Published by the Preservation Trust of Vermont, 104 Church Street, Burlington, VT 05401
http://www.ptvermont.org

Vermont News

• Emily Wadhams Reappointed as State Historic Preservation Officer
• $3 Million Loan Program Available for Downtown Revitalization
• Village Center Designations
• Grant Awarded to Create Southern Vermont Recreation Center
• Firehouse Center for the Visual Arts Receives VHCB Grant Award
• White River Junction Historic District Update and Boundary Increase, Hartford
• Waterbury, Gates Motel

National News

• New Hampshire Acts to Save Historic Barns

Publications & Resources

• "Downside UP" Project
• National Trust Magazine News
• A Certain Somewhere
• Preservation Advocate News

Events

• The Tools and Techniques of Oral History, Friday, February 21
• Housing Endorsement Conference, Thursday, February 20th, 1-4 PM, Capital Plaza, Montpelier

Opportunities

• Executive Director Position Available, Preservation Burlington
• Nominations Sought by Preservation Burlington
• Covered Bridge Restoration Competition
• HUD's Secretary's Award for Excellence in Historic Preservation: Call for Submissions
• Director -- St. Johnsbury WORKS!
• Landscape Change Project, Perkins Geology Museum at the University of Vermont Project
• VMGA Summer Internship in Collections Care
• Woodstock Historic Society Seeks Education Coordinator
• Preservation Leadership Training
• Preservation Education Institute: Workshop Schedule at a Glance

VERMONT

Emily Wadhams reappointed as State Historic Preservation Officer
Emily Wadhams was reappointed in January as State Historic Preservation Officer by Vermont's Governor Jim Douglas.  Among the many things she has accomplished over the last five years are:
 

• a major effort at reorganizing the Division for Historic Preservation;
• success at rule making under state statutes for several programs including the administration of the Division's role in Act 250 to bring more clarity to the process;
• the development of a unique partnership between the Division and the Agency of Transportation guided by a comprehensive programmatic agreement which delegates federal review for historic resources to AOT.  This program is an award-winning model for streamlining environmental reviews and is the only one of its kind in the country;
• the evolution of the Downtown Program and its expansion to include village centers;
• the development of an excellent working relationship with Labor & Industry to improve the way changes to historic buildings are reviewed;
• work as chair of a Vermont Task Force with the US postal Service to improve policies to consider the impact of new and relocated post offices on downtowns.

Plans for the next four years include implementing a technology plan for the Division which includes a new database, GIS mapping, comprehensive statewide survey of historic and archaeological resources.  Part of the technology plan includes increasing the predictability of the location of archaeological resources by mapping areas of known sites and areas of very high potential.  The goal is to make information more readily accessible and ultimately improve the permitting process.

Other upcoming projects include town-by-town surveys to update historic resources and archaeological information in the state files.  Developments will continue with the Downtown Program and its role as a resource for downtowns, village centers and new town centers.  There are also plans to develop the Plymouth Cheese Factory as a statewide resource for Cheesemakers and the public.

The budget for FY 03 appears to be in good shape, and no significant cuts are anticipated for the FY 04 budget though everyone appears to be tightening their belts.  The actual budget won't be known until the end of the legislative session this spring.

Emily Wadhams is one of two Vermont advisors to the National Trust, on the National Council of State Historic Preservation Officers Board of Directors, a member of the National Trust's Public Policy Task Force, and a member of the Board of Directors of the Preservation Trust of Vermont. To reach her, email Emily.Wadhams@state.vt.us or call (802) 828-3056.  For more information about the Vermont Division for Historic Preservation, http://www.historicvermont.org/
 

$3 Million Loan Program Available for Downtown Revitalization
Chittenden Bank has committed $3 million over two years for loans to support the Vermont Downtown Program, aimed at helping preserve and revitalize the state's city and town centers.

The Chittenden Downtown Revitalization Loan program has a maximum loan amount of $100,000 at 6.25 percent interest to be used for project ranging from historic restoration to the installation of an elevator sprinkler system.  The interest rate is reduced to 5.75 percent if a municipal or regional revolving loan fund participates in the loan.

