PAWV CONFERENCE TO BE HELD AT MARSHALL’S NEW VISUAL ARTS CENTER

By Danielle

PAWV’s 2014 Historic Preservation Conference, From the Ground Up, is scheduled for 9/25/2014 – 9/27/2014.  We are really excited to be back in Huntington this year for the conference.  We have not had a major event there since 2009.  We are also thrilled to be having Friday and Saturday’s educational sessions in Marshall University’s new  Visual Arts Center.
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It’s not every conference that we have the opportunity to be in a newly preserved historical building, and by new we mean that it is opening this summer!  We are going out of our way this year to ensure that our conference participants are not stuck in a conference center the entire weekend.  We want you to see and experience Huntington’s historic preservation scene.

Why are we so excited about this facility?

For starters, it’s a state-of-the-art facility in downtown.  It’s within walking distance of hotels and all the conference sites.  So no worrying about parking in downtown!  We’ll be experiencing the “walkability” of downtown Huntington.

Additionally, this project paints a picture of old meets new: The site of the VAC, once the historic Anderson-Newcomb Co. building, was built in 1902 — the same year Marshall began its visual arts program.

The $13 million transformation to remarkable, world-class visual arts facility incorporates the building’s original hardwood floors with 65,000 pounds of new steel, smart lighting, highly-efficient heating and cooling and Wi-Fi throughout.

Lined with spectacular glass, the street-view of the 66,000-square-foot building is directly adjacent to Huntington’s Pullman Square. The ground floor features retail space and a 2,200-square-foot gallery with upwards of 150 feet of linear display space.

We are also very excited because during our plenary session on Friday afternoon, we will have Ed Tucker, the architect for this project, give us an in-depth look into the planning, funding, challenges, and work that made this a reality.

So mark your calendars for 9/25/2014 – 9/27/2014!  You’re not going to want to miss this conference!  Look for more blog posts about what to expect for the conference.  Full registration information is coming soon.

And one more thing – become a member of PAWV, and you’ll benefit from a $15 discount from the conference pricing!  Membership donations are tax-deductible on your federal taxes, and through your membership, you’ll receive our biannual printed newsletter.  Join today, and you’ll receive the up-coming newsletter with conference brochure in the mail this July 2014.

The activity  has been financed 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, 1849 C Street, NW, Washington, DC 20240.