We have canceled the Hazardous Materials & Safety Workshop scheduled to be held at Arthurdale on July 26.

We plan to reschedule sometime this Fall.

Stay tuned for more information!

We are pleased to announce that Donovan Rypkema will be a workshop instructor at the 2013 Statewide Historic Preservation Mini-Conference to be held in Morgantown, September 20-21, 2013.   Rypkema will bring a fresh voice and extensive experience to how historic preservation can address the many economic development and revitalization challenges West Virginia faces.  Government officials, developers, and planners are encouraged to attend, as are historic preservationists, architects, and community citizens.

The workshop will focus on bringing investments to West Virginia and will cover three different but interrelated elements of historic preservation: incentives, adaptive re-use, and rightsizing.  Specific attention will be paid to what historic preservation incentives are, how they work, and the public policy justification for providing direct or indirect public resources for private assets.  Additionally, Rypkema will explain how historic preservation works for the private sector and ways to re-use historic buildings when they no longer meet the needs for which they were built.  The final segment of the workshop will look at the challenges of a declining population and if and how historic preservation is part of the efforts for rightsizing.

Rypkema is an expert in the economics of historic preservation and is the Principal of PlaceEconomics, a real estate and economic investment firm based in Washington D.C.  He has given workshops in 48 states, and this September will be his first workshop in West Virginia.  This workshop will be held on Saturday, September 21, 2013 from 9 am – 5 pm at the Monongalia Arts Center in Morgantown.  AICP certified planners can earn 6.5 Certificate Maintenance credits during the workshop.  Register before September 6th, and the cost of the workshop for PAWV members is $25.  Nonmembers can attend the workshop for $40.  Online registration information is available at http://www.pawv.org.

PAWV will host other activities over the weekend, including a Civil War Walking Tour of downtown Morgantown and the annual Historic Preservation Awards Banquet.  The banquet will be held at the historic Hotel Morgan, and Rypkema will join participants for a keynote speech.  For more information on activities and registration, visit www.pawv.org, email [email protected], or call 724-322-8959.  There are also volunteer opportunities for discounted entry.

Mark your calendars for the Mini-Conference September 20-21 in Morgantown, West Virginia.

We are excited to announce the release of our 2013 Mini-Conference Brochure this week.  We have two days of informative workshops and lots of fun activities.  We’ll be in downtown Morgantown the entire weekend, and you’ll have the prime opportunity to dine and shop in many locally owned restaurants and stores.

View the full brochure and register online HERE!  Early bird registration ends September 6th!

Highlights  include:

• Full-day workshop with Donovan Rypkema, historic preservation economics expert.  Learn about using historic preservation to bring investments to West Virginia.  Under Review for AICP CM credits
• Civil War Walking Tour of Downtown Morgantown and the Wharf with the Morgantown Historic Landmarks Commission
• 2013 Historic Preservation Awards Banquet at the recently rehabilitated Hotel Morgan with keynote speaker, Donovan Rypkema
• Historic Book Sale & Book Signing with the authors of Living Monuments: The Courthouses of West Virginia
• Historic Wood Windows Rehabilitation Workshop with Statewide Field Services Representative, Lynn Stasick

Want to Volunteer?
Volunteer registration opportunities available!  Help us with a few tasks during the mini-conference and enjoy an extremely discounted entry fee!

Special Sponsorship Opportunity Available for the Awards Banquet
For the awards banquet, sponsor a table for you and your friends, and you’ll receive 8 prime seats at the banquet and 8 free entries to the Saturday workshop of your choice.  Learn how HERE!

Need to Stay Overnight?
Special discounted hotel accommodations available for out-of-town attendees.  Book a room at the Hotel Morgan prior to August 15th under the PAWV block to receive a discounted price of $99 + tax/night.

Reservations are available for Friday, September 20, and Saturday, September 21.  Enjoy suites with Wi-Fi, king-size beds, spacious bathrooms, and a continental breakfast.  Call 304.292.8200 to book your room today!

Preservation Alliance of West Virginia (PAWV) is giving an instructional workshop about Hazardous Materials in Historic Buildings on Friday, July 26th at Arthurdale Heritage Center from 11am – 5pm.  Lynn Stasick, PAWV Statewide Field Representative and EPA-certified lead paint renovator will be the instructor for the workshop.  The content will focus on common hazardous materials found in historic buildings including lead paint, mold/mildew, and asbestos.  Lynn will provide safety and mitigation tips for dealing with all three of these common hazards.  The workshop will explain and quell myths about these common issues.  It will also help participants to design plans to approach these problems.

Participants will also be led on a tour of a PAWV 2012 Endangered Site, the Arthurdale School Buildings, to investigate the hazards discussed during the workshop.

The workshop is free for PAWV members and WV Endangered Property Site Representatives, and lunch will be provided for a $10 fee.  There is a $15 fee to attend the workshop for non-members.
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For more information and to register, contact [email protected].

