A Sense of Place: Vermont's 8th annual
Historic Preservation Conference
May 10, Rutland, VT
Visit historic downtown Rutland for a full day of workshops and
tours with a focus on A Sense of Place: Stronger Downtowns,
Better Communities. >From a basic introduction to
the field of preservation to fundraising, from railroads to
archaeology, workshops are designed to offer something for
everyone. Tom Slayton, Editor of Vermont Life
magazine and Stacy Mitchell of the Institute of Local
Self-Reliance, will start the day with a plenary session in the
newly restored Paramount Theatre. Join us!
To view more information about the conference
including the conference presenters, visit the web site: http://www.ptvermont.org/conf02.htm
For more information about how to register,
please contact Lisa Ryan, the Conference Coordinator, (802)
652-0077 conference@ptvermont.org.
Grants Awarded
The Preservation Trust, in partnership with the Freeman
Foundation, has awarded the following grants:
Gilbert Hart Library and Wallingford Town
Hall: $45,000
The Gilbert Hart Library, located in the center of the
Wallingford Village National Register Historic District, was
built in 1894, a gift from Wallingford native, Gilbert Hart.
The Neoclassical Revival building, with its columned entrance
and terra cotta ornamentation, is considered one of the finest
examples of this architectural style in the state. Over
the past three years, the Library Trustees have quietly raised
$225,000 of $434,000 needed to build an addition that will
provide handicap access, additional stacks and reading room,
heating and facilities upgrades.
Like the library, the 1906 Wallingford Town
Hall was built through the philanthropy of prominent
residents. Located one block up School Street from the
library, the Neoclassical Revival style building sits on a
raised foundation and features a corner clock tower. Several
years ago, because the building is not handicap accessible,
there was a push to move municipal offices out of the Town
Hall and into a shopping center at the north end of
town. In an effort to continue use of the Town Hall,
local architect Ralph Nimtz, donated his time to design and
help fundraise for accessibility improvements. The Town
has raised approximately $115,000 of $140,000 needed to
install a lift to the Town offices and 300-seat auditorium on
the second floor. Once the lift is installed the
auditorium can again be used for meetings, plays and movies.
South Londonderry Baptist Church: $35,000
This vernacular Federal style church was built in 1833-4 using
bricks produced in a brickyard that opened that year across
the river from the village. A Gothic Revival style entry porch
and vestibule was added later. There are 60-70 active
members who have been working to raise $60,000 for needed
repairs by hosting church dinners (8 last year brought in
$9,000), and by mailing an annual appeal letter for specific
repairs. Through these efforts, they have been able to
repair the steeple and slate roof, replace flashing, paint the
church, and address drainage issues. This grant will
allow them to finish the remaining phases of work identified
in their preservation plan: repoint the masonry, conserve
windows, replace a pressure treated ramp on the south side,
and repair/repaint interior areas damaged by moisture.
Lower Waterford Congregational Church:
$15,000.
Lower Waterford, a National, Register Historic District, is a
quintessential Connecticut River valley village that centers
around a well-maintained white clapboard church, built in
1859. Through a condition assessment, partially funded
by the Preservation Trust, the church recently learned there
are significant structural flaws in the roof trusses.
The small congregation of 25 reached out to the community and
impressively raised $30,000 toward the repairs. The
grant will allow them to complete repairs and paint the
exterior of the building.
Pierson Building, Shelburne: $35,000
The Shelburne Craft School has a campus of four buildings on
Harbor Road, plus it is leasing from the Town the prominent
Pierson Building as a community visual arts center. The
school offers year-round art classes for adults and
children. The Pierson Building, the focus of this
request, has a prominent portico front added in 1911 when the
building was converted to a library. It needs masonry
repairs, repointing and painting, a new roof, sash repair, and
repair of a rotted roof balustrade.