Under the state's Vermont Downtown Program, districts named a designated downtown by the Vermont Downtown Board become eligible from benefits including access to special loan funds, rebate of permit fees, technical assistance and tax credits.

For more  information about the Downtown Program, visit this site: http://www.dhca.state.vt.us/DHP/programs/downtown.html
or contact jane.lendway@state.vt.us or  joss.besse@state.vt.us or call (802) 828-3211.
 

Village Center Designations
Interest in village center designation continues to grow since Saxton's River, in the town of Rockingham, became the state's first designated village center in November, followed by Peru in December. Putney, West Rutland, Hardwick and Weston are next in line with applications, and Vermont Downtown Program staff expects dozens of applications in the next year.

This new designation process, passed by the legislature in May as an amendment to the Downtown Development Act, encourages communities to strengthen their village centers, similar to the intent of the downtown designation process. Village center designation is simpler to achieve, and provides more modest benefits than downtown designation. If a community has an approved municipal planning process, they can propose designation for the commercial and civic core of their traditional village center. Designated village centers are eligible for income tax credits for property owners who rehab historic commercial buildings, including meeting building code requirements, and regulations for food safety and handling from the state departments of health and agriculture. In addition, the state's Community Development Block Grant and Municipal Planning Grant programs give priority consideration to designated village centers (along with designated downtowns). The Downtown Development Board approves all applications for designation, and tax credits.

Further information, including the application guidelines can be found at www.historicvermont.org.
 

$100,000 Grant Awarded to Create Southern Vermont Recreation Center
The Vermont Housing and Conservation Board today announced a $100,000 grant to the Southern Vermont Recreation Center to help rehabilitate an old factory building in Springfield that has stood vacant for 33 years. The building will be the centerpiece of a new regional recreation center that will serve Springfield and eight surrounding communities.

“Our Board is very enthusiastic because of the recreational and historic preservation aspects of the project,” said Gus Seelig, Executive Director of the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board (VHCB). “We can help bring back to life an historic building for an important new use that will positively affect the lives of children, families and the elderly for decades to come. Furthermore, the restored facility will be at the gateway to the community. It will be a permanent reminder of the rich industrial history of the region as well as a signal of Springfield’s optimism for the future.”
The VHCB grant to the Recreation Center brings its Building Fund beyond the half-way mark toward its $4.9 million construction budget, according to Paul Kendall, co-chairman of the Center’s finance committee.

The Recreation Center will include a competition-size swimming pool, an indoor walking track, exercise rooms, meeting rooms, a small therapeutic pool and child care. A new swim center will be constructed next to the existing building. The building is located on Bridge Street with frontage on the Black River. There are plans to create a mini-park and small picnic area along the river and to extend the existing bicycle and walking path to the site of the Community Recreation Center.

Those who would like to volunteer or make a donation to the Southern Vermont Recreation Center should contact Sharon Ayer, Project Coordinator, at 885-1849 or e-mail, reccenter@springfieldvt.com
 

Firehouse Center for the Visual Arts Receives VHCB Grant Award
At a meeting on January 24, the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board awarded Burlington City Arts (BCA), a department of the City of Burlington, a grant of $100,000 toward rehabilitation of the historic Ethan Allen Fire Station in downtown Burlington. VHCB funds will be used to restore the façade, to preserve the historic bell/hose tower, and to provide accessibility modifications. The former fire station will be converted into the Firehouse Center for the Visual Arts, a community arts and educational center.

Built in 1887, the Ethan Allen Fire Station No. 4 is a Richardson Romanesque/Italianate building considered “among the best of its class in the state.” (Vermont Division for Historic Preservation). The four-story building with its tower and open belfry was originally built to house horse-drawn fire equipment, and later motorized fire apparatus. Decorative brickwork, carved sandstone details, massive, round headed windows, and the slate-sided belfry contribute to its architectural significance. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the building is one of the finest, and among the few, surviving examples of the style in Vermont. The city-owned fire house building is located on the undivided 2.5-acre parcel that comprises City Hall Park. In addition to the architectural importance of this project, an outdoor piazza will be created behind the fire house center, linking the building with the park.

