Category: Preservation Virginia

Friday Roundup: Preservation News

Thank you all again for the thoughts and feedback on the tour and shop from 2019. Our tentative dates for the 2020 festivities are the Shop from November 20-December 13, and the House Tours on December 5 and 6. More information on the houses and how to apply for a spot in the Shop will be available as we progress through the year.

If you would like to clean out your closets and cupboards, PHW is willing to accept the following in-kind donation items: Gently used shopping or gift bags (paper or plastic, any size), wrapping material like tissue paper and bubble wrap, large lightweight planters, light strings and clip on spotlights, and wired edge ribbon. You may bring donations to the Hexagon House at 530 Amherst St. or leave a message for more unusual donations at 540-667-3577.

If you would prefer instead to give monetarily to a lasting monument, the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation is looking to place a monument to the soldiers of Maine killed and wounded at the Third Winchester battlefield. According to the Maine at War blog, this will be the first permanent marker to commemorate the soldiers of Maine who fought in the Shenandoah Valley during the Civil War. There is currently a $1 to $1 matching grant challenge on to push the monument to its final completion. An online donation button is available on the SVBF website, or checks may be mailed to Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation, Attn: Maine Monument Fund, P.O. Box 897, 9386 S. Congress St., New Market, VA 22844. For more information, please, contact Peter Dalton at jacksonsvc1862@gmail.com or 540-325-0787.

Preservation Virginia is beginning their monitoring and coverage of legislative action in Virginia, including actions on tax credits, conservation easements, cemeteries and historic monuments. They invite you to register today for their Legislative Reception on February 5 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Hilton Downtown (formerly Miller & Rhoads) in Richmond. That same evening, the Virginia Association of Museums is holding their annual Virginia’s Top 10 Endangered Artifacts Reception at the Virginia Museum of History and Culture, also in Richmond.

Via the Forum Connect, you are invited to check out the Architectural Plastics & Polymer Composites in the 21st Century: Design and Preservation of Contemporary & Historic Architecture conference. It will be held on March 28-March 29, 2020 at MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts and will cover in-depth a variety of issues surrounding plastics in architecture. Continuing education credits will be available. “Early bird” reduced registration rate is offered up to January 20th. Information and registration form on the conference are available online.

Last but not least, the senior living center planned for 333 West Cork St. will be discussed at the January 21 Planning Commission Meeting, 3 PM in Council Chambers at Rouss City Hall. Review the agenda and documents about the requests at the Winchester City website here.

Friday Roundup: Anniversaries, Events, and More

Winchester celebrates 275 years!
Winchester celebrates 275 years!

PHW was in attendance for the kickoff press conference on Winchester’s 275th Anniversary on Wednesday. As you know, we are working on touching up the Limestone, Sycamores & Architecture book for reprinting this year as part of the celebration, as well as chipping in with a few other things along the way (probably involving some big event we usually have in December…). There will be many great activities through the year, so keep an eye on the website – there is sure to be more to come!

Next week is Valentine’s Day, but for us at PHW, it is also our birthday! PHW will be turning the big 55. You might want to revisit our 50th anniversary history of PHW blog posts, which are collected here. As we concluded five years ago, “we feel we still serve an important role in the community and fill a much wanted and needed niche of providing information about historic preservation and architecture. We plan to serve the community for another fifty years. Thank you for your support and interest in PHW – we could not exist without you! “

The French and Indian War Foundation is celebrating George Washington’s 287th birthday on Friday, February 22 from 5:30 to 8:30 PM at the Half Note Lounge in the George Washington Hotel, 103 E. Piccadilly St. The event is free and everyone is welcome to attend. Delegate Chris Collins will speak at 6:30 PM. There will be a cash bar and appetizers by Chef Marvin at $20 a plate. You can find the event listing on their website for more information.

In more business related news, Preservation Virginia is keeping tabs on items moving through Virginia’s House and Senate. You may want to drop by their website and sign up for their email newsletter to stay informed. The main concern is watching the historic tax credit (likely to be capped at $5 million, but according to Preservation Virginia this previously implemented change was not a significant blow to preservation efforts) but historic African American cemetery funding, war memorials, agritourism, and land conservation are all topics being watched by Preservation Virginia.

History and Preservation Activities for October

Mark your calendars for mid-October! First, City of Winchester Planning Director Tim Youmans will host a repeat performance of his in-depth history of Winchester. The event is sponsored by Friends of the Handley Library.
Date: October 13
Time: 11 a.m.
Place: Handley Regional Library auditorium
Cost: Free and open to the public.

Second, registration is open now for the 2018 Virginia Preservation Conference! Join Preservation Virginia and the Virginia Department of Historic Resources October 18-19 in Danville, Virginia for a gathering of preservationists, local citizens, government leaders and more to explore the modern preservation movement and the importance of protecting our diverse historic resources.