Affordable Housing, West Brattleboro:
$35,000
The Brattleboro Area Community Land Trust is proposing to
rehabilitate three historic houses in West Brattleboro’s
newly-listed Village Green Historic District in order to
provide affordable rental housing for thirteen low and
moderate income households. The vernacular buildings,
located on a triangular green, were built between 1830 and
1860. The properties have not been maintained and represent a
significant blight in the neighborhood. Total cost of the
project, including acquisition and rehabilitation, is
estimated to be $1,750,000. The grant will secure all funding
and repair slate roofing on all buildings, restore a small
front porch on 925 Western Ave., replace deteriorated
clapboard siding and exterior trim on all buildings, and
restore and repair the front doors of 925 and 929 Western
Ave. The Land Trust hopes to begin construction in late
April, 2002.
Moretown Library: $12,000
The Moretown Library and Historical Society are located in a
Town-owned Greek Revival style house in the village. The Town
provides a small amount each year toward utilities and
operations. The Historical Society and Library Trustees have
been fundraising, primarily through book sales and community
dinners, and have raised approximately $5,000 toward
approximately $25,000 needed for repairs. The grant will
allow them to address high priority repairs to the exterior
woodwork, paint the exterior, begin window conservation, and
repair plaster that has failed upstairs.
Vermont Granite Museum, Barre: $45,000
Since 1994, a volunteer Board and a handful of paid staff have
been working on the monumental task of establishing a granite
museum in Barre. They have made remarkable progress, and
are planning to open the Stone Arts School, Blacksmith Shop,
and interpretive exhibits in the summer of 2002. The
group has raised over $6.5 million of the $7.5 goal for this
phase of work. (More exhibit space and interactive
exhibits are planned for the next phase which is estimated to
cost an additional $5 million.) The grant will go toward
the restoration of the original Jones Brothers Granite Shed.
The Haskell Opera House, Derby Line:
$40,000
This National Historic Landmark straddles the U.S.-Canadian
border in Derby Line and Stanstead, Quebec. It was donated to
the towns in 1901 by Mrs. Carlos Haskell and her son, Col.
Stewart Haskell. The building features a
magnificent second floor opera house, which is a one-third
scale replica of the original Boston Opera House. They
recently completed a multi-year capital campaign, which
allowed them to build an egress tower, sprinkle the building,
add bathrooms and replace the slate roof (the Freeman
Foundation and the Preservation Trust made a $50,000 grant to
that effort in 1995.) They are now fundraising to
complete restoration of the gilded opera house. A grant of
$40,000 will allow them to complete repairs to the plaster
cherub and scroll-work relief and restore the murals,
including the gold-leaf detail, at the proscenium and
balcony. Other fundraising and grants will enable them
to restore the entire interior of the Opera House.
Sign up now for....
Retreats for Community Preservation Projects at the Grand
Isle Lake House
These retreats are geared for volunteers working on projects in
their communities, from restoring a building to raising funds,
to community planning projects to strengthening downtowns and
village centers. The workshops start at 3 end the
following day after lunch about 2 pm. 2-4 people from each
project should plan to attend and present a 15-minute case study
from a their project. The case study should frame a
problem that once solved would catapult the project along its
timeline. Cost is $80 per person, double occupancy.
$105 per single. Includes meals.
There are six retreats being scheduled for May
through September. Please contact Ann Cousins for dates,
more information, or to sign up: email ann@ptvermont.org
or call 434-5014.
University of Vermont and Preservation
Trust of Vermont Collaborate on Historic Preservation Research
Trip to Cuba
Historic preservation has become a key strategy for the
revitalization and sustainable development of distressed urban
neighborhoods and rural areas in Cuba. This was the finding of a
group of historic preservation graduate students and faculty
from the University of Vermont Historic Preservation Program and
professional preservationists with the Preservation Trust of
Vermont who recently collaborated on a week-long research trip
in Cuba.