Prominently located next to City Hall, the building served as a center for community social events, as volunteer fire companies historically did. After the volunteer fire company was replaced by a  paid force in 1895, the building became the headquarters of the Burlington Fire Department until 1925.  Subsequent to that, it housed the Burlington police department, an Office of Civil Defense, a US naval recruiting station and most recently city offices and art gallery space.

The project is noteworthy not only for historic and cultural attributes, but is considered an integral component of Burlington’s downtown vitality, particularly the effort to transform historic landmarks into positive economic enterprises. The transformation of the building into the Firehouse Center for the Visual Arts will preserve a major downtown architectural landmark and foster economic development in Burlington’s Downtown District.
 

White River Junction Historic District Update and Boundary Increase, Hartford
This was a project completed by the Hartford Historic Preservation Commission to update descriptions of the 29 buildings located in original district listed on the National Register in 1974 and to expand the boundaries of that district to encompass a more complete listing of resource types in the downtown area.

The district is a well-preserved example of a densely settled late 19th and early 20th  century village center whose significance is related to its location at the junction of several railroads.  It functions as the cultural, political and commercial center of the Town of Hartford. The boundary increase adds 36 contributing properties and 21 noncontributing properties to the previously listed district and includes residential, educational, transportation and industrial resources and provides a greater mix of resource types to the district. The buildings range in style and building type and most date from the 1880s to the 1930s.  Victorian era and early 20th century styles, including good examples historic industrial and commercial buildings, are most widely represented. Commercial and public buildings are largely built of masonry with residential structures being wood frame.
 

Waterbury, Gates Motel
On December 30, a fire severely damaged the Greek Revival brick Gates Hotel in downtown Waterbury.  The hotel, part of the Downtown historic district, had been converted to apartments.  Recently town and state officials met to see how each might help to bring back the building.  The Preservation Trust recently awarded $500 to help hire Engineering Ventures to investigate the feasibility of rehabilitating the building.
 

Concord, New Hampshire Acts to Save Historic Barns
The following story appeared in The Globe Online on 1/29/2003:
 "In a move being hailed by preservationists as a first in New Hampshire, the Concord City Council has voted to acquire an 18th-century barn to prevent it from being dismantled by its new owner and shipped from the state for reconstruction out West."
To read the entire story: http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/029/metro/N_H_city_acts_to_save_historic_barns+.shtml
 

"Downside UP" Project
Film airing on PBS on February 25 at 10 p.m.

 "Downside UP" by Nancy Kelly, is a story about the role of art in community development.  Kelly grew up in the Massachusetts mill town of North Adams, and was drawn back by the odd story of North Adams' transformation from depressed blue-collar community to the home of America's largest contemporary arts museum, MASS MoCA.  Some in North Adams saw MASS MoCA as a chance for renewal of  its economic life-and pride.  Using her own family as a kind of Greek chorus, Kelly's film follows people in North Adams as they gradually warm to the museum and its artists.  As Kelly points out, no matter how  many times people didn't "get" the art, the art was getting to them. The film is a very entertaining profile of the subsequent economic ripple through the local economy and local consciousness.

Suzanne Stenson O'Brien has created a "kit" which includes a copy of the film, a toolkit for discussion, promotional material and technical and personnel support, that is available to one organization per state who would like to use the film to draw a community together in dialogue, especially about the role of historic preservation in the arts and in community economic development.  Please contact Suzanne for more information:  suzzo@bitstream.net or 651-291-8891

The "Downside UP" web site can provide you with information about what has been done with the film thus far and how other organizations have applied it to their own work.  That address is http://www.downsideupthemovie.org.
 

