ROCHELLE — Rochelle’s downtown is now listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

The designation allows for owners of historic buildings to receive 20 percent federal income tax credit on qualified projects.

“I am so excited about the opportunities that come with the designation of being a National Historic District,” said Michelle Pease, Rochelle Community Development Director. “Being a National Historic District opens up opportunities for developers to take a closer look at developing in our downtown because of the tax incentives.”

The process to a designation involved establishing district boundaries and preliminary research along with field surveys and photography. The boundaries encompass roughly a two-block radius for properties in the 200 to 500 block of Lincoln Highway, 400 block of Cherry Avenue, 400 and 500 blocks of West Fourth Avenue and the 300 block of North Sixth Street.

In October, the Illinois Historic Sites Advisory Council reviewed and recommended the nomination to be sent to National Park Service staff in Washington, D.C. for a final review; city staff had been notified the review would take about two months. The news came earlier this week.

“This was a great team effort and something that is long overdue,” said city manager Jeff Fiegenschuh. “We have a beautiful and historically significant downtown and I love that Rochelle is now being recognized for that.”

Several benefits of a National Historic District include the preservation of historic buildings, increasing value of the rehabilitated projects, returning underutilized structures to the tax rolls and revitalization.

“Rochelle’s Historic District exemplifies the beauty in the history of our community,” Pease said in a press release issued by city officials. “Focusing on pre-1968 government and commercial buildings, the Historic District brings the opportunity to enhance the architecture that we already enjoy in Rochelle.”