Follow the link below to read an article
written by Prof. Thomas Visser, Historic Preservation Program,
University of Vermont, about historic preservation in Havanna;
ecological, urban and regional planning; sustainable rural
development;, and scientific research and eco-tourism at the
biosphere reserve.
http://www.uvm.edu/histpres/cuba/index.html
Downtown Bill Update
H. 208, A Bill Supporting Development in Downtowns, Villages and
New Town Centers is moving in the legislature H.208 passed the
House and is likely to be voted out of the Senate General
Affairs Committee today. The Preservation Trust of Vermont has
been working to support this legislation for several years. The
bill would:
1) Reform and reallocate state tax credit
programs to support private investment into older and historic
buildings. The tax credit programs would now help
developers installing elevators, lifts, and sprinklers in
older and historic downtown buildings, help redevelopment
projects in village centers, and support investment in village
center general stores and privately owned post office
buildings.
2) Improve predictability and increase
flexibility in Vermont's building codes.
3) Reduce state Act 250 land use regulation
over some projects in Designated Downtowns.
4) Acknowledge and support local efforts to
create New Town Centers in municipalities with no town
centers.
The bill can be viewed in the House Calendar at: http://www.leg.state.vt.us/docs/2002/bills/house/H-208.HTM
Housing and Conservation Trust Fund
House voted to Reduce Funding for the Housing and Conservation
Trust Fund by $2.25M and the issue is not pending before the
Senate Appropriations Committee.
Since 1987, Vermont has made a dedicated,
stable state investment in land conservation and downtown
redevelopment through the Housing and Conservation Trust
Fund. This investment has helped conserve over 290 family
farm, 239,000 acres of important recreation land, natural areas
and historic properties; created 6,600 units of affordable
housing for 16,500 Vermonters; leveraged over $510M matching
money for local projects; and guaranteed a perpetual return on
precious state dollars.
Governor Dean's FY03 budget proposed funding
the Trust Fund based on the statutorily mandated formula
governing the allocation of state property transfer tax
receipts. This existing Vermont law dedicates 50% of those tax
dollars to the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board (VHCB).
For FY03 the Governor proposed an estimated $11.8M for VHCB
state grant dollars.
The House voted to ignore the statute
governing VHCB funding and to reduce the amount by $2.25M. They
propose to authorize $9.63M for VHCB next year. The bill
is available at: http://www.leg.state.vt.us/docs/2002/bills/intro/H-766.htm
(see sections 303 and 268)
The Vermont Housing and Conservation Coalition
is hoping the Senate will restore the cuts when they pass their
version of the FY'03 budget.
National Register News
The National Park Service has recently listed the following
Vermont properties on the National Register of Historic Places:
Ricker Pond State Park in Groton,
Stillwater State Park in Groton, Elmore State Park in Elmore,
Allis State Park in Brookfield, Coolidge State Park in
Plymouth, and Wilgus State Park in Weathersfield
Part of a group of 21 state parks
constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in
Vermont in the 1930s as part of President Roosevelt’s New
Deal Program. The parks’ landscaping and rustic
architecture are typical of parks constructed by the CCC
nationwide and reflect a period of social and conservation
reform as well as new tourism and recreation trends. The parks
were nominated to the National Register under the nationwide
Historic Park Landscapes in National and State Parks Multiple
Documentation Form.
Preservation Burlington Annual Homes Tour
Preservation Burlington is pleased to announce that the 2002
Homes Tour will be held on Saturday, June 1, 2002 from 12-4 pm.
Tickets for the event will be available at the Flynn Center box
office from April 15th to May 1st for $20. After May 2nd,
the tickets will be available until June 1st for $25. Tickets
are only available at the Flynn Theater and they cannot be
purchased at the homes.
Included on this year’s tour are seven
houses from various periods of Burlington’s history.
