Board Considers Newsletter, Friendship Square History Sign

MOSCOW – A historic sign about Friendship Square, at Main and Fourth downtown, has the OK from one owner of the Moscow Hotel/Garden Lounge building to be placed there, the Historic Preservation Commission was told at its regular monthly meeting Thursday. 

Once it receives approval from the co-owner, the commission will proceed with photos, text and design, which have been in the works. Previous signs are located at the 1912 Center, City Hall and Latah Library.

In other business, the commission;

* Heard that the proposal for a University of Idaho Historic District was approved by the state in late May – along with the other eight statewide requests. The nominations will progress to the National Park Service for National Register of Historic Places review, which typically takes 45 days.

* Formed a subcommittee to work on resurrecting a community newsletter focusing on historic preservation. A former annual publication, Preservation Moscow, ceased in 2019, largely due to cost, finding content, and the move away from paper to online publications. Cost and content are the major issues the subcommittee will address.

* Determined that commissioners will bring suggestions to the July meeting for questions to put on this fall’s community survey. The city randomly distributes citizen surveys every two years, and typically includes a couple questions from each city commission.

Historic Preservation commissioners also discussed asking the city to provide paper surveys, in addition to the routine online queries, for citizens who prefer not to engage online.

* Presented and discussed about 10 projects, both commercial and residential, for preliminary consideration as annual Orchid Awardees. The presentation ceremony is scheduled for Nov. 12 at 7 p.m. at the 1912 Center. 

The next regularly scheduled meeting of the Historic Preservation Commission will be July 23.