Three interesting historic properties have become available in Lewisburg’s Downtown Historic District. A Sears kit house that has been on PAWV’s endangered list for several years, is available for free to someone who will move or disassemble it. Built in the early 1920s, it is an early version of The Westly, one of Sears most popular homes. A professional house mover has checked out the house and is confident it can be readily moved. Across the street from New River Community and Technical College and next to the Old Stone Church is McElhenney Lodge. It provided a dormitory, faculty housing, offices and a recreation center for Greenbrier College. The oldest part of the complex is a 19th century brick house with cement block additions. The third offering is the old Greenbrier Dairy building that housed a True Value hardware store for many years. The property includes a large lot and a warehouse in central Lewisburg. Each of these properties should qualify for historic preservation tax credits. The Lewisburg Historic Landmarks Commission is involved in efforts to save and restore these buildings. More information is available by contacting Commissioner Skip Deegans at 304-646-8475 or wedeegans@mac.com.
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SPECIFICATIONS FOR LOCAL WORKSHOPS/DEMONSTATIONS:
Proposal Application Requirements: Professionals interested in providing preservation training for either of the above formats should submit a proposal including:
Presenter fees, when paid, will be negotiated on a case by case basis. No separate travel expenses will be paid. Presenter fees may be offered to speakers if funds are available – as well as if, per SHPO grant requirements, those presenters meet the Secretary of the Interior’s Professional Qualifications Standards found in 36 CFR 61. (For information on 36 CFR 61 standards, see https://www.nps.gov/history/local-law/arch_stnds_9.htm.) Some presenters not meeting the requirements in 36 CFR 61 may also be paid fees, and PAWV will make this determination as funds are available. Proposals are due via email to Danielle Parker at dlapresta@pawv.org on Friday June 5, 2020 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 activities and will have final approval of content. This conference receives Federal funds from the National Park Service as administered by the West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture, and History. Regulations of the U.S. Department of the Interior strictly prohibit unlawful discrimination 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, U. S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, 1849 C Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20240. The Preservation Alliance of West Virginia (PAWV) invites proposals from qualified researchers and consultants to work closely with staff to conduct a program evaluation of the Preserve WV AmeriCorps program, in line with AmeriCorps expectations and requirements.
Scope of Work Goals PAWV anticipates the consultant will conduct a retrospective outcome evaluation on the Preserve WV AmeriCorps program for the years 2015-2019. The goal of this evaluation is to understand the level of impact Preserve WV AmeriCorps members have in building the capacity of site sponsors’ community engagement. Data for the 2015-2019 period has already been collected and is currently being organized into one spreadsheet for these evaluation purposes. Download the full RFP HERE. Preservation Alliance of West Virginia (PAWV), the statewide nonprofit organization dedicated to historic preservation, is seeking an AmeriCorps Program Manager to help with the management, implementation, and administration of the Preserve WV AmeriCorps program, as well as to manage the PAWV office in Elkins. The Preserve WV AmeriCorps program is PAWV’s statewide national service initiative where AmeriCorps members help main streets thrive, help communities capture their local history, and help preserve beloved West Virginia landmarks. The program involves 26 AmeriCorps members in a combination of full-time and half-time slots that are assigned to historical organizations across the state of West Virginia. The AmeriCorps Program Manager will be directly supervised by, and report to, Danielle Parker (PAWV Executive Director) and will assist her with the management and administration of the Preserve WV AmeriCorps program, in addition to helping with some general administrative tasks for PAWV. This position will be hourly part-time (averaging 20 - 30 hours/week) with pay of $15/hour. PAWV is looking for an AmeriCorps Program Manager who exemplifies competence, communication, and commitment. AmeriCorps Program Manager Duties Will Include:PAPERWORK & MONITORING FOR AMERICORPS
AMERICORPS RECRUITMENT, TRAINING & TEAM BUILDING
OTHER AMERICORPS TASKS
DARDEN HOUSE OFFICE MANAGEMENT
QualificationsSuccessful candidate must be organized and meticulous with paperwork, a self-starter, and computer literate with comfort in Microsoft Office Suite, email, Google drive, Survey Monkey, and social media. Excellent people skills and demonstrable ability to learn on one’s own are essential. The candidate must be able to work independently with periodic direction. Candidate should have a college degree or significant life experience. Prior management and/or AmeriCorps experience will be a plus. Communication and people skills are vital. Successful candidate must work closely with a wide variety of people. Good written and verbal communication skills, positive attitude, professionalism, calm demeanor in response to stress or conflict, ability to help with conflict resolution, and comfort with speaking in groups will all be needed. Candidates who can connect readily with the AmeriCorps members are encouraged to apply, as long as they can show management experience. AmeriCorps staff person should commit to PAWV principles and be prepared to take responsibility and represent the organization. Be expected to represent PAWV as a professional and to build relationships with site representatives, government agencies and officials, and program partners. It will be important to understand and comply with AmeriCorps prohibited activities, including not advocating or representing political or religious viewpoints as an employee. The position will be based in Elkins, WV at the PAWV office located at 421 Davis Avenue. The Program Manager will be expected to keep business hours as agreed, with some reimbursable travel around the state for AmeriCorps site visits, program orientation, and board meetings. In some cases, the AmeriCorps Program Manager will be required to stay overnight for pre-arranged PAWV and AmeriCorps Program Activities. This usually occurs in January, May, July, and October. To Apply
Applications will be accepted until January 20, 2020, or until position is filled. For more information or to submit application. Contact Danielle Parker, Executive Director at 304-345-6005 or at dlapresta@pawv.org PAWV Requests Proposals for Presenters for 2020 West Virginia Historic Preservation Conference12/10/2019
The Preservation Alliance of West Virginia (PAWV) is now accepting proposals for its West Virginia Historic Preservation Conference on April 30 – May 2, 2020. It will be held in Mercer County and will be split between three locations: Bramwell on Thursday, Princeton on Friday, and Bluefield on Saturday.