There is a c. 1884 Queen Anne style located on South Union
Street and just down the street, a 1898 Shingle Style home; a
wonderfully renovated condominium on Lakeview Terrace; a
majestic Shingle style home on Spruce Street; a beautiful
rooftop condominium at 40 College Street; a 1930s Freeman French
Freeman designed home on Overlake Park; and Burlington’s own
landmark, the Follett House. Refreshments will be held at
the Follett House from 2-4:30.
We encourage everyone to buy your tickets
early as last year’s event was a near sell-out. The
tours are self-guided and interior photography is not
permitted. The Preservation Burlington Homes Tour is major
fundraising event in which the proceeds will go towards
developing additional programs. For more information about
the Homes Tour or Preservation Burlington, please contact Brian
Knight at 802-238-2918 or brian@preservationburlington.org.
For more information about Preservation
Burlington, please visit: http://www.preservationburlington.org/
Vermont Downtown Program
At its March 25 meeting, the Downtown Board renewed designation
status for the first 2 downtowns whose 3-year designation period
was due for renewal, by statute. Both Bennington and Brattleboro
have demonstrated their continued compliance with the
requirements for designation. The local leadership, community
partnerships, and dedicated staff and funding in these
communities have produced some remarkable business, building and
public improvements in these communities in the past few years.
The Board also awarded $75,000 in
Downtown Transportation Funds to Montpelier to continue
streetlight and sidewalk replacements on State Street.
Montpelier also received a $5,000 Reallocation of Sales Tax on
Construction Materials for 7 School St., a commercial building
rehabilitation by the New England Culinary Institute for
classrooms and offices. The reallocation will be used to replace
streetlights on School St. in the vicinity of the building.
Athenaeum Announces 2002 Awards
On Saturday, May 11, the St. Johnsbury Athenaeum will host a
gala celebration to honor writer Reeve Lindbergh and
philanthropist Houghton Freeman, recipients of the 2002
Athenaeum Awards.
The Athenaeum Awards are presented annually
honoring Vermonters for their lifelong dedication and
distinguished achievements in the arts and humanities.
Library Director Lisa von Kann explains, “the awards are meant
to pay tribute to Athenaeum founder and businessman Horace
Fairbanks, who recognized the importance of literature, art, and
architecture. His generosity and vision strengthened this
rural community.”
The Awards presentation on May 11, will be
held at St. Andrews Church on Main Street in St. Johnsbury at
7:30 p.m. Following the ceremony, a festive champagne
reception will take place in the library reading rooms of the
Athenaeum. Tickets and additional information are
available at the Athenaeum (802) 748-8291.
NATIONAL
Conferees Continue Farm Bill Debate:
Barn Bill Inclusion Uncertain
This week, after returning from recess, the House and Senate
Farm Bill conferees resumed work on a conference report of H.R.
2646, the Farm Security Act of 2001. After days of debate,
conferees remain at an impasse on key issues of the bill.
The Barn Preservation Program, which is included in the Senate
version of the bill, has not received attention of the conferees
as they focus on the larger, more controversial aspects of the
legislation. Preservationists should continue to seek
support for inclusion of the Barn Preservation Program in the
final report from members of the conference committee.
Conferees are hoping to complete the conference report by the
end of next week.
Prepared by Preservation Action, Tel: 202/659-0915 Fax:
202/659-0189. mail@preservationaction.org,
www.preservationaction.org
Support H.R. 3132 and Stop Bigger Trucks
and Urban Sprawl
BACKGROUND
The National Trust for Historic Preservation joined the
Coalition Against Bigger Trucks last year as part of an effort
to keep Federal limitations on truck size and weight. This
coalition consists of highway safety advocates, the American
Automobile Association, as well as law enforcement and public
health groups. The coalition was formed in response
to major trucking and shipping companies that have made lobbying
for longer and heavier trucks a top priority during the
reauthorization of TEA-21. Historic preservationists are
opposed to the trucking industry's drive for bigger, heavier
trucks because that effort does little to promote safe and
efficient movement of goods and people. Historic
preservationists are in this fight because the drive for bigger,
heavier trucks is spawned by sprawl and America's dependence on
roads and motor vehicles for the movement of goods and
people. This dependency clogs highways, damages streets
and bridges, and contributes to blight in America's urban
centers and small towns. The NHS is a 156,000-mile system
of highways of greatest national importance, including the
44,000 miles of the Interstate System. Non-Interstate NHS routes
often travel right through the centers of small towns, which
often bear the burden of a tremendous amount of truck traffic.
