Although Mayor Bill O’Brien has expressed his belief that the building should come down, he emphasizes that no decisions have been made. Demolition will take place using Community Development Block Grants made possible through HUD (federally-allocated) funds. These grants can also be used for rehabilitation and preservation projects, but their aim is to benefit low- to moderate-income people.
The West Virginia State Historic Preservation Office has said although the property is not archaeologically significant, it may be architecturally significant because it was constructed in the 1950s. It is within the boundaries of the Beckley Courthouse Square Historic District It may be eligible for the National Register of Historic Places, and demolition would be considered an “adverse effect” to a district already considered “endangered” by the Preservation Alliance in 2015. Delisting would prevent downtown property owners from applying for certain preservation grants and state and federal historic tax credits. Because the city plans to use HUD Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds to demolish the building, a public meeting must be held by law. Walter Hagland with Urban Design Ventures will be present at the meeting to answer questions. When The Register-Herald reached out to Hagland in March, he said rehabilitation of the building would not be economically feasible. However, he could not provide specific figures for rehabilitation or demolition. Jim Chambers, a downtown property owner, said he wants to see those numbers. “Why would the city want to spend money on someone else’s building?” Chambers questions. “As a property owner, you’re responsible for your own building.” He said property owners should be held responsible for their buildings, and that grant funds should not be used to tear down this property. Chambers also questions the plans for the property if the building is demolished — Will it remain an empty lot or will something be built in its place? Anyone interested in sharing opinions may do so at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday at council chambers at City Hall, 409 S. Kanawha St. in Beckley. Written comments may be mailed to Angela King, grants administrator for the City of Beckley, at 409 S. Kanawha St., Beckley, WV 25801. Some content reproduced from the Register Herald at http://www.register-herald.com/news/public-encouraged-to-share-comments-on-potential-demolition-of-downtown/article_b4520c52-b801-58bf-a8a8-5d858cd73668.html Much of this content can be credited to Wendy Holdren, Register Herald reporter.
Today, the Whipple Company Store houses the Appalachian Heritage Museum where you can visit and experience the history and cultural heritage of West Virginia coal mining families. Tours are held throughout the summer that offer a great opportunity to learn about our West Virginia heritage, coal mining experience, Appalachian culture with a hands on approach.
The Whipple company Store has many exciting events planned so mark your calendar now! Saturday, May 21st – the Whipple Company Store will be recognizing their 10 year reunion as a museum. This special event will feature the New River Youth Symphony and a tour of the beautiful building from 3-6 pm. Complimentary refreshments will be provided. Sunday, May 22nd – A benefit concert featuring both classical and Appalachian music will be held from 3-5 pm. Any and all donations will be accepted. Proceeds will benefit continuing music education for Charlotte Lynn’s trip to Green Mountain Music Camp in Vermont. Saturday, May 28th – Car show from 9 am – 3pm. For more information about the car show: http://whipplecompanystore.com/2016carshow.html Friday, June 10th – The Genealogy and Study Room dedication will be held in honor of Shirley Love from 3-6 pm, featuring a performance by Ann Sumpter Arrington and Charlotte Lynn on violin. Refreshments and museum tour will be provided. Wednesday, June 15th – Musical performance by Tom Breiding, starting at 5:30 pm. October, 1st and 2nd from 11 to 6 pm – Whipple Train days featuring train displays of many model trains and set ups. The entire building will be dedicated to trains of the past. For more information about the Whipple Company Store visit: http://www.whipplecompanystore.com For more information about the events: http://whipplecompanystore.com/events2016.html Or call: 304 465-0331 7485 Okey L. Patteson Road Scarbro, West Virginia 25917 The Preservation Alliance of West Virginia announced on May 6, 2016, during a press conference at Charleston’s Staats Hospital Building, the addition of four resources to its list of over 40 endangered historical properties across the state. Thank you to Gaddy Engineering for sponsoring this special event. A 1921 African-American church in the former coal camp of Tams, a 1939 school in the New Deal community of Dailey, a 1928 bridge in Hinton, and a c. 1880-1900 city block in downtown Wheeling have all been designated as endangered by the alliance. New Salem Baptist Church is the only building that remains in the coal camp in Tams (Raleigh County). The Gothic Revival church was built in 1921 for black miners and their families. The church reached its peak during the 1930s, serving 350 members. After the mine sold in 1955, the community began to empty. Outside coal companies bought and moved many of the buildings. The last residents left in the 1980s. The church has always had an active congregation (currently around 10 members). Maintenance is the chief issue, as is keeping the property as a church for the long-term. The deed’s reversion clause apparently states that the parcel will revert to ownership by the present Western Pocahontas Land Company should it cease to be a house of worship. The congregation and all other engaged parties agree the church should be preserved perpetually as a monument to the communities that once populated the Winding Gulf and as a memorial to the former black community of which the church is the sole remnant.