Conference proposals should fit into at least one of three tracks (download the guidelines for more information):
This is a request for knowledgeable professionals willing to lead one or more of the following:
For more information on each of these positions, necessary qualifications, and the application process, please see the guidelines (download .MSDOCX). Submit proposals via email to Danielle Parker at dlapresta@pawv.org by 5 pm EST on January 24, 2020. 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 receives Federal funds from the National Park Service as administered by the West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture, and History. Regulations of the U.S. Department of the Interior strictly prohibit unlawful discrimination 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, U. S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, 1849 C Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20240. The Preservation Alliance of West Virginia has unveiled a new loan program to provide capital, technical assistance, and development expertise to property owners who are renovating historic buildings in West Virginia.
The Historic Preservation Microloan will help property owners save endangered historical properties and develop commercial properties to create or retain jobs, housing, or heritage-related commercial activity in downtown commercial districts. “The microloan focuses principally on construction costs, though borrowers may also use it to apply for acquisition and predevelopment costs, as well as grant funding match,” said Danielle Parker, executive director for the alliance. “We hope to assist small borrowers, including nonprofit organizations and local residents who lack access to the credit available to large borrowers but feel passionately about saving and re-purposing historic buildings. We also hope this loan program can be used to respond to emergency situations quickly,” Parker explained. Made possible with a grant from the 1772 Foundation, the microloan is available to individuals, business owners, nonprofit organizations, municipalities, and religious organizations, Parker said. Loan amounts are available at $2,500-$10,000 and are repayable over a two-year term with a two-percent fixed interest rate. Applicants will also receive technical assistance from the alliance, and nonprofit organizations may also be eligible for volunteer support through the alliance's Preserve WV AmeriCorps program. West Virginia developers benefit from some of the nation's best preservation-financing programs, including a 45-percent historic-rehabilitation tax credit established by the W.Va. Legislature through the efforts of the alliance and other economic development partners. The state also provides matching development grants for the rehabilitation of historic properties to cover 50 percent of the cost of many such projects. Anyone interested in applying for loans using the Historic Preservation Microloan Fund should contact Danielle Parker at info@pawv.org or by calling 304-345-6005. The PAWV Board of Directors are volunteers from across the state who are dedicated to preserving our Mountain State’s cultural resources. The board is comprised of four officers, three members representing each of the Congressional Districts, at-large members, and ex-officio members from different state agencies. Each year, PAWV holds an annual meeting to vote on who will sit on its Board of Directors. The most recent meeting was held on September 21 during the 11th Annual Historic Preservation Awards banquet. PAWV voted for three new individuals to join the board and for a new Vice President. The 2020 officers are President Logan Smith of Elkins, Vice President Paula McClain of Morgantown, Secretary Phyllis Baxter of Elkins, and Treasurer Cris Green of Clarksburg. Paula is a newly elected officer for PAWV and is looking forward to her new post. She says, The past couple of years have given me an amazing opportunity to learn about the diversity of West Virginia’s rich cultural heritage, and although I’m relatively new to the state, I’m proud to call it my adopted home. I’m so excited to be kicking off my second year with PAWV and hope that my role as an officer will allow me the chance to get more people from all walks of life engaged in the work that we’re doing.
