Twelve Certified Local Government grants totaling $86,448 have been awarded to nine communities for historic preservation-related activities, according to the Kentucky Heritage Council/State Historic Preservation Office. The annual grants fund qualifying projects submitted by participating citywide and county historic preservation commissions.
Recipients are Bellevue, Covington, Bardstown, Danville, Hopkinsville, Louisville, Maysville, Paducah and Shelbyville. Proposed projects range from educational workshops and hands-on training to historic building surveys, preparing nominations to the National Register of Historic Places, updating local design guidelines, creating a GIS database of historic resources, developing an interactive website and producing the third installment of a video series.
Kentucky currently has 23 CLG communities. The grants come from KHC’s annual federal Historic Preservation Fund allocation and require a local match of at least 40 percent, totaling $60,966 this year and bringing total investment to $147,413.
2015 Certified Local Government historic preservation grants:
• Bellevue and Covington: Northern Kentucky Restoration Weekend, $3,000/$2,000 each
This grant will assist with funding the fifth annual presentation of this popular weekend workshop, which has drawn hundreds of participants each year and helped strengthen northern Kentucky’s preservation ethic. Once again, Bellevue will be working in conjunction with Covington and the CLG community of Newport to organize and staff the event.
• Bellevue and Covington: NKY Preservation Video – Take 3, $6,000/$4,000 each
This partnership will produce the third installment of a video series, all funded with CLG grant assistance, to educate owners of historic properties and other interested residents about preservation fundamentals. This new video will educate about the inherently “green” features of historic buildings and how to take advantage of them; explain how to repair and restore historic windows and increase their efficiency; and cover proper treatment and maintenance for historic wood, masonry, gutters and downspouts.
• Covington: Peaselburg National Register Nomination – Phase II, $2,000/$1,333
This request will provide additional funding to hire a consultant to present the Peaselburg National Register nomination to Covington’s Urban Design Review Board and the Kentucky State Historic Preservation Review Board, and cover final editing expenses.
• Bardstown: Survey of Maple Hill Neighborhood, $10,141 grant/$6,761 match
This project will utilize existing digital architectural survey and planning software to survey approximately 60 undocumented post-World War II residential buildings. Once completed, a public workshop will take place to share information and gauge or build support for designation of a conservation overlay district.
• Danville: Community Education Preservation Workshops, $6,300/$4,200
This grant will fund two workshops, one focusing on teaching the value of historic preservation and why communities create preservation ordinances and historic districts, the other a small trades fair with additional speakers on preservation-related topics including the use of historic rehabilitation tax credits.
• Hopkinsville: Preservation Education Event, $6,000/$4,000
This grant will provide educational programming to benefit owners of historic properties and residents of local historic districts, and fund a consultant or speaker meeting SOI Professional Qualifications Standards for historic preservation and rehabilitation. The event will include a historic building design demonstration by KHC staff and a downtown walking tour.
• Louisville: Metro Design Guidelines Update, $24,999/$20,000
This grant will fund a consultant to revise and update the Metro Louisville Landmarks Commission’s design guidelines, which are applicable in six local historic districts and for 83 designated local landmarks. The last revision took place in 1997, and this update is requested to reflect advances in sustainable technologies, building materials and preservation methodologies.
• Maysville: National Register Boundary Expansion, $9,212/$6,142
This grant will expand the boundary of the Maysville Downtown National Register historic district to include approximately 110 additional parcels.
• Paducah: GIS Database of Historic Resources, $3,795/$2,530
This funding will allow staff to develop and populate a GIS database of historic and cultural resources in downtown Paducah. All work will be conducted by an intern under the supervision of the Paducah Main Street Program director, Melinda Winchester, who meets SOI Professional Qualifications Standards. The database will link multiple data sets including historic site name, street address, National Register status, square footage, the number of floors, existing use and more.
• Shelbyville: Historic District Commission Website, $6,000/$4,000
This project will create an interactive website to interface with the city’s existing website and building survey database, RuskinArc. This will give the public access to the local building inventory, the city’s newly updated design guidelines, historic preservation information, forms and guidelines, and more.
CLG designation offers a way for local governments to become involved in a comprehensive approach to historic preservation and promote the integration of preservation interests into the planning process. To qualify, local governments must meet five broad standards, including enacting a historic preservation ordinance and appointing a qualified preservation commission or architectural review board. In addition to grant eligibility, benefits include access to technical assistance from KHC and the National Park Service.
“Historic preservation activity has the strongest impact at the local level, and these communities actively partner with us to administer quality historic preservation programs,” said Vicki Birenberg, CLG Program and planning coordinator. “These grants often help communities by expanding eligibility of historic rehabilitation tax credits to property owners and strengthening the local preservation ethic.”
At least 10 percent of Kentucky’s HPF apportionment is required to go toward CLG grants. Funded projects, and qualified professionals engaged in training, must adhere to the secretary of the interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties. Grants cannot be used to acquire or rehabilitate historic buildings.
Eligible CLGs may apply for the next round of grants beginning in November. For information, contact Birenberg at (502) 564-7005, ext. 126, email Vicki.Birenberg@ky.gov or click