Homestead School is an elementary school serving the Tygart Valley Homestead communities of Dailey, East Dailey, and Valley Bend (Randolph County). The 1939, Art Moderne style school was an important part of resettlement plans to relieve desperate families in rural West Virginia during the Great Depression. The Tygart Valley Homestead was part of the Roosevelt Administration’s First Hundred Days legislation and was the state’s third (and largest) successful resettlement program. Homestead School, which featured First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt as its first graduation speaker, is the last operational school of the 99 built during the era. Homestead School is in danger of closure due to lack of funding to maintain and rehabilitate the school. The Randolph County Board of Education (RCBE) was recently unable to pass a bond levy, which would have helped to pay maintenance costs at this school and others. A Friends group, the Homestead Association, helps counter these costs by fundraising and applying for grants to rehabilitate the school. The goal of the Homestead Association is to raise funds to keep the school functioning and to preserve the memory of the Homestead communities in the Tygart Valley. Avis Overhead Bridge connects Hinton and the neighboring community of Avis (Summers County). It is recognized in the 1984 West Virginia Bridge Survey as being historically significant. The Luten Bridge Company constructed the bridge in 1928. Its designer, Daniel B. Luten, claimed to have designed over 17,000 bridges, and the concrete Avis Overhead Bridge features his patented Rainbow Arch – built with curved, simply ornamented, solid parapets. The Avis bridge closed in 2003 when a new bridge was constructed nearby. The West Virginia Division of Highways (DOH) retains ownership and does not have plans to rehabilitate the bridge, which in need of concrete repairs, conduit replacement for decorative lighting, and grooming of the surrounding area. Local groups would like to see it reused as a pedestrian bridge. The DOH would consider giving up ownership of the bridge to a nonprofit, if that particular organization could demonstrate the long-term fiscal ability to inspect the bridge in accordance with National Bridge Inspection Standards and to maintain its safe operations for general public use. Wheeling’s 1400 Block of Market Street consists of three contiguous buildings (1425, 1429, and 1433) on the west side of Market Street in the Wheeling Historic District (Ohio County). All three (c. 1880-1900) have housed prominent, locally-owned and operated businesses – including Standard Cigar Works, Wheeling Candy Kitchen, and, most famously, Zellers Steak (in the middle of the three buildings, number 1429). Zellers was owned by Wheeling’s most notorious underworld figure, “Big Bill” Lias – with the first floor being a legitimate restaurant, while a plush gambling casino operated on the second floor. In addition to being a part of Wheeling’s fascinating past, the buildings are architecturally interesting. Number 1425 is Italianate, 1429 is Flemish with Medieval overtones, and 1433 is Victorian/Neoclassical. Facades of the upper floors of each building are essentially original, while the first floors have “contemporary” storefronts. Renovation of these first floors would enhance the architectural value of the entire block. The City of Wheeling acquired the buildings in 2014 and is willing to sell them to the right buyer, with a negotiable price. Anyone interested in buying any of the three buildings should contact the City of Wheeling’s Planning Department at 304-234-3701 and ask for the Request for Proposals detailing the requirements. “The Endangered Properties program allows Preservation Alliance to go into communities and assist their efforts to preserve and/or restore places that are important to them,” said Martha Ballman, former PAWV Executive Director, now serving on the Board of Directors. “It is a public statement that these places matter, not only to them but to us all by our shared heritage. Real progress has been made and many sites saved through these efforts. Our [Charleston] community has watched the Staats Hospital [a 2005 and 2012 WV Endangered Property] languish for many years, succumbing to vandals, time and the elements; PAWV recognition and local efforts are now making preservation of this historic building and its stories [a reality].” Disclosed annually since 2009, the list has become one of the organization’s most useful tools and has allowed it to build interest in the rescue of threatened landmarks and landscapes. After being nominated by individuals and organizations, properties which have been added to the alliance’s list are selected through a competitive application process based on imminent danger, on local support for their reuse, and on their listing on (or official eligibility for) the National Register of Historic Places. Properties that make the list qualify for assistance through the alliance. The organization’s Field Services Representative, Lynn Stasick, works with local residents rallying to save and repurpose these endangered sites – providing advocacy, capacity building, and preservation assistance such as structural needs assessments. Current Endangered Properties in West Virginia may be found on the Preservation Alliance’s website at http://www.pawv.org/endanger.htm. Citizens who are interested in assisting with preservation projects may contact the alliance at info@pawv.org or 304-345-6005. Visit www.pawv.org for preservation updates, for more information about each of the Endangered Properties, or to download a nomination form for next year’s Endangered Properties list. The Preservation Alliance of West Virginia is seeking dynamic individuals to fill vacancies in its board of directors, which is comprised of four officers and three individuals from each of the three Congressional district in the state. Current vacancies are in the second and third Congressional districts with others expected in 2017.