![]() The Preservation Alliance of West Virginia recently launched its WV Historic New Deal Trail website at https://wvnewdealtrail.com/. This website and other promotional materials were made possible from a West Virginia Humanities Council mini-grant. The trail originally was developed through a partnership between PAWV and the West Virginia Historic Preservation Office as part of a Preserve America Treasures Grant. Paper and former website materials were obsolete and led to PAWV creating this website and promotional rack card to be distributed statewide and regionally. This website is a work in progress, and we believe there are more sites to be added to the site. If you are interested in having your site added to the website or have suggestions about content updates, contact Danielle Parker at dlapresta@pawv.org. The New Deal in West Virginia: President Franklin D. Roosevelt implemented the New Deal programs to revitalize the nation’s economy during the Great Depression. Recreation and infrastructure projects provided employment opportunities. Begun in 1933 the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), commonly called the “Tree Army,” focused on reforestation and recreation projects. More than 55,000 West Virginia men were enrolled in the CCC and the state had more than 65 camps. Generally, CCC camps held a complement of 150-200 men housed in Army-style barracks. Enrollees were paid $30.00/month with $25.00 sent to the families and $5.00 for personal use. The second wave of New Deal programs began in 1935 and included the Works Progress Administration (WPA); it became the largest New Deal agency. The WPA built and improved city and county infrastructures such as roads, sewer systems, bridge building and municipal buildings. The WPA was also responsible for many arts, drama, media and literacy projects. Evidence of federally sponsored activities such as the Writer’s program, photography of the Great Depression in Appalachia, as well as post office murals and other arts programs are found throughout WV. PAWV has received an allocation of Neighborhood Investment Program Tax Credits for 2019. Donate to PAWV and earn a tax credit.
PAWV is raising funds for donors to adopt one of West Virginia's Endangered Properties and help local volunteers succeed in saving our special places. PAWV will work with licensed professionals to provide technical assistance to low-income stewards working to revitalize endangered historic properties in Greenbrier, Monroe, Pocahontas, Preston and Randolph Counties. Funds will be used to tackle site-specific obstacles at challenging buildings, as well as respond to emergency situations that arise at a historic building that will in turn endanger it. PAWV will work with low-income individuals who both serve on nonprofit organizational boards, as well as volunteer to reuse historic sites to benefit their community, or low-income individuals who own a historic building. Businesses and individuals who donate $500 or more in cash or professional services to PAWV are eligible to receive up to 50% of the contributed amount in the form of state tax credits. Donors may use the tax credit to reduce the liability of Corporate Net Income Tax and/or Personal Income Tax. PAWV has $2,250 ($4,500 in donations) available in NIP tax credits. Contact Danielle Parker at 304-345-6005, or at dlapresta@pawv.org, for more information. The Preservation Alliance of West Virginia has announced that the Davis Coal and Coke Company Administrative Building just south of the historic River Street District of Thomas has been recognized as a significant endangered historic building for 2019.
It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2011 because of its importance as the Tucker County headquarters of the company founded by legendary railroad and coal magnate Senator Henry Gassaway Davis from 1900 until 1950. The Alliance is adding it to the West Virginia Endangered Properties List because it has been sitting vacant since the 1980s and is structurally failing. In 1995, the City of Thomas assumed the building and has been able to maintain the exterior walls and roof but not the structural problems inside the building. The Friends of Blackwater took an interest in the building and has partnered with the City of Thomas and Vandalia Heritage Foundation to seek additional funding. The future is looking bright. In July 2019, the West Virginia State Historic Preservation Office granted $29,100 to Vandalia Heritage to replace joists on the first floor and repair a structural wall in the building. There are still many unknowns, and the Friends of Blackwater are looking to bring more attention to this important project by nominating it to the West Virginia Endangered Properties List. The current plan is for the City to enter into a long term lease with the Vandalia Heritage Foundation to redevelop the building, but no actuals plans are in place, making this project still unsecure. The Friends of Blackwater initiated this endangered properties recognition process on behalf of the City of Thomas and has solicited the assistance of the Preservation Alliance for historic preservation technical assistance, as well as applied for grant funding to develop an adaptive reuse plan for the building. The mostly likely redevelopment path for the building would be to have retail space on the main floor, with offices or residential space on the second floor and in the attic. You can donate to this project by visiting, https://saveblackwater.org/donate/. The West Virginia Endangered Properties List is a collection of historical resources in danger of being lost. The Preservation Alliance of West Virginia is the statewide nonprofit organization dedicated to historic preservation in our Mountain State. It maintains the West Virginia Endangered Properties List and administers the Preserve WV AmeriCorps program. For more information contact Danielle LaPresta Parker, 304-345-6005 dlapresta@pawv.org |
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