$2.15M Awarded to Preservation Projects

At a special meeting on December 3 the Board of Trustees of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History awarded more than $2 million on behalf of the Community Heritage Preservation Grant program to seventeen preservation and restoration projects across the state. The Community Heritage Preservation Grant program, authorized and funded through the Mississippi Legislature, helps preserve and restore historic courthouses and schools and, in Certified Local Government communities, other historic properties. Over the life of the program the department has awarded more than $32 million to 203 projects.

The grant awards are as follows:

Clarksdale Central Fire Station (1957). Designated Mississippi Landmark Oct. 19, 2012.

Natchez Institute, Natchez, Adams County—$150,000, for installation of a fire suppression system.

West Point City Hall, West Point, Clay County—$81,597, for exterior restoration and roof repair.

Clarksdale Central Fire Station, Clarksdale, Coahoma County—$46,458, for electrical upgrades, restoration of interior, and repair to masonry, doors, and windows.

Eureka School, Hattiesburg, Forrest County—$131,000, for restoration of the school’s second floor.

Lanier High School, Jackson, Hinds County—$80,000, for restoration of the building’s façade.

Lowry House, Jackson, Hinds County—$59,708, for rehabilitation of interior, installation of interior and exterior lighting, and landscaping.

Morning Star School, Edwards, Hinds County—$75,000, for restoration of roof and walls.

Rhino Barn at Jackson Zoo, Jackson, Hinds County—$148,400, for interior rehabilitation and roof and masonry repair and restoration.

La Pointe-Krebs House, Pascagoula

LaPointe-Krebs House, Pascagoula, Jackson County—$200,000, for further stabilization and restoration of interior and exterior.

Lynville School, Preston, Kemper County—$216,000, for roof replacement.

Temple Theatre for the Performing Arts, Meridian, Lauderdale County—$38,240, for roof repair, exit door replacement, and termite treatment.

Marion County Courthouse, Columbia, Marion County—$141,830, for cupola repair and restoration.

Old Water and Light Plant, Holly Springs, Marshall County—$160,000, for roof replacement and masonry restoration.

Immanuel Church, Winona, Montgomery County—$138,094, for restoration of stained glass windows.

Old Holmesville-Pike County Courthouse, Holmesville, Pike County—$120,750, for restoration and stabilization of the exterior and rehabilitation of the interior.

Tallahatchie County Courthouse, Sumner, Tallahatchie County—$122,370, for restoration of the east entrance.

Union County Courthouse (1909, H.E. Ostling, archt.).

Union County Courthouse, New Albany, Union County—$245,000, for restoration of the roof and cupola.

Grant awards are paid on a reimbursable basis upon the successful completion of the entire project or at the time of the completion of pre-established phases of the project. Prior to application all buildings must have been designated Mississippi Landmarks. Only county or municipal governments, school districts, and nonprofit organizations granted Section 501 (c)(3) tax-exempt status by the Internal Revenue Service may submit applications. In reviewing and evaluating the grants, the Board of Trustees of MDAH attempted to balance the geographical distribution of grant awards.

To become a Certified Local Government, a community must adopt a preservation ordinance establishing a preservation commission in accordance with federal and state guidelines. Once the commission has been established, application for CLG status may be made to the National Park Service through the Department of Archives and History. MDAH works closely with local government officials and citizens to help them create and manage a workable local historic preservation program. To learn more about the CLG program, contact Barry White in the Historic Preservation Division of MDAH, 601-576-6940.

Categories: Grants, MDAH, Renovation Projects

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