Directors must live in their respective Congressional district and are expected to attend the organization’s four quarterly meetings statewide, as well as attend its annual events. Other programming and fundraising responsibilities are asked of directors as they build an understanding of the organization. Directors serve for periods of two or three years with opportunities for renewal for a second term. If you are interested in serving on the Board of Directors, please complete the application and return it to info@pawv.org. The application can be dowloaded as a .doc file: PAWV Board_Application Trowbridge named Whiting Public Engagement Fellow; foundation to provide $50,000 toward development of free heritage tourism app
Dr. David Trowbridge, an associate professor of history at Marshall University, has been selected for The Whiting Foundation’s Whiting Public Engagement Fellowship. Trowbridge said the $50,000 fellowship will be used to further develop Clio, a free mobile application and website that connects the public with information about historical and cultural sites around the United States. “I hope that Clio’s growth throughout West Virginia and beyond demonstrates the potential of technology created by university faculty at regional universities like Marshall,” Trowbridge said. “While Clio is free and non-commercial, it offers the potential for economic development—especially in a state such as ours that is working to promote tourism.” Since Trowbridge created Clio in 2012, it has grown into a national resource with more than 20,000 users a month and 10,000 curated entries. The Whiting Foundation supports faculty in the humanities who embrace public engagement as part of the scholarly vocation, according to Executive Director Daniel Reid. “Dr. Trowbridge is the perfect example of what we’re looking for,” said Reid. “His project is one that is thoughtfully designed to reach the public with deep and meaningful content. The fact that he built this starting with his own personal time and funds is inspiring.” Trowbridge said developers are working to expand Clio’s functionality to include features such as personalized itineraries that offer walking and driving tours. “Until now, mobile apps offered walking tours that required people to start and stop at a preset location and follow a preset route. Thanks to the generosity of the Whiting Foundation and the talented team of developers at Strictly Business Computer Services, Clio will change that,” Trowbridge said. “Together with original content from hundreds of universities, libraries, historical societies, and other organizations, Clio will allow people to experience history as they enjoy a walk through any city in America.” For more information about Clio, visit www.theclio.com. Originally posted on http://www.marshall.edu/ucomm/2016/04/19/marshall-faculty-member-named-whiting-public-engagement-fellow-foundation-to-provide-50000-toward-development-of-free-heritage-tourism-app/ The Preservation Alliance of West Virginia (PAWV) released its newest technical how-to video demonstrating a step-by-step guide in mothballing historic properties. Mothballing is the process of creating a ventilated envelope around a building to preserve the structure until it can be restored. This technique is frequently used for historic properties where funding is not available to immediately rehabilitate it. It is a valuable tool for dealing with vacant and dilapidated properties because it buys the owner time in protecting the building from vandals and weather until funds can be raised to rehabilitate it. This video includes a materials list and step-by-step instructions on how to build window and door panels that when applied, result in minimal damage to wood frames. It was developed according to the National Park Service’s standards listed in their Preservation Brief 31. The video is available on the Alliance’s YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/preservationalliance.