Donovan Rypkema, principal of PlaceEconomics, a Washington, D.C.- based real estate and economic development consulting firm, will be the keynote speaker.

Through educational sessions and tours of Danville’s historic districts, local citizens and community organizations will be equipped with valuable preservation resources and knowledge that they can use to protect the historic places in their own communities.

Dates: October 18-19
Place: Danville, Virginia
Times, Costs, and Registration Information: preservationvirginia.org



Busting Historic Tax Credit Myths

From Preservation Virginia, here are four truths about common misconceptions on Virginia’s Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credits (HRTC):

1. HRTC projects occur in almost every jurisdiction of the Commonwealth. It is not just a Richmond program. HRTC projects are transforming Danville, Wytheville, Lynchburg, Salem, Farmville and communities in almost every county in Virginia.

2. Big developers are not the majority benefiting from the program. Between 1997 and 2015, 45% of HRTC benefit projects had expenditures of $250,000 or less and 29% had between $250,000 and $1 million. Individuals, small businesses, churches and non-profits benefit. A very small percentage of projects are resold quickly and are typically foreclosed properties.

3. Across the board, users of the HRTC program say their project would not happen without the credit. That means the jobs and tax revenue associated with these rehabs would not benefit our economy.

4. Periodically sunsets and caps are discussed. HRTC projects take years from concept to completion. Discussions of sunsets and caps introduce uncertainty in the marketplace which slows investment and the resulting economic benefits. A 2012 JLARC study found that the HRTC program was effective.

Need some hard numbers? Share the VCU CURA and Baker Tilly executive summary findings or the full Baker Tilly report.

Keep on spreading the word about the effectiveness of the HRTC in protecting our architectural heritage!



Historic Tax Credit Alert!

Unfortunately, the fun of Holiday House Tour coverage we had been anticipating this week has been delayed by unfortunate news from Congress. We’re forwarding an urgent message below from the National Trust for Historic Preservation and Preservation Virginia. On Thursday afternoon, we learned the Historic Tax Credit was eliminated in the House Tax Reform Bill. Contact your House of Representatives member and urge them to add the Historic Tax Credit back to the final House bill. Also, contact Senators Kaine and Warner and ask them to include the Historic Tax Credit in the forthcoming Senate bill.

This proposed legislation will have a devastating effect on our communities. The Historic Tax Credit not only attracts private capital for the revitalization of our community’s historic assets, but it also stimulates job creation and generates more revenue for the Treasury than it costs.

How Can You Take Action?

Contact House and Senate Members no later than November 6 (find your House Representatives and Senators) and ask for them to use their voice to advocate for the credit to be added back to the final House bill or include the Historic Tax Credit in the forthcoming Senate bill.

A suggested outline of your email message or phone call:
1. Introduce yourself as a constituent.

2. Say “I heard the historic tax credit is eliminated in the House version of the tax reform bill. I am extremely concerned that this important community redevelopment incentive will no longer be available to revitalize our main streets, towns and cities and preserve our heritage.”

3. Explain why you value Historic Tax Credits, and that the redevelopment of historic buildings will not get done without the HTC.

4. Let them know some previous and future Historic Tax Credit projects in your state/district. From the interactive HTC mapping tool developed by Novogradac and Company, the following properties utilized Historic Tax Credits in downtown Winchester:

Old Frederick County Jail | 317 South Cameron
302-304 North Cameron Street
The Old Star Building | 29-31, 33-35 East Boscawen Street
The Taylor Hotel | 119-129 N. Loudoun Street
146 North Loudoun Street
315 S. Loudoun Street
317 S. Loudoun Street
Union Bank Building | 101 North Loudoun Street
116-118 South Braddock Street
Snapp Foundry | 403-419 N. Cameron Street
The Savage-Solenberger Building | 140 And 142 N. Loudoun Street
Stryker House | 130 S. Cameron Street
133 East Monmouth Avenue
Lovett Building | 163-165 North Loudoun Street
Piccadilly’S Brew Pub & Restaurant | 125 E. Piccadilly Street
Charles Brent House | 320 S. Loundoun Street
The George Washington Hotel | 103 E. Piccadilly Street
445 N. Loudoun Street
Samuel Brown Residence | 35 North Braddock Street
The Lewis Jones Knitting Mill | 120 And 126 N. Kent Street
Adam Bowers House | 410 S. Cameron Street
The Douglas Adams Building | 403 & 407 S. Loudoun Street
Giacometti Building | 7 North Loudoun Street

5. Touch on why these historic buildings are so challenging but important to our communities.

6. Ask, “As tax reform moves forward, will Rep./Sen. XXX stand up for the Historic Tax Credit and use his/her voice to insist that the credit be retained in tax reform?”

