Historical District Request Goes to City

Ventura city officials Monday will consider a resident’s request that one downtown block of businesses and turn-of-the-century bungalows be designated a historical district.

The block, bordered by Thompson Boulevard and Kalorama, Front and Ash streets, is home to several small businesses.

Victorian, Mission-style and Craftsman-era homes also line the streets.

Officials could decide that the block is already protected as a historical area because it falls within the boundaries of downtown and does not need another layer of bureaucracy.

The land is zoned for both residential and commercial uses.

There are three areas in the city considered historical “overlay” zones that already fall within a larger historical district, including the “Mitchell Block” of Victorian-era homes along Thompson Boulevard, across from Plaza Park.

The request to be reviewed on Monday was made by Kathryn Heiberg, a homeowner who lives on the Kalorama Street portion of the block.

In a letter to the city, Heiberg said the houses on her block are threatened because the land many of them occupy is worth more than the homes themselves.

They could be demolished to make way for new construction, Heiberg’s letter said. She wants the historical designation to ensure any changes to buildings on the block gain approval from the Historical Preservation Committee.