This video was produced using mini-grant funds from the WV Humanities Council. It was produced in partnership with Winding Gulf Restoration Organization (WeGROw) and Liberty High School’s Fine Arts Program. Liberty High School’s Fine Arts Program students were involved in every step of the creation of this video as part of a class project. Mr. Everett Jeremy Rodriguez and students Tyler Carden and Brian Jarrell filmed and edited this video as a volunteer project. The mothballing video builds upon another video released last year, entitled “Preserving and Restoring the Helen Apartments.” This video will also supplement past Preservation Alliance videos, including videos on how to rehabilitate your historic wooden windows and how to assess your historic structure. For assistance in mothballing your historic property, contact Lynn Stasick at lstasick@gmail.com. PAWV released its Request for Proposals for a Historic Preservation Revolving Loan Fund Program Feasibility Study. All proposals are due Friday, May 20, 2016 with the award date scheduled for Friday, June 3. Thank you the 1772 Foundation for providing funding for this project.
The complete request for proposals is available below: REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS: HISTORIC PRESERVATION REVOLVING LOAN FUND PROGRAM FEASIBILITY STUDY April 19, 2016 – Preservation Alliance of West Virginia Organizational Overview Formed in 1982, the Preservation Alliance of West Virginia (PAWV) is the only statewide, grassroots, nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation of the Mountain State’s cultural heritage. PAWV’s formal mission is, “With a commitment to preserve our unique cultural heritage, PAWV and its members work to save our past for the present and future, supporting and promoting historic preservation through education & outreach, advocacy, preservation tools, and heritage tourism.” The website is www.pawv.org and blog is https://preservationallliancewv.wordpress.com/. Submission Deadline 5:00 p.m. EST on Friday, May 20, 2016. Responses may be submitted electronically via email to dlapresta@pawv.org or by letter to 421 Davis Avenue, Elkins, WV 26241. Scope of Work Goals A completed feasibility study answering the following questions (at a minimum):
Scope of Work
Required Deliverables A written report of research data and a completed feasibility study with recommendations (both presented in one hard copy and one digital copy format). Assumptions and Agreements
Required Proposal Format The proposal must contain the following sections: Technical, Costs, Qualifications, and References.
Deadlines Questions from bidders must be submitted by email to project coordinator by Monday, May 9, by 5:00 p.m. EST. All relevant questions and responses will be compiled and emailed to all known bidders by Friday, May 13. Proposal must be date- and time-stamped by 5:00 p.m. EST on Friday, May 20, 2016. Project coordinator and point-of-contact Danielle LaPresta: dlapresta@pawv.org, 304-345-6005 Preservation Alliance of West Virginia, 421 Davis Avenue, Elkins, WV 26241 Basis for Award of Contract
Award Date: Friday, June 3, 2016 Limitation This RFP does not commit PAWV to award a contract or to pay costs incurred by bidder in the preparation of a proposal to this RFP. PAWV may accept other than the lowest bid, waive minor informalities, and award a contract based only on the written proposal without any discussions with bidder. Issuance of a contract will be subject to the approval of the PAWV Board of Directors. PAWV reserves the right to reject any or all proposals because of non-responsiveness to RFP requirements, insufficient PAWV funds, evidence of unfair bidding procedures, financial insolvency of bidder, or if, in the opinion of PAWV’s Executive Director, the best interests of the program will be served. This is a reminder that proposals for the PAWV 2016 Conference are due April 25. Here is the full request for proposals.
