The nomination to list the Missouri State Penitentiary on the National Register of Historic Places will be reviewed again by Jefferson City's Historic Preservation Commission.
At its regular meeting Thursday, the commission tabled making a recommendation on the 86-page document. What they received this month was a scaled back version of the original nomination, slated to be reviewed by the state advisory council in May until the state's Office of Administration requested further review.
The Office of Administration did not feel the criteria could be met as a district and instead changed the nomination to individual buildings, Chief Architect Charlie Brzuchalski explained. The defining lines originally had been the walls.
Commissioners also were concerned why the nomination did not name the site as significant in all four criteria. The draft, which is available at the city website, lists the MSP as qualifying for its association and contribution to broad patterns of history and for embodying distinctive characteristics of architecture.
The unchecked criteria were for significant people tied to the location and for the potential of yielding important information about prehistory or history.
Jayme Abbott, neighborhood services coordinator, assured the commissioners that amendments can be made to the nomination later to include more historic qualities. She also noted the Community Development Block Grant, through which this nomination was paid, has been exhausted and the nomination needs to move forward so they can close out that grant.
"I want to see the MSP receive this nomination, but I feel I'm being hamstrung," Commissioner Art Hernandez said.
The commission will make a recommendation on the nomination at its next meeting Oct. 13. That input will be included when the nomination is reviewed by the Missouri Advisory Council on Historic Preservation Nov. 6.
In other business, the commission also tabled discussion on the Historic City of Jefferson's proposed demolition ordinance. Members of the commission had expected someone from that organization to be present at the meeting to discuss the new wording and process changes.
"That's difficult to do when no one is here to be a sounding board," said Commissioner Mary Schantz. "We just don't have enough information to act."