The states currently set truck size and weight limits on the
non-Interstate portions of these roads; consequently, they are
particularly susceptible to the lobbying influence of major
trucking and shipping companies within their borders. As a
result, the weight limits on the non-Interstate portions of the
NHS are often higher than on Interstate highways. In addition,
weights on Interstate highways are ratcheted up because states
often take advantage of loopholes in the law that allow trucks
to operate above the federal Interstate weight limit.
According to the U.S. Department of
Transportation's 1999 Status Report on the Nation's Surface
Transportation System, $1.13 trillion dollars will be needed
over the next 20 years simply to maintain our current road
conditions. We can ill afford heavier trucks that will further
tear up our roads and bridges. One five-axle truck traveling at
the federal Interstate weight limit of 80,000 pounds does as
much damage as 9,600 cars, but one five-axle truck traveling at
100,000 pounds, which some states routinely allow, does as much
damage as 27,000 cars. Heavier trucks also erode the margin of
error on bridges. What's more, heavier trucks fail to pay
(through fuel taxes) for the relative road damage they
cause. For instance, the 80,000-pound truck mentioned in
the example above only pays 80% of its costs; the 100,000-pound
truck pays only 40% of its costs in road damage.
ACTION NEEDED:
Urgent action is needed by preservationists to take a stand
against bigger trucks. Ask your Members of Congress
to cosponsor H.R. 3132, the "Safe Highways and
Infrastructure Preservation Act of 2001." The bill extends
the federal Interstate weight limits to the entire National
Highway System and closes loopholes in current law which allow
bigger trucks. If your Representative is not the current
list of cosponsors below, please write and ask for
co-sponsorship of this very important piece of legislation.
Send your letters to:
The Honorable (your member's name)
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515
OR, visit the National Trust's congressional
advocacy center at http://capwiz.com/nthp/home/
to send your Representative a personalized e-mail letter.
PUBLICATIONS &
RESOURCES
National E-newsletter
The National Trust Northeast Office has launched a monthly
electronic newsletter. If you'd like to be added to their
mailing list, please e-mail Tina White (tina_white@nthp.org)
with your name, company (if appropriate), street address, and
e-mail address.
EVENTS
May 2
Historic Barn Workshop
Gaylord Farm Barns, 2587 Main Street, Waitsfield.
6-8 p.m.
A guided tour through the Gaylord barns that will highlight
common maintenance, deterioration, and rehabilitation problems
and solutions. Featuring Charley Parker of Traditional
Building Trades, a devoted to the preservationist of Vermont's
historic structures whose preservation projects range from
stabilization to complete restoration. Hadley Gaylord,
Jr., the farm's proprietor, will be on hand as well. Presented
by the Mad River Valley Rural Resource Commission. Call
496-7173 for more information.
May 10
"A Sense of Place: Vermont's 8th Annual Historic
Preservation Conference"
Click here for more
information
June 6
Historic Barn Workshop
Old Palmer Barns, East Warren Road, Waitsfield, VT, 6-8
pm.
A guided tour around the recently stabilized Palmer barns.
Frank Brown of Shepard Brook Restoration, a distinguished local
restoration contractor and timber framer who has worked on a
number of historic barns in the Valley, will discuss the barns'
structural problems and the reasoning behind the stabilization,
repair, and restoration techniques they chose to use.
Presented by the Mad River Valley Rural Resource
Commission. Call 496-7173 for more information.