National Trust Magazine News
If you are interested in learning more about preservation across the country, visit http://www.nationaltrust.org/magazine/
to read stories posted daily by the magazine for the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
 

A Certain Somewhere: Writers on the Places They Remember  Edited by Robert S. Wilson
Essays from Preservation magazine
A Certain Somewhere collects thirty essays originally published in Preservation magazine. Writers were asked to describe a place that is significant to them, to decipher what makes it mysterious and meaningful, and to examine the nature of attachment to specific locale.

Gathered here are pieces by writers of all kinds—essayists, novelists, literary critics, poets—on disparate and enthralling places, from Madison Smartt Bell on Haiti to Thomas Mallon on the New York Public Library. These writers examine how they came to invest a part of themselves in the places they inhabited, and how these places have consequently inhabited them. Most of all, the writers transport you to places that have enchanted them and that will charm you as well.  http://www.nationaltrust.org/magazine/book/index.htm

Preservation Advocate News
Occasionally we reprint interesting stories from the Preservation Advocate News, a publication of the National Trust's Department of Public Policy and distributed via e-mail to its grass roots advocacy network. The newsletter is full of inspiring stories of communities taking charge and overcoming huge obstacles in order to support preservation and smart growth policies.  Take a look at the latest issue here!

http://www.nationaltrust.org/advocate_better_policies/pan/20021209.html

For further information contact: National Trust for Historic Preservation, Department of Public Policy, 1785 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20036, 202-588-6254 (phone), 202-588-6038 (fax), policy@nthp.org (e-mail). To sign up directly for e-mail delivery, visit the National Trust's Congressional Advocacy Center at http://capwiz.com/nthp/home/.
 
 

EVENTS

The Tools and Techniques of Oral History
Friday, February 21
Vermont Folklife Center, Middlebury, VT
Presenters:  Gregory Sharrow, Jane Beck, and Andy Kolovos

A comprehensive introduction to folklife/oral history research covering such topics as definining a project, finding people to interview, doing background research, developing topics to guide an interview, mastering recording technique, conducting an interview, writing field notes, transcribing a recording, and more.  The workshop will include a tour of the VFC "Archive of the Spoken Word" and preview the new digital interactive archive website.

The workshop is limited to 25 participants.  Registration Fee:  $35.  Brown bag lunch, beverages provided. To register call the VT Folklife Center at (802)388-4964
 

Housing Endorsement Conference
Thursday, February 20th, 1-4 PM, Capital Plaza, Montpelier
Featuring Executive Director of Smart Growth America, Don Chen

The Housing Endorsement Program is an initiative of the Vermont Smart Growth Collaborative (VSGC), a coalition of nine Vermont nonprofit organizations who share a vision of promoting housing development aligned with Vermont's character and vision of compact settlements separated by working, rural landscapes.  Using smart growth criteria developed by a diverse group of partners, VSGC endorses best-in-class housing developments. The endorsement criteria are also designed to be used as a tool for local communities and planners. Our first endorsed projects will be announced at this conference!

Our keynote speaker is Don Chen, the Executive Director of Smart Growth America and one of the top national experts on smart growth. He will bring stories of successful marriages of smart growth, housing and economic development from around the country to help launch our own program here in Vermont.

Please be our guest for this free event!  (Refreshments included!) Registration information is available at our website www.vtsprawl.org or call Sarah Judd or Dylan Voorhees at the vermont Forum on Sprawl at (802) 864-6310.

OPPORTUNITIES

Executive Director Position Available, Preservation Burlington
Preservation Burlington, Inc., a nonprofit preservation organization, is seeking an Executive Director to coordinate program activities, support its committees, and assist the Board in carrying out its responsibilities in preserving the cultural resources and the quality of life in Burlington, Vermont.

The ideal candidate should have a background in nonprofit organization and administration, with experience in all or some of the following: fundraising, historic preservation, partnering with local organizations and municipal government, special events and marketing, grant writing, and volunteer management.

The candidate should have strong interpersonal and team-building skills, excellent oral and written communication skills, superior organizational skills, and the ability to work independently within a flexible schedule. Familiarity with historic preservation theory and practice is highly desirable. The Executive Director needs to be energetic, creative, and comfortable working with the diverse community groups participating in Burlington’s preservation efforts.

