2015 was a busy year. In addition to our ongoing advocacy work, grantmaking efforts and education programming, we also launched our Six-to-Fix program, which has been quietly picking up steam.
The next big announcements will include opportunities for Marylanders to get more involved through our volunteer program set to start in early 2016.
Now it’s time to give you an update on our work-to-date.
ANTIETAM BATTLEFIELD: A CLEAN-UP CAMPAIGN
In late November, staff met with Antietam National Battlefield Superintendent Susan Trail to discuss potential options and dates for a spring-clean up effort. In addition, the team at Preservation Maryland is working to identify additional funding sources to enhance the scope and scale of the project to both restore and reinterpret this section of the field – and other resources at Antietam, including the Park’s Mission 66 Visitor Center, which is historic in its own right.
To date, Preservation Maryland has secured over $13,000 in funding for this project – largely from the generosity of the Hagerstown Garden Club, which is underwriting the effort.
Interested volunteers should expect an announcement on upcoming spring clean-up days that will be held in partnership with the project partner, the Save Historic Antietam Foundation in the spring of 2016.
BALTIMORE’S HISTORIC STOREFRONTS
In November, successful advocacy led to the Hogan Administration’s decision to fund a large-scale façade improvement program for Baltimore’s historic storefronts. The $650,000 effort – the goal of this Six-to-Fix project was opened up to applications due in December. The project is being spearheaded by long-time preservation friendly organizations: Living Classrooms Foundation, Civic Works and the Neighborhood Design Center.
On January 7th, Preservation Maryland will head to the offices of the Baltimore Sun to meet with Dan Rodricks to record a podcast on this effort, and the rest of the Six-to-Fix program for Rodricks’ new podcast, Roughly Speaking. The goal is to bring attention to this positive development and to advocate for continued funding of these kinds of projects by the Hogan Administration moving forward.
DORCHESTER COUNTY: HIGH TIDES OF CHANGE
Preservation Maryland staff has been working closely with our colleagues on the Eastern Shore to assist with this project and are awaiting a final decision on key grant funding for the project from the National Park Service’s Hurricane Sandy relief program.
In the meantime, the staff of Preservation Maryland has started work on a homeowner’s historic documentation kit – which would include all the information necessary to document a home that could be lost in a disaster. The idea is to put the power of preservation and documentation in the hands of everyday citizens. If successful, we hope to provide this tool to Marylanders across the state. Preservation is for all.
GLENN DALE HOSPITAL: BREATHING NEW LIFE
Just before Thanksgiving, several Preservation Maryland staff members joined with representatives of the various community groups who applied to list Glenn Dale for a kick-off meeting to discuss the long history of this site.
The focus was on what has happened, what is current law, and what could be accomplished. Following this initial meeting, in which a series of action items were developed, a meeting with the Maryland-National Capital Parks and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), which owns the site, was scheduled to start the next phase and to get all sides talking and moving towards the goal of finding a suitable redevelopment plan for the site. There is still much to be accomplished – but we are moving in a positive direction.
HOLLY HALL: GRAND DAME OF ELKTON
A team from Preservation Maryland joined with representatives of the City of Elkton and the property’s owners, Cordish Development, to talk big-picture strategy and concepts for historic property redevelopment. Everything was thrown on the table – from tax credits to tax increment financing. A site visit followed, with a promise from Cordish to shore up a leaky roof that had been causing serious moisture issues.
Priority one is to mothball the site appropriately. The next priority is to identify potential adaptive re-use options that could work for all interested parties. Preservation Maryland is working on planning site visits to similar properties across the region for the local delegation to visit. Additionally, Preservation Maryland has begun to review the legal documentation on the property which binds current and future use in certain unique ways.
PLEASANT VIEW: CIVIL WAR TO CIVIL RIGHTS
Members of the Preservation Maryland team have held several on-site meetings with representatives of the Pleasant View Historic Association since its listing in October – with the goal of identifying key deliverables for 2016. In short, the plan as it currently stands is twofold:
First, working with a soon-to-be-named engineering firm, the site will receive a qualified engineer’s opinion on what needs to be addressed on the historic buildings and how to tackle the myriad of stabilization projects required. Then, a qualified contractor will provide a comprehensive estimate, by project, of the various costs associated with this work to provide a timeline and framework for fundraising efforts.
In addition, Preservation Maryland is supporting a strategic planning effort for the Association to establish a plan for moving forward – and to engage various members, organizations and stakeholders in the local community. Preservation Maryland has assisted in identifying potential consultants, which will be selected early in 2016. Funding for the project is being provided by Preservation Maryland’s Heritage Fund grant.
The end result of these various efforts will be a case statement for the Association to use in fundraising and future planning efforts. It will encapsulate who they are, what they plan to become and what it will take to get them to that point.
Fortunately, there are several excellent partners assisting in this effort, as well as potential funders of this work – including Heritage Montgomery (which has been involved in assisting this site for several years), the Maryland African-American Heritage Preservation Grant Program, the Maryland Historical Trust and other local community groups.