The Battery

Last week I was in Charleston for an executive retreat of statewide and local partners of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.  About thirty organizations were represented.  We toured historic sites, discussed current preservation issues and organizational challenges, and learned more about the Trust’s new strategic framework and signature National Treasures program.

The National Treasures program will be a portfolio of 100 historic properties across the country that the Trust will focus its staff and programming on preserving.  To date, 22 Treasures have been named including Charleston.  The threat: the growing cruise ship industry.

The Charleston Market

Charleston was America’s first local historic district.  It was established in 1931 the same year that Preservation Maryland was founded.  The city played and important role in America’s history and is comprised of an incredible collection of residential, commercial, religious and civic architecture ranging from 1700 through the mid twentieth century.  Like many popular historic destinations, including Annapolis, Charleston has to strike a balance between the economic benefits of tourism and protecting the quality of life of its residents.

In June 2011, Historic Ansonborough Neighborhood Association, Charlestowne Neighborhood Association, Coastal Conservation League and Preservation Society of Charleston filed suit against Carnival Cruise Lines.  The suit alleges that provisions of the City of Charleston’s existing ordinances apply to Carnival Cruise Line ships that use Union Pier, which is adjacent to Charleston’s historic district.

Carnival Fantasy

So what’s the big deal?  Charleston has become both a cruise ship destination and the new home port for the Carnival Fantasy cruise ship.  So not only do thousands of visitors disembark from visiting cruise ships into the historic district including residential neighborhoods on a daily basis, every week over 2,000 passengers drive into and out of Charleston for the Fantasy cruise to Florida and the Bahamas.

Tyler Gearhart

We are happy to say that funding for the Sustainable Communities Tax Credit was included in the plan laid out on Wednesday. The Tax Credit is considered Maryland’s most effective historic preservation and community revitalization program, resulting in the rehabilitation of over 4,000 historic residential and commercial buildings while leveraging $1.6 billion of private investment. Losing this funding would be devastating to preservation efforts in Maryland.

So what can you do to help make sure this money stays in place during the special session? Let Governor O’Malley, President Mike Miller, and Speaker Michael Busch know that you appreciate their support of the Tax Credit and let your representatives know how important the Tax Credit is to Maryland’s historic resources. Please take a few moments to send them a note or call their offices. There are lots of issues on the table in the special session and we need to make sure our voices in support historic preservation are heard.

If you need material about the Tax Creidt’s benefits, you can find out more on our Advocacy Resources page and Economic Benefits page.

Jessica Feldt

The training initiative is comprised of an online tutorial (and companion manual) and two on-site workshops. The online tutorial introduces and reviews core concepts and principles of historic preservation and roles and responsibilities of the commission.  The accompanying manual includes the following topics and more: legal fundamentals and special legal issues; designation, protection and treatment of historic properties; and project review. Two on-site workshops focus on design review and legal issues.  The workshops are an opportunity for commissioners and staff to share best practices and define and discuss objective procedures resulting in defensible decision making that is fair and uniform across the board.

There are still opportunities to complete this training.  The on-line component and manual are available on MAHDC’s website – www.mahdc.org.  The schedule for the remaining on-site workshops is also available there.  I strongly encourage all historic preservation commissioners, staff and anyone interested in how commissions work to sign up for an upcoming session.

~Marilyn  

The students at Providence

Their first visit in 2010 took place at Providence Farm in Centreville. At that time the property, after 30 years of neglect, had just changed hands and been transferred to a preservation-minded buyer. The following year, the class came to see the Miller’s House, whose future was positive but not yet certain. This year, however, their visit was especially interesting because both properties have been saved and have promising futures.

Elizabeth Beckley

Attendees enjoy a presentation at the Restoration & Renovation Fair

On Saturday an estimated 250 people gathered at the Maryland Historical Society’s Greyhound Terminal Building for the first Restoration & Renovation Fair. All of us at Preservation Maryland were delighted by the huge response to this new event. The feedback we got was overwhelmingly positive with attendees, speakers, and exhibitors all enjoying their time together.

The day was spent visiting the 25 exhibitors who joined us, listening to 12 talks on a variety of home-related topics, and talking to the other attendees. Topics covered included paint, windows, tax credits, energy efficiency, plaster, masonry, and waterproofing. It seemed there was something for everyone with new attendees coming in before each talk.

Our exhibitors had something for every homeowner's needs.

We will be sending out a survey to attendees soon to get a more complete picture of the visitor experience, but feel free to let us know your thoughts. If you attended, let us know if you had a good time and what talks you liked or didn’t like. What topics would you like to see covered? And, the biggest question of all, should we hold this event again?

