Vermont's 8th annual Historic Preservation
Conference a Success!
The annual historic preservation conference, held May 10th in
Rutland, was a great success. Thank you to all who participated
in the sessions, as well as all who attended. Special
thanks to Tom Slayton, Editor of Vermont Life magazine, and
Stacy Mitchell of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance for
their keynote speeches. An extra special thank you to Lisa Ryan
for her work coordinating the whole event.
Downtown Bill Enacted Into Law
On Tuesday, May 28th, Governor Dean held a signing ceremony for
H. 208 in Brattleboro. H.208 is a bill supporting
Development in Downtowns, Villages and New Town Centers that
recently passed both chambers in the legislature.
The Preservation Trust of Vermont has been working to support
this legislation for several years. The bill will:
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 commercial
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 at:
http://www.leg.state.vt.us/docs/2002/bills/passed/H-208.HTM
Many people deserve thanks for their hard work
and leadership on this bill, including Molly Lambert, Greg Brown
and the staff and the Agency of Commerce and Community
Development, the Vermont Forum on Sprawl, the
Environmental Board, League of Cities and Towns, the many
downtown managers around Vermont particularly Mary Hooper, and
the bi-partisan group of lawmakers supporting the bill which
included Reps. Jim Colvin, Don Bostic, Alan Palmer, Don Webster,
Kathy Keenan, Ed Amidon, Senators Janet Munt, John
Crowley, Jim Greenwood and Peter Shumlin.
Housing and Conservation Trust Fund
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 Appropriations Committee voted to
ignore the statute governing VHCB funding and to reduce the
amount by $2.3m. They propose to authorize $9.63M for VHCB next
year. The Senate passed budget fully funded the VHCB
formula as proposed by the Governor.
The FY'03 budget is now in conference
committee and they have yet to resolve their differences on the
Housing and Conservation Trust Fund.
Invitation to Grand Isle Lake House
Retreat for Local Preservationists
Each summer, the Preservation Trust of Vermont hosts retreats
for community activists who are working on a preservation or
community-strengthening project. These retreats are a
group mentoring exercise where 2-4 representatives from
each community are invited to present a case study about a
particular challenge or project, followed by group discussion
and brainstorming to solve problems and share ideas, expertise
and experience. Cost for room and three meals is $80/person for
a shared room…$100 for a single.
Dates for upcoming retreats are:
July 15-16
August 26-27 (Co-held by PTV and
Partners for Sacred Spaces) This retreat is for clergy,
congregation members, preservationists and philanthropists who
are working to save sacred places.
September 9-10
September 30-October 1
Please contact Ann Cousins for more information: email ann@ptvermont.org
or call 434-5014.
Vermont Downtown Conference Scheduled
The Vermont Downtown Conference is scheduled for September 25 in
Burlington. Don Rypkema will be the keynote speaker.
More information coming soon! Until then, contact Jane
Lendway at jlendway@dca.state.vt.us
National Register News
National Register News: The National Park Service has recently
listed the following Vermont properties on the National Register
of Historic Places.
Jones Brothers Granite Shed, Barre
Rehabilitation Tax Credit project to reuse the property as a
granite museum. This structure is a 290-foot long,
wood-framed straight shed built in 1895. The building is
an early example of this innovative design which replaced the
horseshoe shed with its associated boom and derrick, and took
advantage of new technology for moving granite by utilizing
interior, overhead cranes. Its linear plan, light timber
frame construction, shed roofed wings along the eaves sides,
gable roof with ventilating cupolas, numerous paired double
hung windows and clerestory windows created broad, well lit
interior open spaces which accommodated the new
technology. Built during the boom period of Barre's
granite industry, the Jones Brothers Company was instrumental
in expanding the granite industry in Barre due the fine
quality of granite extracted from the quarry it owned, its
skilled labor, and its implementation of innovations in
granite manufacturing technology.
Gifford Wood State Park, Killington
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.
Certified Local Government
The Division for Historic Preservation awards at least 10% of
its annual federal appropriation to Vermont's Certified
Local Governments (CLGs), municipalities that have partnered
with us to identify, protect, and promote their historic
resources.
