Foundation For Restoration Receives Grant From 1772 Foundation
The Foundation for the Restoration of Ste. Genevieve was among the 27 organizations awarded grants for Historic Preservation projects from the 1772 Foundation, which is based in Providence, Rhode Island.
The 1772 Foundation plays a leading role in promoting historic properties redevelopment programs (HPRPs), also known as revolving funds, nationwide.
At the 1772 Foundation’s quarterly meeting, its trustees awarded HPRP grants totaling $1,648,000.
Individual grants ranged in amounts from $10,000 to $150,000.
In a letter received in early February, the Foundation for Restoration of Ste. Genevieve was notified of the awarding of the $15,000 grant toward the development of a feasibility study for the establishment of a revolving fund to purchase and redevelop certain properties in the downtown historic area.
“Support for historic properties redevelopment programs continues to be a key granting priority of the 1772 Foundation,” according to President B. Danforth Ely. “This year, we received many more grant applications than in the past from organizations across the country. To stretch its resources as far as possible, the foundation favors collaboration with local partners to leverage funds and achieve the greatest possible neighborhood impact.”
Executive director Mary Anthony added, “Active real estate intervention of the kind practiced by historic properties redevelopment funds is critically important to historic preservation and, by extension, economic revitalization, neighborhood development, equitable housing, and Smart Growth. The entrepreneurial approach greatly increases the number of historic buildings saved, often as adaptive reuse projects.”
The 1772 Foundation was named in honor of its first restoration project — Liberty Hall in Union, New Jersey, which was built in 1772. It is the ancestral home of the Livingston and Kean families. The late Stewart B. Kean was the original benefactor of the 1772 Foundation.
The 1772 Foundation works to ensure the safe passage of historic buildings and farmland to future generations.
More information about the 1772 Foundation may be found at www.1772foundation.org.
Foundation for Restoration of Ste. Genevieve president Sara Menard expressed her thanks to the 1772 Foundation for the financial assistance, and said the Foundation for Restoration’s Board of Directors is anxious to pursue its project in cooperation with the 1772 Foundation.
The Foundation for Restoration will be working with assistance from the city of Ste. Genevieve’s community development administrator, David Bova, and will begin searching for properties that meet the criteria for their Ste. Genevieve building redevelopment project.
(Information in a release from the Foundation for Restoration of Ste. Genevieve.)