Madison's Landmark Commission voted Monday to recommend landmark status for three historic buildings on North Pinckney Street.
Sonya Newenhouse, owner of 25 N. Pinckney St., one of the buildings recommended for landmark status, and Madison Trust for Historical Preservation member Carolyn Friedwald said landmarking the buildings is important, as few historical buildings remain on the block.
Greg Murray attended the meeting on behalf of the owners of 7 N. Pinckney, a property known as Center Seven.
Murray said the building was not historically significant and only 25 percent of the original building remains.
He said designating the building as a landmark would make maintenance more difficult in the already- renovated portion of the property.
Megan Decker, daughter of the Center Seven owners, said she was against landmarking the building.
She said the building currently offered affordable rental and adding landmark regulation would hinder maintaining low rental costs.
Jim Campbell, manager of Center Seven, also said he did not support giving the structure landmark status because of its previous renovation, which removed any historical significance.
He said he only supported landmarking the building's old architecture.
Commission member Stan Coffman said he supported landmarking the three buildings.
He said only entire structures could be landmarked, making landmarking portions of a building impossible regardless if parts of the original building are no longer standing.
Michael Collins, owner of 15 N. Pinckney St., said he supported preserving the building's old architecture, but otherwise there was no reason to historically landmark it.
Erica Fox Gehrig, amember of the Landmark Commission board, said there are not many historical buildings left, making it important to preserve these buildings.
Commission member Katherine Rankin said landmarking a building could help commercial owners, as owners do not need to follow certain building codes in order to preserve the building's historical content.
Final decisions on the three buildings will be made at a future City Council meeting.