While the size of the yearly CLG grant set
aside is not large ($50-60K), year-to-year it provides a
consistent revenue stream to the ten towns in the
program. Most towns in the CLG program use their
grants to market and promote the benefits of historic
preservation locally and to nominate buildings and districts to
the National Register, but CLG grants can help underwrite a
broad array of local preservation programs and
projects. In many instances, communities have used
the training, and technical assistance provide by the CLG
program to build local capacity and political support to pursue
downtown designation and membership in the Vermont Downtown
Program.
This year the Division for Historic
Preservation and the Vermont Advisory Council on Historic
Preservation funded eight CLG grant applications to seven towns.
$2,000 to Bennington to fund staff and preservation commission
training and to conduct a visual analysis of the historic
neighborhoods near downtown.
$12,000 to Burlington to fund staff and
preservation commission training and to hire a consultant to
analyze and make recommendations on how to improve the City's
planning and zoning laws that relate to cultural and historic
resources.
$4,075 to Hartford to list the Christian
Street Historic District in the National Register.
$3,019 to the Mad River Valley to fund a
matching grant program that will underwrite condition
assessment reports for valley barn owners.
$4,451 to the Mad River Valley to update the
State Register listings for Fayston, Warren, and Waitsfield.
$6,835 to Rockingham to create a video
documenting Bellows Falls economic turnaround and to fund
programs that celebrate Rockingham's 250th anniversary.
$1,335 to Williston to train staff and
commission on preservation practice and theory at the National
Preservation Conference.
$2,598 to Windsor to underwrite a conference
that highlights the value of Connecticut River Valley
architecture and the important role its historic buildings
play in linking and revitalizing Connecticut River Valley
communities.
Click here http://www2.cr.nps.gov/clg/index.htm
for more information about benefits of the CLG program or
call 828-3047 or email Chris Cochran ccochran@dca.state.vt.us at
the Vermont Division for Historic Preservation
Cynthia Wood Mitchell Fund For Historic
Interiors Awards Grants in Vermont
Two Vermont buildings have recently received grants from the
Cynthia Woods Mitchell Fund for Historic Interiors.
Shard Villa in Salisbury received $2,285 for
condition report and stabilization plan for dry frescoes. For
more information contact Abbot Fenn 388-0321.
The Brattleboro Arts Initiative received
$5,000 for a conservation plan for the Greek mythology motif
interior of the Latchis Theater in downtown Brattleboro. For
more information contact Deb Hicks 254-1109 or 380-3900.
PRESERVATION IN PROGRESS
Manchester, Northshire Museum &
History Center
A group of eleven towns and historical societies in southern
Vermont are collaborating to test the feasibility of developing
a regional Northshire Museum & History Center in Manchester.
The new center will collectively showcase their individual
history and memorabilia and encourage visitors to explore all
historical society facilities in the area. The project is headed
by Executive Director Sally Mole.
East Burke, Fairbanks Museum Barn
Restoration
With help from a VDHP barn grant and PTV Preservation Grant, a
1795 Threshing Barn at Mountain View Creamery is being
rehabilitated for use as an agri-tourism interpretive center
being through the Fairbanks Museum. The idea is that the
interpretation center will orient visitors to agriculture in the
Northeast Kingdom, and then direct them to various farms in the
region open for visitors. Visitors are welcome to visit
the Mountain View Creamery to watch the barn restoration in
progress. Contact person is Marilyn Pastore at Mountain
View Creamery: innmtnview@kingcon.com
Brandon, Town Planning
In early May, the Brandon Chamber of Commerce through Janet
Mondlak hosted a town planning exercise facilitated by Jeff
Staudinger. The outcome identified several priority interests of
participants: complete the Old Town Hall project; get downtown
designation; complete Rt. 7 repaving/reallignment project
through Brandon; start a civic trust; and rehabilitate the Smith
Block. On May 20-21, a group of Brandon residents
participated in a Grand Isle Lake House Retreat, hosted by the
Preservation Trust, to further the discussion about implementing
these goals and strengthening Brandon's village center. A
primary goal for this summer is to open the Old Town Hall for
occasional events. Kellie Patten is heading the Old Town
Hall project with support from the Town and local
residents. For more information, or to help, Kellie is at kelliepatten@yahoo.com.
