A proposed Local Historic District could mean more opportunities for tax credits and improvement grants for downtown Niles businesses.

The Niles City Council unanimously approved Monday a request from the community development department to reconstitute a Historic District Study Committee by appointing community members Fredda Zeiter, Jeanne Watson, Donna Ochenryder, Isidro Monteso, Pat Young and Juan Ganum to the committee to continue the process of establishing a district.

A study committee was initially established in 2005. The city council had appointed six members; two of those — Ganum and Ochenryder — were appointed again Monday night.

The committee will solicit the opinions of downtown merchants to gauge whether or not it has their support. Its members will also educate merchants about what a historic district would entail, including easier access to state and federal grants and higher property valuation. If it gains support from downtown merchants, a commission will be established to review proposed architectural changes.

Lisa Croteau, director of Niles DDA Main Street, said one major factor in establishing a district is “the ability for developers to access historic district tax credits.”

Croteau said several downtown properties could potentially benefit from such credits. There is no cost to join a historic district.

One misconception is that a historic district would require owners of modernized older buildings to revert their facades back to their original styles; several downtown properties were built in the 1800s.

“We have a large selection of architectural stylings in downtown,” Croteau said. “It’s up to the property owner to do what is best for downtown.”

Some council members questioned if the Downtown Development Authority as well as the merchants support starting a historic district.

“If you have a lot of hoops to go through with your business, I see it being detrimental,” Council Member Betty Arndt said.

“That’s part of the process,” Ganum, Niles’ community development director, explained. “This is the first task in establishing the Historic District (Study) Committee.”

The point of establishing the district, Croteau said, is “money.” She said a district would expand access to additional funding for building improvements.

Ganum explained that the historic district would encompass mostly Main Street from Fifth to Front streets, and partially north up Front Street. The district map does not include every building downtown because they were built over many decades.

“It’s very much a gerrymandered map,” he said.

Zeiter, who will serve as head of the design committee for the district, said its job will be to review all proposed historic district projects to see if they follow downtown’s architectural style.

“I think people are concerned this will implicate them,” Zeiter said. “It allows us a little control over what goes on in downtown.”

There is also a Fourth Street residential historic district; however, a commission for it no longer exists. The city is looking for commission members, Ganum said.

“Projects are not being reviewed,” Ganum said. “A similar commission would be established for the downtown district.”