Historic Preservation Office

Covington's historic buildings, monuments, neighborhoods, public squares and landscapes help in defining our community. They remind us of what previous generations of Covington residents have built and accomplished while inspiring us to continue the work of creating good places in our city for ourselves and future generations. The Historic Preservation Office's goal is to protect Covington's history as it is shown through the built environment as well as educate the community about Covington's history.

The programs and assistance that the Historic Preservation Office offer are:

Certificate of Appropriateness Permits: Any exterior changes to properties located in the City of Covington's Historic Preservation Overlay Zones or some development plan areas require a Certificate of Appropriatness (COA) to be issued before work begins.

Historic Plaque Program: This program provides a way to promote the City's rich past, recognize the investments made to preserve the City's heritage, and provide for a standard method, in the form of a wall mounted metal plaque, to display the significance of contributing structures.

Historic Preservation Awards Program: Initiated in 2001, the annual Rivercities Historic Preservation Awards celebrate outstanding efforts to preserve and maintain historic properties throughout the city.

Assistance with Federal and State Income Tax Credit Projects and National Register Nominations: The Historic Preservation Office can help citizens, neighborhoods, or organizations with guidance on the nomination forms for the National Register of Historic Places, and can help with questions regarding both the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the Federal Government's Historic Tax Credit Programs.

Preservation Workshops and Seminars:  The Historic Preservation Office provides workshops and seminars on a variety of topics related to historic preservation, historic materials maintenance, architectural styles, and house research. The most recent seminar was titled House Stories: How to Research the History of Your House.

General Assistance: The Historic Preservation Office can also help with general questions regarding historic buildings, sites or areas. We have many resources and information that can help in researching the history of your property, rehabilitation projects, and finding contractors.

Historic Preservation Office
638 Madison Avenue - Room 407
Covington, KY 41011
Phone: 859-292-2171
Fax: 859-292-2339
Email: bjohnson@covingtonky.gov