Pittsford, McClure Library
Built in 1894-5, this finely detailed polychromatic library
combines yellow brick, terra-cotta, brownstone, marble, and red
slate roofing. Notable detailing includes stained glass
transoms, polygonal reading rooms, a built-in wall safe (the
north room was designed and used as the Town Clerk's office
until 1910), and an unusual vaulted brick ceiling in the
basement -- worth visiting to see! Over the past two years, the
community raised $300,000 for repairs and an ADA compliant
entrance addition and elevator. The building is listed on the
National Register as part of the Pittsford Green Historic
District. The community is starting to raise funds for window,
plaster, masonry and roof repairs.
NATIONAL
Farm Bill and Historic Barn
Program Pass
The House and Senate passed the conference report on H.R. 2646
and on May 13 President Bush signed the bill.
Conferees finally agreed to a 10-year farm
bill (H.R. 2646) that includes Senator James Jeffords' (I-VT)
historic barn legislation. Jeffords' bill will provide $25
million for the preservation of historic barns and be
distributed over five years. Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), the
chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, was also
instrumental in getting the barn provisions inserted into the
Farm Bill as was Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D-SD), who
also played a major role in keeping the barn provisions intact
through floor consideration and conference negotiations on the
bill. Preservation advocates are encouraged to write to Senators
Jeffords, Harkin and Daschle and thank them personally for their
leadership in shepherding the barn provisions through to final
passage.
In addition, efforts are already underway to
ask appropriators to begin funding for the historic barn program
in fiscal year 2003. Senator Jeffords has been approached to
assist with a "Dear Colleague" letter to jump-start
the advocacy for barn funding in the Senate.
Main Street Survey Shows Strength in
American Communities
In its seventh annual survey of economic trends in America's
older Main Street commercial districts, the National Trust for
Historic Preservation's National Main Street Center found that
retail sales in America's Main Streets increased after the
September 11th terrorist attacks and that, while the rate of new
business start-ups appears to have slowed down, older commercial
districts continue to experience significant economic growth.
In announcing the findings at the 2002 Main
Street Town Meeting, Kennedy Smith, director of the National
Trust's Main Street Center, said, "The state of Main Street
is strong! While challenges always remain, people and businesses
continue to discover and strengthen their historic main street
districts. It does not happen overnight, but over the past 22
years, Main Street revitalization efforts have created 227,000
jobs and 56,000 businesses and have saved 89,000 historic
buildings all across the country. It shows that preservation
pays."
To read more about the survey: http://www.nthp.org/news/docs/20020408_trendsurvey.html
PUBLICATIONS &
RESOURCES
Above and Beyond: Visualizing Change in
Small Towns and Rural Areas
Co-authored by Burlington residents Julie Campoli and Elizabeth
Humstone with aerial photography by Alex Maclean.
How exactly do small towns become suburbs? How
do country roads turn into commercial strips? And what can
communities do to prevent these changes in the future?
Above and Beyond uses a host of aerial photographs--many
altered through computer simulation to illustrate how landscapes
are transformed over time-- ABOVE AND BEYOND argues for a return
to traditional development patterns that produce more compact
cities and towns.
More information about this beautiful and
informative book can be found at: http://commerce.planning.org/bookservice/Description.asp?Index=ABYP
New State Archaeology Website
www.aot.state.vt.us/archaeology/design
Among other things, the new state archaeology
website features the Vermont Archeological Society journals
which can be bought via a link to the VAS web site, as well as
information about the events such as the VAS spring
meeting. The Programmatic Agreement and manuakl can also
be downloaded from this site.
Historic Properties Website
http://www.HistoricProperties.com
This is a nationwide website that advertises properties built
prior to 1950 for sale. All properties owned by nonprofit,
state/city/government agencies are listed at no charge.
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
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
June 22-23
History Expo in Tunbridge
VERMONT HISTORY EXPO 2002 is planned for the weekend of June
22-23, from 10am - 5pm, at the Tunbridge World's Fair Grounds.
Daily admission costs are Adults $7.00 and Children &
Students (6-18 yrs.) $4.00. Children 5 yrs. and under are
admitted free. There is a 20% discount for groups of 20 or more.
http://www.state.vt.us/vhs/expo/index.htm
July 6-7th
220th anniversary celebration of the Battle of Hubbardton
Look here for more information:
http://www.state.vt.us/dca/housing/HistoricSites/index.htm
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
USDA Rural Development Grants to Assist
Economically Distressed Areas
$19 million in grant funds has been made available nationally to
develop essential community facilities in rural communities with
extreme high unemployment and severe economic depression.