Thanks to everyone who attended, our speakers, and exhibitors. A special thanks to our sponsors, the Maryland Historical Trust, Abell Foundation, Christman Company, Baltimore National Heritage Area, Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development, Penza + Bailey Architects, and Second Chance, Inc. Thanks also to Souper Freak for joining us and serving up warm and delicious food to our attendees.

BALTIMORE CITY

Court of Appeals dismisses Angelos’ Superblock lawsuit Baltimore Sun 04-27-2012
BDC proposes PILOT tax break for Liberty Street residential tower -Baltimore Brew 04-26-2012 
West Side apartment tower proposal sent to mayor – Baltimore Sun 04-26-2012
Baltimore’s marble lady stepping down from Calvert Street – Baltimore Sun 04-21-2012
Developers vie to restore Parkway Theatre in Charles North – Baltimore Sun 04-10-2012
Here yesterday, gone tomorrow – Baltimore Sun 04-07-2012  
Roland Water Tower Bond Bill Approved – North Baltimore Patch 04-05-2012
CALVERT COUNTY
American Indian artifacts to be moved – Southern Maryland News Online 04-25-2012
FREDERICK COUNTY
Monuments slated for face-lift -Frederick News Post 04-24-2012
NPS to implement plan to preserve Civil War battlefield in Maryland – The Examiner 04-11-2012
Md. Civil War museum gives severed arm a good look – Business Week 04-11-2012
KENT COUNTY
Two Kent structures on Preservation Maryland’s ‘endangered’ list - Star Democrat 04-02-2012
MONTGOMERY COUNTY
Germantown historians want to save city’s famous Cider Barrel – Washington Post 04-10-2012 
Visions for Vacancies: The Cider Barrel  - Germantown Patch 04-09-2012
PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY
History buffs brainstorm county branding at Montpelier Mansion – Baltimore Sun 04-26-2012 
Warship excavation planned near Upper Marlboro – The Gazette 04-26-2012  
Expanded Historic District Could Cross Queens Chapel – Hyattsville Patch 04-10-2012
ST. MARY’S COUNTY
Archaeology team following clues to 1662 chapel – Washington Post 04-10-2012
STATEWIDE
Historic home tour celebrates diamond anniversary – Baltimore Sun 04-17-2012 
Old skipjack trains watermen in Southern Maryland for tourism work – Washington Post 04-24-2012 
‘Main Street’ Alive, Well in Maryland – Eldersburg Patch 04-04-2012
NATIONAL
Baymen Ask for Historic Recognition – Northfork Patch 04-19-2012 

If you have a news article on a preservation-related issue you wish to add to our monthly news round-up, please send the link to me at jfeldt@preservationmaryland.org.

Jessica Feldt      

State House, Annapolis

If the funding for the Tax Credit program is not restored in a Special Session of the General Assembly, if indeed convened, its elimination would become the fourth such victim of much needed preservation funding programs administered by the Maryland Historical Trust.  In the past few years MHT’s Capital, Non-Capital, and Museum Assistance Grant programs have all been zeroed-out.

The weak economy, declining state revenues, and reduced staffing have all contributed to these losses.  And while historic preservation is recognized for its benefits to Maryland’s unique character, quality of life, and economy, it is often viewed as secondary to health, education, and other competing governmental roles and programs.  Although the State of Maryland has been a national leader for its breadth of programs supporting the preservation of historic buildings and neighborhoods, we have to some extent become a victim of our success.

The bad news is that we have at least three, and depending on whether or not a Special Session is called, maybe four unfunded preservation programs.  The good news is that funding for the Maryland Heritage Area ($3 million) and African American Heritage Preservation ($1 million), which are administered by MHT, and Community Legacy ($6 million) and Neighborhood Business Works ($4.25 million), which are administered by the Department of Housing and Community Development and support many preservation and revitalization initiatives, was approved by the General Assembly.

Hebrew Orphan Asylum

It’s increasingly difficult to successfully justify and advocate for so many, and at times overlapping, programs, especially when in some cases their staffing has been eliminated.  Every five years each State Historic Preservation Office is required to adopt a new preservation plan in order to continuing receiving funding through The National Historic Preservation Program.  The last plan was approved in 2005.  Unfortunately, PreserveMaryland, the planning process initiated by MHT to update the state preservation plan in 2010 has stalled.

It’s past time to get moving on the new state preservation plan to document the benefits (community, environmental, economic) of the state’s historic preservation programs, and examine how they can  be more efficiently and effectively administered , and to make appropriate changes.  We also need to strengthen the role of the MHT Board of Trustees (which is appointed by the Governor) and its stakeholders, like Preservation Maryland, in re-building the support of the Governor and General Assembly for funding and legislation to preserve’s Maryland’s rich heritage.

