If you see a woman walking around downtown Coeur d’Alene taking pictures and notes in the coming months, she’s not up to anything suspicious. 

That will be Diana Painter doing her job. 

"Don’t call police,” said Dan Everhart with the Idaho State Historical Society. 

Painter, a principal architectural historian with Painter Preservation, was hired to conduct a comprehensive reconnaissance survey of up to 200 structures in the downtown area.  

She’ll spend a few minutes reviewing each building to assess characteristics, age, architectural styles, features and modifications. The information may be used to help determine boundaries for a possible historic district.  

Officials were quick to note it will not impact property rights. 

“Property rights are pretty much sacred here,” said Walter Burns, chair of the city’s Historic Preservation Commission. “We're recognizing that. We’re not looking to make changes or do anything that would encumber anyone’s property right.” 

"There’s no threat to any properties,” he added. 

Everhart agreed. 

He said the project has no bearing on what people can do with their property.

“What we’re starting with here is documentation,” Everhart said to about 25 people in the Coeur d’Alene Public Library Community Room on Tuesday.  

“It is simply the first step in establishing the baseline knowledge as to whether or not there is a concentration of historical buildings in the downtown." 

That could ultimately lead to a historic district designation. 

The survey is funded by a Certified Local Government $11,000 grant and $5,000 from the city of Coeur d’Alene. Painter will work April through September.  

The survey boundaries are roughly First Street to the west, Eighth Street to the east, Front Avenue to the south and Indiana Avenue to the north. But those may change based on what Painter's survey finds.

“The most important intersection is Sherman and Fourth,” she said. 

A final survey report will be presented to the Historic Preservation Commission next year and a public meeting to share results will also be scheduled.

Everhart said Coeur d’Alene citizens understand the value of the downtown district and taking care of it.

“They have an investment in the exterior of your building,” he said. 

Rod Stach, representing the Coeur d’Alene Eagles on Sherman Avenue, said their building is about 100 years old and they are planning to upgrade plumbing and electric. 

“We don’t want to change the outside. We kind of like looking old,” he said. 

Don “Pepper” Smock, president of Windermere Coeur d’Alene Realty, owns about 25 buildings in the downtown area. He said he considers himself a “conservationist” and often buys downtown properties to protect them from development.

“That's a labor of love for me,” he said. 

He attended the meeting to be sure he was up to speed on the survey. 

“I have quite a lot at stake here,” Smock said. 

Don Pischner, who serves with the Idaho State Historical Society, said having a historical district is about “bragging rights.” 

“Maybe the significance of it is in the eyes of the beholder,” he said. 

The Coeur d'Alene Eagles lodge on Sherman Avenue is one of the downtown area's older buildings.