In an ongoing effort to conserve its historic resources, the city of Redmond recently designated two properties as historic landmarks and another two as sites of historical interest.

The two historic landmarks include a 1937 home on Southwest Canyon Drive, known as the Roy Carpenter House, and the Central Oregon Cooperative Creamery building downtown, which now houses Dayspring Christian Church.

The former Jesse Hill School, now the Redmond Library, and a 1924 Craftsman home that formerly housed the Gibb family bakery, were designated as sites of historical interest.

The landmark designation carries the potential of financial incentives, including increased value and/or tax breaks for properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The property would also be subject to some protections and alterations would be subject to review.

Historical site designations are honorific, with no protections or financial gains.

The city began its effort to identify important historical structures in 2011, when it created the Redmond Historic Landmarks Commission, an advisory group formed to research and evaluate potentially significant properties in Redmond.

The commission initially evaluated 34 properties, rating each on its historical value to the community. In November the City Council voted to include three properties in the historic landmark inventory: the former Whited homestead on Helmholtz Way, the J.R. Roberts House on Northwest Eighth Street and a Craftsman cottage on Sixth Street now being used as a business.

As part of the process the city sent letters to all 34 property owners, notifying them of the program and what it could mean to them. Owners are free to withdraw their property from any listing, or state a preference of landmark or site of historical interest. Public meetings were held last fall to give owners an opportunity to learn about the program and ask questions.

According to Heather Richards, Redmond community development director, the city is in the second round of its communications with property owners, focusing on those who live out of the area.