Author: PHW

National Preservation Month Is Coming!

As many of you are aware, May is National Preservation Month. PHW has lined up several excellent events to celebrate in 2009, including a Winchester Underground tour of the Lovett Building on May 9, a special edition of the newsletter, and a photo campaign to tie into the National Trust’s theme “This Place Matters.” More information on these events will be posted soon.

Since the photo campaign requires some help from our readers, the instructions are being posted early so you can start thinking about your special places. If you have questions or comments about the “This Place Matters” photo project, don’t hesitate to leave a comment or email for us.

PHW Annual Award Nomination Form

PHW is once again open to nominations from our members and readers for worthy preservation projects or prominent preservation leaders in Winchester and Frederick County for PHW’s Annual Preservation Awards. The award winners will be announced at PHW’s Annual Meeting in June.

To be eligible for a 2009 award, the project must be completed by May 22, 2009. Projects that receive nomination forms for 2009 but are not completed by May 22 are held on file for consideration in the 2010 round of awards.

Before and after photos (print or digital) included with your form are highly desirable and may help your nomination. Before and after photos are generally used in a slideshow presentation at the award ceremony.

Award forms may be returned via postal mail to PHW, 530 Amherst St., Winchester, VA 22601, or via e-mail at phwi@verizon.net.

Salvaged Bathroom Fixtures

A PHW member has graciously offered several bathroom fixtures for architectural salvage purposes. Each is in fair to good condition. Items include:

  • Claw foot bathtub, porcelain lined zinc tub, five feet long, 30 inches across. Has attached shower unit that attaches also to nine foot ceiling. Unit includes handheld shower sprayer.
  • Porcelain toilet with wooden seat
  • Porcelain sink that attaches to wall. Two feet tall by two feet wide. chrome soap dish attached.

All items might be detached and be available at a neighborhood garage sale on Peyton St. on April 18th, starting at 7:00 a.m. rain or shine. They will definitely be removed on April 20th. Call for appointment 540-539-7911 or come to garage sale.

OTDB Receives Two Milestone Awards

On Friday, March 20, Old Town Development Board (OTDB) and City of Winchester were presented with a Virginia Main Street Milestone Achievement Award for $80 million in private investment and 25,000 volunteer hours contributed toward downtown revitalization. The Virginia Main Street (VMS) Milestone Achievement Awards celebrate achievements in volunteerism and private investments in Virginia’s designated VMS localities.

“Winchester is being recognized for setting another benchmark; one that only a few years ago may have seemed, to many, out of reach,” said Bill Shelton, Director of the Department of Housing and Community Development. “Winchester had several landmark projects completed in 2008, including the newly constructed First Presbyterian Fellowship Hall, the adaptive reuse of the historic Union Bank Building, now open as the Union Jack Pub and Restaurant, and the reopening of the 90-room George Washington Hotel, featuring a grand ballroom, meeting facilities and spa.” Mr. Shelton noted that it was extremely fitting that he was able to present the private investment award to Winchester Old Town Development Board member Kim Burke on behalf of the organization and the City of Winchester. “Kim and her husband Glen (who also attended the luncheon) own the George Washington Hotel and their efforts have contributed to this award for having reached $80 million in private investment in Old Town since 1985.”

Click here to read the full press release.

City Infrastructure Hearing

The City Council, sitting as a “Committee of the Whole” for Public Services, will meet on April 7 at 5:30 p.m. in Council Chambers to determine one of three options for the sidewalk replacement program for Braddock, Loudoun, Cameron and Piccadilly Streets. The options are: (1) Mostly concrete pavement with a brick strip, as seen on Boscawen and Cork Streets; (2) All (new) brick, at an additional cost to the city of $190,000; or (3) Permitting property owners to choose to repair/replace (under city supervision and inspection) the old brick sidewalks adjacent to their property.

PHW urges you and your neighbors to attend the City Council meeting on April 7th. Be prepared to speak or to present petitions of those who share your sentiments retain and repair original brick sidewalks.

Old Jake Weather Vane Update

Jessica Burchard at the Winchester Star reports that the Old Jake weather vane, a fixture of Winchester’s downtown skyline, has had no official word of a sale past the 60 day contract with Sotheby’s. “If it finds a buyer, the fire and rescue company would use the money from the sale to set up an endowment. The interest earned by the endowment would be used for Rouss’s maintenance projects, according to local lawyer Benjamin Butler, who is representing the company during the sale.” A replica of the Old Jake weather vane is expected to be reinstalled on the Rouss Fire Hall by the end of April.

Read the rest of the article at the Winchester Star online.

Trees and Streetscape Forum Follow-Up

“At the Old Town Events Center Wednesday, city residents and members of the PHW who had gathered for ‘Limestone, Sycamores, and Preservation: Tree Forum’ quizzed officials about trees that have been removed for the project and plans to replace old sidewalks along the two streets.” Plans discussed during the forum about the future of sidewalks and their impact on trees and existing old brick sidewalks and limestone curbing as part of the City’s infrastructure project will appear before City Council on April 7, and citizens are encouraged to attend and make their concerns heard.
The rest of Eric Beidel’s article summarizing last night’s event can be found at The Winchester Star.