Preservation Alliance of West Virginia is currently accepting proposals for its next statewide historic preservation conference, scheduled for September 22-24, 2016. It will be held primarily in Beverly, with some opportunity for programming in the immediate Randolph County vicinity (Elkins, etc.). This year’s conference theme will be This Place Matters: Connecting with Historic Places. Conference proposals should relate to the theme and fit into at least one of three tracks:
This is a request for knowledgeable professionals willing to lead one or more of the following: Keynote speeches Plenary speeches Half- or full-day workshops Educational walking or driving tours Educational sessions Round-table discussions Panel presentations Student/AmeriCorps poster session For more information on each of these positions, necessary qualifications, and applications, please see the guidelines below. Here is a downloadable version of the PAWV conference RFP 2016 Submit proposals via email to info@pawv.org by April 25, 2016. For more information, please contact PAWV’s Executive Director, Danielle LaPresta Parker, at dlapresta@pawv.org or 304-345-6005. This RFP does not indicate any promise to follow through and implement any proposals. We reserve the right to select different trainers for workshops, sessions, etc. We reserve the right to accept late proposals if insufficient or inadequate proposals for all slots are not received by the deadline. We may suggest revisions to your proposals for your consideration. PAWV staff will organize and direct all events and will have final approval of content. This conference will be funded in part with federal funds from the National Park Service, Department of the Interior and the WV Division of Culture & History, State Historic Preservation Office. Regulations of the U.S. Department of the Interior strictly prohibit unlawful discrimination in departmental Federally Assisted Programs on the basis of race, color, national origin, age or handicap. Any person who believes he or she has been discriminated against in any program, activity, or facility operated by a recipient of Federal assistance should write to: Office of Equal Opportunity, National Park Service, 1201 Eye Street, NW (2740), Washington, DC 20005. Proposal Application Requirements: Professionals interested in providing preservation training for any of the above formats — speeches, workshops, keynote speakers, educational sessions, roundtables, panel discussions, poster sessions, and/or educational tours — should submit a proposal including:
Presenters will be offered free admission to the conference for the day (excluding banquet) of their presentation, plus the volunteer-discount rate to attend the rest of the conference. Presenter fees, when paid, will be negotiated on a case by case basis. Presenter fees may be offered to major speakers, with smaller amounts offered to panel participants and additional presenters if funds are available. No separate travel expenses will be paid. Positions Available: Plenary and keynote speakers We are seeking one plenary speaker and two keynote speakers for the following: A 15-30 minute plenary speech on local history or preservation – or on one of the conference themes/tracks – for an opening session directly following Friday’s lunch; A 30-45 minute keynote speech related to the conference theme or one of the conference theme/tracks for the awards banquet on Friday evening; A 30-45 minute keynote speech related to the conference theme or one of the conference theme/tracks for the luncheon on Saturday afternoon. Workshop leader Trades workshops are best held at a historic property, with hands-on work performed on the property as part of the workshop. Some workshops may include a classroom component or may be intensive training on a focused topic. Occasionally, other formats – such as a longer training period, or combining multiple skills in one workshop – may be offered. These workshops can be either a half or a full day. Trainers should have extensive experience in the specific skill, thorough familiarity with historic preservation issues regarding that skill, and experience in teaching the skill. Trainers are encouraged to bring additional hand tools for students’ use for hands-on practice. Seminar, panel, or round-table type workshops related to one of the tracks could also be considered for workshop topics or presentations more appropriate to a longer format than the 75 minute educational sessions. Educational speakers Educational speakers will lead 75 minute sessions related to one of the tracks. Each session will most likely be held in an educational breakout room at a specific site. Conference participants will have the option of attending various sessions throughout the three-day period. Speakers should have extensive experience in the specific topic, thorough familiarity with historic preservation issues regarding that topic, and/or experience in teaching the topic. Round-table leaders The round-table discussions, which should be related to one of the tracks, will be 75 minutes long and will be located in a specific educational breakout room. Leaders of round-table discussions must have widespread knowledge and experience working with the specific topic. Leaders will be available to discuss and answer questions asked by conference participants regarding the discussion topic, as well as to encourage constructive input and sharing of experiences by the participants. Panel presenters and moderators The leaders/moderators of panels related to one of the tracks will assemble 2 or 3 panel presenters to each give a short presentation related to the same theme, followed by discussion led by the moderator. The names, contact information, and qualifications of each panel participant should be included in the proposal. Panels last 75 minutes and will be held in a specific educational breakout room. Tour guides (walking or driving) Walking tours generally run from 1 ½ to 3 hours. Driving tours may be a half-day or longer. Guides must have pervasive knowledge of the historic structures and properties described on the tour. PAWV requests that tour guides be knowledgeable not only in the historic uses of the buildings, but also in the methods, strategies, and/or technologies used during the preservation, adaptive reuse, etc., of the structures/sites. The primary focus of the tour should be related to historic preservation, the conference theme, and/or one of the conference tracks; however, PAWV encourages tours to also share aspects of local history. Poster session The poster session will include the presentation of research or a historic preservation project by an individual (typically a student or AmeriCorps member) or by representatives of a project team. Posters will be displayed in an exhibitor hall, and presenters will accompany their posters – illustrating their research methods or project scope and outcomes. The posters will be displayed during the entire conference, but the poster presentation session will be held over a period of one hour on Friday or Saturday of the conference. Three Conference Tracks: Conference attendees can choose to attend workshops and educational sessions related to three conference tracks, which focus on specific themes common in historic preservation projects and development. By featuring three different tracks, conference attendees can choose the topic that best reflects their interests and gain the most from their experience. Attendees will have the choice of Thursday workshops and tours reflective of track themes, as well as Friday and Saturday concurrent educational sessions. Proposals should be related to one of the following tracks.
