would create a process that would allow designated historic buildings, structures and objects to be relocated as an alternative to demolition.

The Historic Resources Survey project is funded in part by Certified Local Government grants from the National Park Service, administered through the Texas Historical Commission. The City was recently awarded another grant to complete the Survey project in 2012–2013.  The fourth and final phase of the project would develop a process for property-owner outreach and designation of those properties identified as historically significant during the first two phases of the project.

For more information, call the Planning and Development Services Department at 218-5428 or visit roundrocktexas.gov/historicpreservation.