7. Share with the office the video of President Reagan supporting the HTC.

Addendum: The National Trust for Historic Preservation has also put together a similar rundown on the threats facing the Antiquities Act, which was the precursor to many other historic preservation programs. Find their article at On the Hill: Bill to Overhaul the Antiquities Act Moves Forward in the House, Tax Reform Update.



Call for Help: Bridge Survey

BridgeFrom Preservation Virginia this week is a request for help in an informal bridge survey taking place across Virginia. The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) is re-evaluating of their Historic Bridge Inventory. Preservation Virginia is reaching out for help identifying bridges that could be considered eligible for individual listing in the National Register of Historic Places and Virginia Landmarks Register.

PHW is extending this call to our readership for help in identifying any local bridges that may qualify. The Historic Bridge Inventory lists only one bridge in Frederick County, a concrete closed spandrel arch bridge on Rt. 672 crossing the Opequon Creek, built in 1917. There are no listings for Winchester City, Clarke County, or Warren County.

The basic requirements for consideration are that a bridge should be administered by VDOT, 50 years old or older, and meet at least one of the criterion for consideration as a historic structure (bridges usually qualify under feats of engineering, but may also be associated with a significant person or event, or for outstanding design elements).

If you know of a bridge that may qualify, you will need: location, route number, stream crossing, VDOT structure number (if known), or name, as well as an explanation of why the bridge should be included. You may wish to refer to A Management Plan for Historic Bridges in Virginia Appendix A for a listing of the National Register Eligible historic bridges identified to date (starts on page 34 of the PDF).

The bridge survey is time sensitive. Please submit your responses before Friday March 31, 2017. Information may be emailed to PHW at phwinc.org@gmail.com, or hard copy information dropped off in person or by snail mail to 530 Amherst Street, Winchester, VA 22601. If you have questions about the bridge survey or would like to submit your bridge directly to Preservation Virginia, please contact Lisa Bergstrom by email at lbergstrom@preservationvirginia.org.



Friday Photos, Tax Credit News, and Mailing Lists to Follow

Happy Friday! This week we have added 38 photos from Holiday House Tours of years gone by to the Flickr account, including some interior images of the Simon Lauck House when it was on the tour in 1997. Catch all the new additions at the end of the Holiday House Tour album, or at the top of the photostream.

Holiday House Tour 1997

Good news has been coming out of Richmond in relation to the future of the state historic preservation tax credit. Check out the article in the Richmond Times-Dispatch “Va. Senate panel kills Sen. Glen Sturtevant’s bill to cap and phase out historic rehab tax credits” to get a few more details.

Presumably if you are an avid reader of PHW’s blogs, you have some interest in keeping abreast of preservation stories like the one above. Here are a few more email lists that the PHW office is subscribed to:
Preservation Virginia
Valley Conservation Council (signup form is at the bottom of the page)
National Trust for Historic Preservation (scroll down about midway on the page to find the signup form)
Winchester CitE-News

Let us know if you have found any other historic preservation mailing lists worth following!



Submit a Site to the Most Endangered Lists

QuillDo you know of a historic site that faces an uncertain future? With a few keystrokes, you might change its fate! Below are two options to recognize endangered properties:

The National Trust for Historic Preservation has used its list of America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places to raise awareness about the threats facing some of the nation’s greatest treasures. The list, which has identified 253 sites to date, has been so successful in galvanizing preservation efforts that only a handful of sites have been lost. Nominations for the National Trust’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places list are due March 2, 2015. Click to go to the National Trust’s nomination form.

Preservation Virginia’s Most Endangered Historic Sites Program recognizes the Commonwealth’s irreplaceable architectural, natural, and archaeological sites that face imminent threat by demolition, alteration, inappropriate development, insufficient funding, or neglect. These special places play an important role in Virginia’s heritage and should be recognized before it is too late. Nominations for Preservation Virginia’s Most Endangered list are due March 6, 2015. Click to go to Preservation Virginia’s nomination form.



Preservation Virginia 2012 Most Endangered Historic Sites Nominations

Preservation Virginia, the statewide preservation organization, has opened nominations for the 2012 list of Virginia’s Most Endangered Historic Sites. The program recognizes the Commonwealth’s irreplaceable architectural, natural, and archaeological sites that face imminent threat by demolition, alteration, inappropriate development, insufficient funding, or neglect. These special “places” play an important role in Virginia’s heritage and should be recognized before it is too late.

You may remember in 2010, two properties in Winchester were recognized on this list: the Taylor Hotel and the Gavis (Aulick) house. If you know of a similar endangered site in Virginia, PHW encourages you to nominate it for the 2012 list.

The nomination form is online at www.preservationvirginia.org/EndangeredSites/. Nominations are due by April 13.