By Danielle, Executive Director

Preservation Alliance of West Virginia is very lucky to have a historic preservation expert and EPA-certified lead paint renovator as its Statewide Field Representative.  Lynn Stasick’s contracting expertise and knowledge of historic properties has helped countless people all over the state in their efforts to rehabilitate and re-use historic properties.

Preservation Alliance is always thinking of new ways to use Lynn’s skills to help others while in the field.  Lynn frequently gives historic window rehabilitation workshops (in fact, there are two coming up this June). 

During the windows workshops, Lynn explains the best practices for rehabilitating wooden windows according to the National Park Service’s Class I, II, and III methods of historic windows restoration and gives a step-by-step demonstration for restoration and weatherization.  Frequently, Lynn allows time during the workshop for hands-on training, and participants have a chance to see how easy it can be to rehabilitate a window.  Recently, we’ve thought of a new way to help people and organizations wanting to tackle a historic preservation project and address their concerns over taking on such a project.

In honor of Historic Preservation Month, Preservation Alliance tried something different.  Lynn developed a new workshop focused on hazardous materials and safety in historic buildings, and the preservation-minded folks in Lewisburg hosted our workshop in the Lewisburg City Council Chambers.  Following the presentation, we all took a short walk over to the Sears House – a 2013 WV Endangered Property – to get a first hand look at best practices in safely approaching a historic building.

This workshop really hit close to home for the participants and for us.  One of the most common concerns that we hear from fledgling preservationists is their worries over hazardous materials – the bad words in historic preservation: lead paint, asbestos, and mold/mildew.  We wanted to create an open conversation about these hazards and let people explain their concerns.  Throughout the presentation, Lynn explained the real safety issues associated with these three problem areas and devoted time to quelling myths and educating participants about how to properly mitigate and safely work in historic buildings with these hazards.  Much was learned by all!

One of the workshop participants, Margaret Hambrick of the Greenbrier County Historical Society taught us something too.  Margaret explained that in West Virginia, prior to ANY renovation or demolition permits being issued, one must perform a test to check for asbestos.  We’ve often heard the excuse that people do not want to engage in historic preservation projects primarily because of asbestos mitigation, but even if one wants to demolish an old building, she/he must still test for asbestos.  As we’ve seen numerous times, many people have strong impressions about working with historic buildings, but they do not have always have all the facts.

Initially, when we developed the plan for the Safety and Hazardous Materials Workshop, we made it open only to representatives from sites listed on the WV Endangered Properties List.  We see the value in having an intimate group participate in a workshop and want participants to have chances to share their thoughts, fears, and knowledge on the topic.  However, we have since decided not to limit our next workshop, which is scheduled for July 26 in Arthurdale from 11am – 5pm.  If you would like to join us at the next Safety and Hazardous Materials Workshop, please send an email to [email protected].  There is a $10 fee for lunch, and Preservation Alliance members may attend the workshop for free.  If you are not a member, there is a $15 fee.  The presentation will be followed by a look at the Arthurdale School Buildings – 2012 WV Endangered Property.
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Want to schedule a workshop in your community?  Send an email to [email protected].  We are always happy to travel to new places and work with new faces.

By Danielle

Earlier this week, I had the pleasure of attending a workshop primarily for real estate agents at the Historic Darden House in Elkins, WV.  This was the third workshop in a series with other locations including Martinsburg and Wheeling.  The WV State Historic Preservation Office (WVSHPO) and three Certified Local Governments teamed up to give the workshops in honor of National Historic Preservation Month.

Historic homes and residential historic districts are a dime a dozen in West Virginia.  To increase the sale of these homes, real estate agents learned historic preservation facts while earning seven Continuing Education Units.  Speakers, Robin Ziegler with the National Alliance of Preservation Commissions and Jennifer Brennan with the WVSHPO, had a jam-packed session focused on the National Register of Historic Places, historic preservation financial incentives, and best ways to market historic homes.  I’ll share those with you shortly!

Before moving onto the tips, let’s recap the financial incentives available in West Virginia.

State Residential Rehabilitation Tax Credit: This is a 20% state income tax credit which is based on qualified expenditures undertaken as part of the rehabilitation to a historic private residence. The credit is applied directly against taxes owed by the owner. This credit is available to private homeowners for approved rehabilitation work on their own residence.  The building must be either individually listed or a contributing building in an historic district listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Non-historic Tax Credit:  This 10% tax credit is available for the rehabilitation of non-historic buildings placed in service before 1936. The building must be rehabilitated for non-residential use and cannot be listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

State Development Grant: This is for rehabilitation of properties that are listed in the National Register of Historic Places or a contributing property in a historic district or/and archaeological development of a site listed in the National Register of Historic Places.  The grant will cover up to 50% of the project costs, and a 50% match must be provided to receive the grant.

