A years-long fight to protect one of Covington’s most culturally significant landmarks has reached a major milestone.
The City of Covington has received a Notice of Award from the U.S. Department of the Interior for a Save America’s Treasures Grant, awarding $300,000 for the rehabilitation of the Frank Duveneck House and Studio at 1226 Greenup Street. The Northern Kentucky Area Development District (NKADD) has committed to matching the award, doubling the investment in safeguarding the historic site.
“Frank Duveneck is one of Covington’s greatest sons, and this grant ensures his legacy will be preserved for generations to come,” Covington Mayor Ron Washington said. “After years of legal and financial hurdles, we can finally complete the greater part of the rehabilitation work to improve and restore a property that is part of our community’s story and part of America’s cultural heritage.”
Frank Duveneck (1848–1919) was a painter, sculptor, and teacher who is widely considered one of the most celebrated and influential American artists of the late 19th and early 20th century. His works are housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, the National Gallery of Art, and the Cincinnati Art Museum.
The house, built in 1861 by Duveneck’s stepfather, originally served as both a family home and a beer garden. Expanded in 1875, the residence remained central to Duveneck’s life even as he traveled and taught in Europe. Around 1900, a studio was built behind the house, where Duveneck worked until his death in 1919. The property was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2015.
The grant comes after an eight-year legal battle that highlighted the City’s commitment to saving the site. The City used the Abandoned and Blighted Property Conservatorship Act to gain legal authority over the property from its owner, the Frank Duveneck Arts and Cultural Center. By establishing itself as the building’s conservator, the City was able to stabilize the structure and chart a path toward rehabilitation.
“This wasn’t just about bricks and mortar,” said Walt Mace, the City’s Assistant Director of Neighborhood Services, who oversaw much of the work documenting the history of neglect. “For years, we carefully built the case for why this property needed to be saved and what it would take to do it right. To now see real resources coming in to protect and restore it is incredibly rewarding.”
“This award is a huge moment for Covington,” Kaitlin Bryan, the City’s Historic Preservation Specialist, added. “It validates years of effort by staff and partners to prove why the Duveneck House and Studio deserved this investment. It’s a chance to preserve not just a building, but a legacy that connects Covington to the broader story of American art.”
With the grant in place, the City will begin the federally required Section 106 review process with the State Historic Preservation Office to ensure rehabilitation plans align with national preservation standards. Once the review is complete, the City will issue Requests for Proposals (RFPs) for architectural, engineering, and construction work.
The City has also allocated additional grant funds to cover the cost of specialized consulting services, ensuring the project’s long-term success. In addition, the City will work to ensure that the rehabilitated building remains a community asset, honoring Duveneck’s legacy while contributing to Covington’s cultural and neighborhood life.
Launched in 1998, the Save America’s Treasures program has awarded more than 1,300 grants totaling over $300 million to preserve the nation’s most significant cultural resources. Administered by the National Park Service in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the program is highly competitive: More than 4,000 applications totaling $1.5 billion have been submitted since its creation.
City of Covington