This position is part time. This search will be conducted quickly, and applications are due March 1, 2003. Mail, email or fax a letter and resume to:  Search Committee, Preservation Burlington, PO Box 481, Burlington, VT 05402. If you have questions, contact Preservation Burlington at 802-238-2918 or director@preservationburlington.org.
 

Nominations Sought by Preservation Burlington
Each year Preservation Burlington selects two winners to receive preservation awards.  These awards are given to individuals or institutions who have helped to preserve Burlington's heritage through the restoration or adaptive reuse of the city's many fine old buildings. Past winners have included the owners of private residences, but also organizations like Champlain College and the Burlington Land Trust.

Awards are made in two categories: single family residential and commercial/institutional.  The winners of these awards will be announced at Preservation Burlington's Annual Meeting in March.

We invite the public to make nomination for these awards.  You can do so simply by emailing your nomination to director@preservationburlington.org, or by calling 802-238-2918.  Be sure to include the address of the property and your reason for nominating it.

Covered Bridge Restoration Competition
“Clem Labine’s Traditional Building” has announced a special Palladio Award competition for Covered Bridge restoration projects. Nominations are due by February 28, 2003.  Applications are available on-line through the National Covered Bridge Preservation Conference Website, www.uvm.edu/coveredbridges or by contacting Traditional Building on the web at www.traditional-building.com/palladio/palladio.htm, by fax (718) 636-0750, or by phone at (718) 636-0788.  For more information about the conference online visit  www.uvm.edu/coveredbridges, email coveredbridges@uvm.edu or call The Preservation Education Institute at (802) 674-6752. The Preservation Education Institute is a division of Historic Windsor, Inc., a non-profit 501 C3 educational institution.
 

HUD's Secretary's Award for Excellence in Historic Preservation: Call for Submissions
The National Trust for Historic Preservation and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) invite organizations and agencies to share their success by participating in the sixth annual HUD Secretary's Award for Excellence in Historic Preservation. One organization or individual will be honored for its work to advance the goals of historic preservation in a project that creates affordable housing and/or economic opportunities for low or moderate income families. Nominated projects or activities will be judged, among other things, on their community impact, the degree to which the project is unusual or pioneering, its quality, and its difficulty..

Additional information is available by calling 1-800-245-2691 and selecting "Secretary's Awards" when prompted.  The complete application can be downloaded from the World Wide Web at http://www.huduser.org.  Submissions should be sent to: National Preservation Awards Coordinator, National Trust for Historic Preservation, 1785 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036, and must be postmarked no later than March 1, 2003.

Director -- St. Johnsbury WORKS!
St. Johnsbury WORKS!, a downtown revitalization organization, is seeking qualified applications for the challenging, part-time, contractual position of Director. This unique position offers an opportunity for an individual with strong interpersonal, communication, and organizational skills to guide the growth and development of this exciting downtown revitalization program. Business education, and independent program management experience a plus.

Director responsible for recruitment, coordination and training of numerous volunteers; community outreach; grants management; public relations; downtown program development; project coordination; marketing; and financial management.

Letter of Application and Resume must be directed to David Weed, St. Johnsbury WORKS, P.O. Box 327, St. Johnsbury, VT 05819 – on or before Monday, February 17, 2003. For information and complete job description contact Mike Welch, Tel: (802) 748-3926; Fax: (802) 748-1267.

Landscape Change Project, Perkins Geology Museum at the University of Vermont Project http://geology.uvm.edu/landscape/
We work with high school students and teachers, historical societies and town offices to document physical landscape change using historical and modern photographs.  We're building a digital archive of these images.

We're seeking a full-time person for +/- 16 months beginning April 2003.  To apply, please log on to the University of Vermont's employment page (http://www.uvm.edu/~employ/?Page=jobs.html) and select the position "Outreach Assistant in Geology - 11293" to get the posting directly along with application information.  Candidates need to apply directly to the Human Resources Dept. at the University of Vermont.   The annual salary will be at least $23,000 plus full benefits.