Both of these bills would mainly:
(1) allow an increased 30% credit (from the current 20% credit) for small-sized transactions, between $750,000 and $3.75 million; (2) simplifies the tax credit transfer process for projects under $2.5 million. We need your help in asking our Senators and Representatives to co-sponsor this bill and move it forward. Currently, there are no Senators or Representatives from West Virginia co-sponsoring this bill. If you would like to see a list of projects utilizing the historic tax credit, please visit http://www.preservationnation.org/take-action/advocacy-center/additional-resources/historic-tax-credit-maps/2015/WV_map-and-economic-impacts-and-project-lists-from-2001-to-2014.pdf. How can you help? Please contact your Senators and Representative today. As their constituent, your opinion matters, and these improvements to the tax credit can make more projects viable in West Virginia. It’s as simple as sending an email. They’re contact information is available at http://www.contactingthecongress.org/cgi-bin/newseek.cgi?site=ctc2011&state=wv. All you need to do is complete a contact form asking them to co-sponsor either HR3846 or S2655. If you want to send something more substantial, here is a sample letter. Dear xxx, As a constituent who values the preservation of our state’s rich and diverse heritage, we respectfully request that you co-sponsor the Historic Tax Credit Improvement Act, S. 2655 / H.R. 3846. Your support of this legislation will demonstrate our nation’s ongoing commitment to federal tax policies that help revitalize our economy and preserve Main Street communities throughout the nation. The Historic Tax Credit Improvement Act, H.R. 3846 / S. 2655, introduced in the House by Congressman Mike Kelly (R-PA) and Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) and in the Senate by Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) and Senator Susan Collins (R-ME), would reform the federal rehabilitation tax credit for the first time in thirty years in several important ways by:
Since President Reagan signed the federal historic tax credit into law, it has leveraged nearly $117 billion in private investment, created 2.5 million jobs and adapted more than 41,250 buildings for new and productive uses. And the credit more than pays for itself – over the life of the program the IRS has issued $24 billion in tax credits while generating more than $28.6 billion in direct federal tax revenue. Today, it is the most significant investment the federal government makes to preserve our nation’s historic properties. From 2001 – 2014, the Internal Revenue Service awarded almost $28 million in federal historic tax credits to projects in West Virginia, resulting in the completion of 85 projects statewide and nearly $168 million in total development expenditures. For these 85 projects, 3,366 jobs were created, and $34 million in federal, state, and local taxes were generated. Over this thirteen year period, projects were very frequently completed in historic downtowns and for various purposes including downtown development, housing, entertainment, office space, and more. Some of the more recognizable projects include the Quarrier Diner restaurant building in Charleston, the First Ward School Apartment Building in Elkins, the Ritz Theatre in Hinton, the Old JC Penny Building in Huntington that is now home to the Taste of Asia, the Morgantown Beauty College building, and many more. Please consider signing on as a co-sponsor to the Historic Tax Credit Improvement Act, S. 2655 / H.R. 3846. As always, we look forward to continuing our collaborative work with Congress, preservation and partner organizations, business leaders, and individuals working to recognize the value of the historic tax credit, and its role in improving the quality of life in cities and towns across the nation. Your support of the Historic Tax Credit Improvement Act is greatly appreciated. Please let us know what information we may provide to help ensure the federal historic tax credit continues our nation’s successful policy of preserving and revitalizing our older and historic communities. Sincerely,
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