A Notice of Funding Availability appeared in the Federal
Register on April 9, 2002.
Grants from the "Economic Impact
Initiative" are available to public entities, such as
municipalities, counties, and nonprofit corporations. Grant
funds can be used to construct, enlarge, or improve community
facilities for health care, public safety, and community and
public services. This can include the purchase of
equipment required for a
facility's operation.
The amount of grant assistance depends upon
the median household income and the population in the community.
Pre-applications compete on a national basis. Projects for
health care, public safety, ADA accessibility improvements,
child care, youth centers and elder care receive
priority. In addition, the Northeast Kingdom will
receive priority as it has been designated a REAP (Rural
Economic Action Partnership) Zone by USDA Rural Development.
Pre-applications for this grant must be
received in the Montpelier Rural Development Office by close of
business August 16, 2002.
To obtain more information or to apply for a
grant, please call Gary Beem or Naomi Hatch at 802-828-6032,
802-223-6365 (tty) or e-mail them at gary.beem@vt.usda.gov
or naomi.hatch@vt.usda.gov.
Grants Available through the Economic
Development Administration (EDA), Department of
Commerce (DoC)
The role of government is to create conditions
in which jobs are created, and in which people can find
work. EDA is soliciting proposals to determine the role
institutions of higher education can play in local and regional
economic development and to conduct a demonstration project of
faith-based and community organizations in economic development
that will help our partners across the nation (states, regions
and communities) create wealth and minimize poverty by promoting
a favorable business environment to attract private capital
investment and high skill, high wage jobs through world-class
capacity building, infrastructure, business assistance, research
grants and strategic initiatives. EDA will fulfill this mission
by promoting progressive domestic business policies and growth,
and by assisting states, communities, and individuals to achieve
their highest economic potential.
Proposals for funding under this program will
be accepted through June 19, 2002. Read the information at
this site for important details related to applying for one of
these grants: http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=2002_register&docid=02-12607-filed
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
World Monuments Fund Watch List
World Monuments Fund is very interested in receiving nominations
to the Watch program from your country. The next deadline is
December 1, 2002 for the Watch list of 2004, and the revised
nomination forms will be available from the WMF website in June
of 2002. Please visit the website to learn about the Watch
Program and to download the nomination forms:
http://wmf.org/
http://wmf.org/html/programs/participate.html
Or contact: Norma Barbacci, Director of
Programs, World Monuments Fund, 95 Madison Avenue, 9th floor,
New York, New York, 10016, U.S.A. tel: 646 424 9582
fax: 646 424 9593, nbarbacci@wmf.org
Call for Transportation Enhancements
Project Nominations
The National Transportation Enhancements Clearinghouse (NTEC) is
writing a new publication showcasing Transportation Enhancements
(TE) projects that have served as a catalyst for further
development and investment in a community, city, or region. The
ideal project will have documented economic (sales, main street
redevelopment, tourism) and community benefits (gathering
places, physical activity) as well as a clear relationship to
surface transportation (trail used for trip making, depots
serving as train or bus stations).
Project nominations should include:
* TE category or categories under which the
project was funded;
* Funding levels (TE portion, local match, and any innovative
funding mechanisms that were used, such as donated labor or
materials);
* Economic impacts; and
* Community impacts.
Please submit documents, quotes from public
officials and/or research indicating these impacts), as well as
a primary contact for the project. Photos of the project should
be available, preferably those that depict before and after
shots. Project nominations will be accepted from DOTs, MPO/RPA's
and local sponsors via mail, fax, or email to the address listed
below.
Please act quickly as project nominations need
to be received by Friday, June 28, 2002. For further
information, contact: Beth Bacher, NTEC, 1100 17th Street,
NW, 10th Fl, Washington, DC 20036 Toll free 1-888-388-6832
Fax 202-466-3742 email: rtcbeth@transact.org
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 conference, themed Cities, Suburbs &
Countryside, offers the tools to strengthen the commitment and
effectiveness to preserve historic places and revitalize
communities. Participants will learn through plenary and
educational sessions, field sessions, discussion groups and
tours of Cleveland and surrounding areas. First time
attendees will be paired with a
mentor.
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.
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
