Illustrated Design Guidelines for the Greenfield Public Square Historic District

From the Introduction: "Famed journalist Hugh Sidey of Time-Life magazines described Greenfield's public square as quintessentially 'intimate and village-like' within the Midwestern landscape genre. This element of the Greenfield Public Square Historic District, with its Iowa-unique 1856 Lancaster square layout, and commercial and public building elements, is at the heart of the city's character. Milton C. Munger platted the original city in 1856, twenty years prior to the 1876 court ruling that relocated the Adair county seat to Greenfield from Fontanelle. ...City planning policy reflects community consensus of appreciate for the downtown with its public square and historic architecture. In 1998 Greenfield became a Certified Local Government (CLG), adopted its historic preservation ordinance and established the Greenfield Historic Preservation Commission. As a CLG, Greenfield is eligible to receive grants from the State Historical Society of Iowa. The Greenfield Public Square Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2014. Furthermore, the preservation of the buildings within the historic district is part of the transformation strategy of the City of Greenfield and Greenfield Chamber/Main Street to revitalize its downtown and strengthen the economy of the community. Towards this goal, the Greenfield Historic Preservation Commission was awarded a CLG grant to prepare the 'Greenfield Public Square Historic District Illustrated Guidelines.' The purpose of these guidelines is not to attempt to turn back the hands of time to a more nostalgic era. Rather these guidelines strive to balance the preservation of Greenfield's historic architecture with the requirements of adaptive reuse and contemporary needs of the community and stakeholders. Emphasis is place on the appropriate treatment of the historic downtown buildings, particularly the exterior envelope, to ensure they will continue to be economically viable and relevant to the community of Greenfield for generations to come." Project funding was provided in part by a Historic Preservation Fund grant to the State Historical Society of Iowa, Department of Cultural Affairs, administered by the State, Tribal, Local Plans and Grants division, National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior (grant number P20AF00020).

Illustrated Design Guidelines for the Greenfield Public Square Historic District

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