Federal and State Commercial Rehabilitation Tax Credits: A 20% federal income tax credit and a 10% state income tax credit are available for the rehabilitation of historic, income-producing buildings that are determined by the Secretary of the Interior, through the National Park Service, to be “certified historic structures.” The State Historic Preservation Offices and the National Park Service review the rehabilitation work to ensure that it complies with the Secretary’s Standards for Rehabilitation.

Real estate agents should always know if the property they are selling is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.  This information is easy to find too!  For West Virginians, just go to the WVSHPO’s website to see if your property is listed.  Once you know if your property is listed, you will know what financial incentives are available to buyers. 

Now for the marketing tips:
1)      Create a Story – Research the home and find a few interesting tidbits.  Share these with your potential buyers.  The National Register nomination should have some useful information, and you can also research deeds at the county assessor’s office.  The deed will tell you the history of ownership, and you might find that one of the owners had an interesting past.

2)      Highlight Original Elements – Historic buildings are treasure troves for original craftsmanship.  This will interest many buyers.  Point out woodworking, light fixtures, crown molding, and other original materials.  Maybe the building is from a special period.  Is it a Sears Kit Home or a Lustron Home?  Find out!  These are niche markets, and buyers want to know all about these homes.

3)      Financial Incentives – Don’t forget these!

4)      Be a Resource – Offer information on FHA 203K loans, historic preservation craftspeople (we can help with this one), and insurance companies.

5)      Embrace the Flaws – Know your buyers.  They may appreciate the hand-made quirks of historic homes.  They might want a fixer-upper and will jump at the chance to stain those old hard wood floors that have been hidden under carpet for the last 30 years.

6) Advertise with the National Trust for Historic Preservation and other historic real estate websites/magazines.

7)      Know Inspectors who Understand Historic Buildings – They understand that historic buildings were built to last and will tell the truth about the property you are trying to sell.

8)      Consider a Specialty – During your research, you may find that there is a prevalent architect, builder, or style in your area.  Specialize in a topic that can help you sell these properties.

West Virginia’s population has, for the most part, been on the decline for the last few decades.  Real estate agents can help turn around this trend by selling historic homes and increasing investment in West Virginia’s communities.

By Lynn

May is National Historic Preservation Month!

Begin a building project this May and celebrate historic preservation.  Not sure where to start?  Watch this video about How to Assess a Historic Building and then use this helpful checklist to prioritize your building’s needs.
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Have more questions?  Contact [email protected] for help.

The Arsenal Square site is historically significant as the storage facility for arms produced at the Federal Armory at Harpers Ferry begun during the last decade of the eighteenth century. The Arsenal was also the target of John Brown’s infamous raid in 1859 and is the current, although not original, location for the Armory Engine House; renamed “John Brown’s Fort” after Brown was captured there during the raid.

Arsenal Square is the location of the earliest NPS archeology in Harpers Ferry, starting in the late 1950s. A significant archeology collection from this early excavation is managed by the park’s museum staff. The site is also managed as a cultural landscape. An interdisciplinary approach has enabled the NPS to protect and preserve the archeology site, interpret the major structures from the Armory period, and provide access for park visitors. The site is far from static and has undergone a number of changes through the years. The decision-making process for the development of the site will be discussed and a question and answer session will be included.

Register for the PAWV conference today. 

Early bird rates end September 14th.

For the Preservation Alliance of WV conference, Sept. 27-29, in Jefferson County, there has been a change of Plenary Speaker on Friday afternoon.

Instead of Dr. Vishakha Maskey presenting, we will be having Dr. Peter Schaeffer from West Virginia University’s Division of Resource Management.

Here’s a sneak peek into Peter’s talk.  Sounds intriguing!

On the Logic and Limitation of Economic Approaches in Historic Preservation

Since the 1980s, economic market solutions to public policy problems have gained acceptance in such areas as environmental protection and historic preservation. This pre­sen­tation explains the logic and philosophy behind such economic approaches. In so doing, the presentation indicates limitations of an economic approach, particularly when economic values conflict with non-economic values, such as those labeled sentiment and symbolism by the Walter Firey, a pioneer in the field of urban ecology.

You can register for the conference at http://www.pawv.org/conferences/conf12.htm.

After a short, but informative powerpoint presentation on the value of restoring old wooden sash windows, Lynn introduced the volunteer work crew to the wonders of steam as it relates to the removal of glass and paint from window sashes.  The individual pane steamer is a handy device for removing glass from sashes.  Ten sashes with six panes each were to be worked on.  Of the sixty panes, only three were lost to breakage, and they were broken in the sash before the process started.  All participants were amazed at the efficiency of this device because we had all tried to remove glass with various hand tools.  The steam process is quick, easy, and with  no loss of glass.The steam chest that Lynn brought was used to soften paint on the sashes after glass removal.  With 20 to 30 minutes exposure to steam in the cabinet, paint can be removed with appropriate scrapers with little effort and no paint/lead dust.

Because not all of the paint could be removed on the 14th, Lynn left a steam generator and cabinet for follow-up use.  Progress continues to be made on preparing the sashes for painting and reglazing.