VMGA Summer Internship in Collections Care
 The Vermont Museum and Gallery Alliance, founded in 1983, is a consortium of Vermont museums, galleries, and historical societies which are open to the public on a regular basis, produce exhibits, hold collections, or provide educational programs.  We provide a forum for staff from the larger institutions to share their expertise and experience with museums and galleries which could otherwise not afford outside help or who are not sufficiently organized to take advantage of grants programs, exhibit assistance, or conservation services.  Of critical importance is increasing awareness of Vermont’s collective resources, cultural heritage, and promoting the appreciation of our cultural facilities.

 VMGA would like to hire a roving summer intern to work with 4 small, rural historical societies in two week intervals helping them with a predetermined collections care project.  The intern will be supervised and will work with Mary Jo (MJ) Davis, the Project Director for VMGA.

 The applicant should be a senior in college or of graduate level.  Previous experience with handling collections is necessary and an interest in future work in the field of preservation or conservation is preferred.  The applicant needs to be flexible, willing to work with volunteers of all ages, and organized.  A car will be needed for travel and having a laptop computer would be a helpful tool.

The applicant will be responsible for working on-site at 4 predetermined historical societies in Vermont during the summer of 2003 from June 15th to August 15th (dates are somewhat flexible).  The applicant will be trained by the VMGA project director to carry out prearranged two-week work projects in collections care such as rehousing a small costume collection, supervising an inventory of collections, reorganizing a small storage room for collections, or working on a small photograph collection.  The applicant will have to direct the project and work closely with volunteers and be responsible for project documentation in the form of a written report and photos as needed.

 Vermont Museum and Gallery Alliance, Attn: Sarah Rooker, Billings Farm Museum, PO Box 489, Woodstock, VT   05091  E-mail: vmga@valley.net

Woodstock Historic Society Seeks Education Coordinator
The Woodstock Historical Society has a position opening for a part-time, 20 hr. per week, Education Coordinator.  The Education Coordinator reports to the Executive Director and is responsible for the public education programs.  The two major areas of concentration are school education programs and adult education.  The Education Coordinator works in concert with the Guide Administrator to oversee the Society's historic house interpretation program.  The Education Coordinator is the staff representative on both the Education and Program Committees - committees designed to assist the Coordinator in the performance of his/her duties.

Starting wage is $13.00 per hr. with a flexible workweek.  Benefits include paid vacation, workers compensation, and a pleasant and exciting working environment.  Available immediately.  Join us, This is Where the History LIVES!!!

For further information contact Corwin Sharp, Executive Director at 457-1822 or email at whs@sover.net

Preservation Leadership Training
June 14-21, 2003, York, Pennsylvania
Application deadline: April 2003

Preservation Leadership Training/Advanced
(PLT/A is open to individuals who have completed the seven-day Preservation Leadership Training)
"Organizational Excellence"
July 27-August 1, 2003, Grand Isle, Vermont
Application deadline: Friday, June 6, 2003

To add a name to our mailing list for PLT, please send the address to plt@nthp.org.  There is more information about PLT on the web at http://www.nationaltrust.org/plt -- you can even download the brochure and application information there.

Preservation Education Institute: Workshop Schedule at a Glance
www.preservationworks.org

• February 28 - March 1, 2003    Historic Wooden Flooring
• May 16 - 17, 2003  Structural Evaluation and Repair:  Masonry
• July 10 - 13, 2003    Historic Plaster Repair
• July 14 - 15, 2003    Paint:  Historic and Contemporary Materials and Practice (Date Confirmation Pending)
• July 16 - 17, 2003    Structural Evaluation & Repair:  Timber Frame Structures (Date Confirmation Pending)
• July 18 - 19, 2003    Introduction to Architectural Photography
• Date Pending     Preservation Philosophy for People Who Maintain Old Buildings
• Date Pending     American Building Design and Technology
• Date Pending     Repointing Brick Masonry
•