June 9-14
Holistic Stewardship of the Historic Site
A Seminar for Historic Site Administrators
Mary Washington College, Fredericksburg, Virginia
info@npi.org www.npi.org
August 10 (Saturday)
Self-guided tours around several of the Mad River Valley's
notable barns.
Presented by the Waitsfield Historical Society in conjunction
with the Mad River Valley Arts Festival. More information
coming soon! Call 496-7173.
OPPORTUNITIES
Barre Partnership Executive Director
Seeking Executive Director of downtown, community-based
organization. Approximately 20 hours/week for coordinating
downtown revitalization activities which includes managing daily
operations and working with Board of Directors, committees and
volunteers. Must have strong communication skills, be a
strong advocate for Barre’s downtown, be a self-starter and
organized. Please send resume and letter of interest by
May 6, 2002 to Al Flory, President, Barre Partnership, P.O. Box
1032, Barre, VT 05641.
Heritage Conservation Network:
International Hands-on Workshops for Architectural and Site
Conservation
Heritage Conservation Network is a non-profit organization
promoting the conservation of historic architecture and sites.
Hands-on preservation workshops are held at sites around the
world selected to offer a variety of locations and building
types. Workshop participants have the opportunity to work
with and learn from experts in the field of heritage
conservation, as well as join an international network of people
working to conserve historic structures and sites. Workshops are
held at a variety of sites in order to offer participants the
opportunity to learn to work with a variety of materials such as
adobe, horsehair plaster, and masonry.
If you know of any historic structures that
could benefit from being the site of an HCN workshop, please
contact Judith Broeker, Program Director, jbroeker@heritageconservation.net.
If selected for a workshop, HCN will provide a conservator and a
team of workers to solve a particular problem, complete a
particular element, or reach a new level of completion.
For more information about HCN: http://www.heritageconservation.net/index.htm
National Trust's Emerging Preservation
Leaders Scholarship Program
Just a reminder that applications are available for the National
Trust's Emerging Preservation Leaders Scholarship Program, which
provides partial financial assistance for preservationists from
diverse, racial, ethnic and cultural backgrounds to attend the
annual National Preservation Conference 2002, which will be held
in Cleveland, Ohio, October 8-13. The deadline is fast
approaching: JUNE 15, 2002.
The National Trust encourages culturally
diverse community activists and college students to apply for
scholarships. It would be great if you would help spread
the word about this scholarship opportunity to others,
especially those that might not consider themselves
"preservationists" but are doing it anyway or could
benefit from the exposure to the larger preservation
community. Encourage your housing nonprofits, community
development corporations, community-based religious
organizations and others to apply.
For an application, download a copy online
from the National Trust web site at: www.nthpconference.org.
For detailed information about the scholarship program, contact
the National Trust's Southern Office, (843) 722-8552.
Summer Internships
The Northeast Office of the National Trust for Historic
Preservation is now accepting applications for two summer
internships, one in Boston and one in Philadelphia.
Interns will gain a general understanding of the National Trust
for Historic Preservation, the Northeast Office, and the
programmatic services offered by the Trust. These are
paid, full and part time positions open to preservation graduate
and undergraduate students. For more information, contact nero@nthp.org.
Facility and Program Manager sought for
The Latchis Center
The Latchis is a multifaceted organization which includes a
hotel, cinema, commercial rental spaces, as well as arts venues,
and is owned by the Brattleboro Arts Initiative (a 501(c)(3)
corporation). Varied responsibilities include management
of staff, finances, and events. Unique opportunity for
candidate with management experience and keen arts interest.
Forward salary requirements and resume PT Search Committee,
Brattleboro Arts Initiative, PO Box 249, Brattleboro, VT
05302, or bai@sover.net.
For more information, visit www.latchis.org.
For more information about Historic Vermont, to subscribe
or to unsubscribe to the email version, or to submit something
for publication please contact Meg Campbell, Editor. meg@ptvermont.org
