City of Livonia receives Certified Local Government status to support historic preservation activities

Certification provides state and federal technical assistance, eligibility for historic preservation grants

LANSING, Mich. – The Michigan State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) announced today that the city of Livonia in Wayne County has been accepted to the Certified Local Government (CLG) program, following confirmation from the National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.

“We are pleased to welcome the City of Livonia to the CLG program,” said State Historic Preservation Officer Mark A. Rodman. “Livonia’s Historic Preservation Commission has been working in the community since 1976 and entry into the CLG program demonstrates the City’s continued commitment to historic preservation. We look forward to working with the City to further its preservation goals.”

The Certified Local Government program is a partnership among local, state, and national governments focused on promoting historic preservation at the local level. The National Park Service administers the program in coordination with the State Historic Preservation Office. Certification makes the city of Livonia eligible for specialized technical assistance and programming from the SHPO.

Participation in the CLG program also makes the community eligible for federal grants provided by the U.S. Department of the Interior and administered by the SHPO. These grants may be used for a variety of preservation activities, such as historic resource surveys, National Register of Historic Places nominations, educational and heritage tourism initiatives, pre-development plans and studies, and rehabilitation of certain historic properties.

Mayor Maureen Brosnan, Planning and Economic Development Director Mark Taormina, and the Livonia Historic Preservation Commission said in a joint statement:

“The City of Livonia and its Historic Preservation Commission are honored to join the Certified Local Government program. Rural Livonia began to be settled in the early 1800s becoming a territorial township on March 17, 1835. Livonia has preserved remnants of the past farming community and small centers of commerce of the 1800s to early 1900s throughout the city, including its 95-acre farm and village, Greenmead Historical Park. We are looking forward to preserving our more recent heritage, following the incorporation of Livonia as a city in 1950. The influx of manufacturing changed the city from a farming community to a thriving city of 100,000, with manufacturing, commercial areas and subdivisions replacing many farms. The mid-century modern movement was a heavy influence in the area. We look forward to documenting these changes with the help of CLG resources.”

Livonia joins a growing network of more than 2,000 Certified Local Governments across the country, including 34 other Michigan communities. There is no cost to participate in the program, but communities must meet certain requirements. Participating communities must have a local historic district ordinance and appoint a historic district commission to review proposed work in locally designated historic districts. CLGs must also encourage public participation in the local historic preservation program and seek ways to identify, protect, and celebrate important historic resources in their community.

About the State Historic Preservation Office
Focused on the historic preservation of culturally or archaeologically significant sites throughout the state, Michigan's State Historic Preservation Office’s main function is to provide technical assistance to local communities and property owners in their efforts to identify, evaluate, designate, interpret and protect Michigan’s historic above- and below-ground resources. SHPO also administers an incentives program that includes federal tax credits and pass-through grants available to Certified Local Governments.

To learn more about the State Historic Preservation Office and the Certified Local Government program, visit https://www.miplace.org/historic-preservation/.

About Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC)

The Michigan Economic Development Corporation is the state’s marketing arm and lead advocate for business development, job awareness and community development with the focus on growing Michigan’s economy. For more information on the MEDC and our initiatives, visit www.MichiganBusiness.org. For Pure Michigan® tourism information, your trip begins at www.michigan.org. Join the conversation on: Facebook Instagram LinkedIn, and Twitter.