The best way to do that is through Preserve Maryland and a new, focused state preservation plan.  Let’s get working!

Tyler Gearhart

Next weekend is the Restoration & Renovation Fair and every time I look over our program and exhibit hall, I get so excited about the wealth of experience and talent that will be at the Fair. The Fair is designed so you can come for an hour or stay all day and leave with new information. I really hope that all of you will be able to join us. Below are just some of the ways you can benefit from the Fair.

Working on windows? Visit AGW Old Style Window Glass, Burch Company, Mozer Works, Inc, or Pella Windows  in the exhibit hall and attend the talk on historic windows starting at 10:30 am.

Help for any project can be found at the Fair.

Want to hire an architect? Brennan+Company Architects, Kevin McKenna Architects, Penza Bailey Architects, and Robert R Gisriel Design Corps are all going to be in the hall

Working on a specific area of your house? The talks on Saturday cover issues from plaster vs. drywall, waterproofing, windows, mortar and masonry, and paint issues. You can also hear about how to research the story of your home’s past and how you can help finance your projects.

Need a special piece to complete your home project?Loading Dock, G. Krug and Son, or Second Chance may have exactly what you are looking for.

Looking to find a contractor or know how to look for one? Find specialists in a variety of areas like alterego, Stop Leaks, Sykes Restorations, Expert House Movers of Maryland, and the Christman Company and you can join the talk on selecting the right contractor at 9:30 am.

Advice for every older or historic home!

Looking for programs working with older and historic homes?  Many of our exhibitors likeBaltimore City Commission for Historical and Architectural Preservation (CHAP), Baltimore Housing Vacants to Value Program, Maryland Historical Trust, Retrofit Baltimore/Civic Works,  and the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development can tell you about the work they do every day to help keep the character of the state alive and vibrant with their programs and services.

I really hope to see you on April 28! The cost is just $10.  Download the registration flyer or register online. If you have any questions give me a call or send me an email.

Jessica Feldt

It is hard to believe for me, but the Restoration & Renovation Fair is just around the corner. I could not be more excited to share with you the line-up for the day including topics, speakers, and exhibitors. The Restoration & Renovation Fair page of our website has been updated with all that information. I think we have a strong program and a great selection of exhibitors. A little something for everyone!

Buzz is building and we are very grateful to our many partners in Baltimore and around the state for spreading the word about this event. If you know of anyone who may be interested share our info with them. Any homeowner would benefit from the Fair, even if they don’t think of themselves as preservationists. We hope they leave the Fair with a new appreciation to the preservation approach to working on their home.

The Restoration & Renovation Fair takes place on Saturday, April 28^th from 9:00am to 4:00pm in the former Greyhound Terminal on the campus of the Maryland Historical Society. The admission price is just $10. For your convenience, the Souper Freak food truck will be on hand at lunch time.

Download the registration flyer or register online. If you have any questions please contact me at 410-685-2886 ext. 302 or jfeldt@preservationmaryland.org. Or just reply to this blog!

Jessica Feldt

The restored Ridgeley Rosenwald School

A Pride? Not a Flock. Nor a Fleet. How about a Richness? Whatever the term should be, Maryland has ‘em! I participated on a conference call recently organized by the National Trust for Historic Preservation to discuss the naming of the collective Rosenwald Schools as one of our National Treasures, a new designation that promises to focus attention on America’s most significant and most threatened historic resources. The Rosenwalds were added to America’s Most Endangered list by the National Trust in 2002.  Maryland, it seems, had 153 of the 5,300 schools built for blacks in the South between 1912 and 1932 through the generosity of Julius Rosenwald, one of the founders of the Sears, Roebuck & Co. empire. According to a survey done about 10 years ago, 53 of them survive in Maryland. Preservation Maryland named the Ridgeley Rosenwald School in Prince George’s County to our Endangered Maryland list in 2007. Happily the building has since undergone a $1.1 million restoration and is now a museum. We also recognized Mildred Ridgley-Gray with Preservation Maryland’s Volunteer Award in 2008 for her efforts towards the school’s preservation.

But where do we go from here?  With such an impressive collection of the schools remaining, the National Trust is seeking funding support for their preservation and hopes to hold several regional conferences to encourage and facilitate the preservation of the schools, which are found in 16 states. Preservation Maryland will consider cooperating on one of those conferences and in redoubling our efforts to ensure that our state’s Richness of Rosenwalds receive the attention that they deserve. 

Louise Hayman