Contact:
Jeff Morgan, Jeff.Morgan@iowa.gov, (515)
281-3858
(DES
MOINES) – The State Historical Society
of Iowa today announced $250,000 in emergency funds
will be available after July 1 for stabilization of
historic properties damaged by tornados and high winds
earlier this spring in Johnson County.
Owners of storm-damaged property listed on or eligible
for the National Register of Historic Places have
until noon, Tuesday, June 13 to apply for SHSI’s
emergency Historic Resource Development Program (HRDP)
funds appropriated through legislation sponsored by
Senator Joe Bolkcom. Applicants are encouraged to
contact SHSI’s Kathy Gourley at 515-281-6913
or shsi.grants@iowa.gov for additional information.
Application forms are available at www.iowahistory.org.
SHSI is working with Iowa City and Johnson County
officials as they survey and assess damage to historic
properties. SHSI staff provides technical assistance
and historic preservation expertise throughout the
state.
“We are pleased to make emergency funds available
for protecting historic structures from continued
exposure and damage from the elements,” said
Anita Walker, director of the Iowa Department of Cultural
Affairs, which oversees SHSI. “We made $30,000
in emergency HRDP funds available in April, and we
appreciate the efforts of Senator Bolkcom and the
legislature to make these additional funds available
to owners of storm-damaged historic properties in
Johnson County. We know the funds are not enough to
bridge the gap between insurance settlements and the
costs of fully restoring structures in accord with
professional historic preservation standards, but
they will help protect damaged historic properties
from the elements so their historic integrity can
eventually be restored.”
Grant applications sent through the U.S Postal Service
must be received at the following address by 4:30
p.m. June 12, 2006: HRDP Emergency Grant Program,
State Historical Society of Iowa, 402 Iowa Avenue,
Iowa City, Iowa 52240. Grant applications may be hand-delivered
to the Grants Review Committee at the same address
between 9 a.m. and noon on June 13, 2006.
Technical advisors will be available for public consultation
9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. May 31 and June 8, 2006 at the Centennial
Building, 402 Iowa Avenue, Iowa City, Iowa. Constituents
are encouraged to discuss proposed repair plans with
the technical advisors in advance or as part of the
preparation of an emergency grant application. Advisors
also will be available to visit affected properties,
and will be available 9 a.m.-noon June 13, 2006 at
the Centennial Building for last-minute application
assistance.
The Grants Review Committee will review applications
June 13 and recommend grant awards up to $15,000 per
property. The final decision on the grant awards will
be made by SHSI on June 14 with grant award contracts
to be completed so work can begin when funds become
available on July 1, 2006.
Other requirements of the grant application process
include:
The plan must be approved by the State Historic Preservation
Office before work begins. Funds are not available
for any portion of the project that is completed before
a grant contract is signed.
HRDP grants must be matched with private funds; the
match may come from insurance proceeds.
Applicants must document the difference in the cost
of making repairs according to historic preservation
standards and what will be paid by insurance. Submit
contractor’s estimates and documentation of
insurance settlement with applications.
The Iowa City Historic Preservation Commission (HPC)
will assist property owners in preparing HRDP grant
applications; for assistance, call the Friends of
Historic Preservation (FHP) Help Line at 319-351-1875.
Applicants are encouraged to contact the State Historical
Society of Iowa at 515-281-4137 to determine if their
property is eligible for the National Register of
Historic Places. Additional funding of $10,000 for
restoration efforts was secured by the HPC and FHP
from the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
Contact Sunil Terdalkar, City of Iowa City historic
preservation planner, at 319-356-5243 or sunil-terdalkar@iowa-city.org
for an application form for these funds.
The State Historical Society of Iowa is a trustee
of Iowa’s historical legacy and an advocate
for understanding Iowa’s past. It identifies,
records, collects, preserves, manages and provides
access to Iowa’s historical resources. Its dual
mission of preservation and education serves Iowans
of all ages, conducts and stimulates research, disseminates
information, and encourages and supports historical
preservation and education efforts of others throughout
the state. More information about SHSI is available
at www.iowahistory.org.
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