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Preserving Petersburg — with federal help
07/25/2007
Petersburg just got some help from outside the community.
The city recently received a $100,000 check as part of the Preserve America Program.
The federal program distributes matching grants to designated Preserve America Communities throughout the nation. Petersburg is one of 14 communities in Virginia with the Preserve America designation.
The program seeks to preserve America’s heritage by helping to protect, and use historic properties owned by the federal government. The program also seeks to increase cooperation and partnership between governments in order to preserve and use historic properties.
Needless to say, Petersburg has a lot of historic properties.
The money will be used to add signs to the historic downtown area, provide benches and other improvements aimed at promoting tourism and foot traffic in the downtown area.
“Some of the signs will serve to point out particularly historic buildings, others will give tourists information on how to get around,” City Preservation Planner Victoria Hauser said.
The award from the federal government says: “The City of Petersburg will create a series of interpretative markers within the Petersburg’s historic districts. These will be accompanied by a series of walking tour brochures to help draw attention to the historic architecture and sites in the area.”
The federal grant money, along with a city match of $100,000, will be used over the next 18 months to put the signs in place.
Other projects will include developing walking tours for the downtown area and other efforts to beautify the city.
“This grant is wonderful news for Petersburg as it continues its aggressive plan to highlight the rich history of the city,” Congressman J. Randy Forbes, R-4th, said in a press release announcing the grant.
As part of the honor of receiving the grant, Petersburg Mayor Annie M. Mickens received the check from first lady Laura Bush and Forbes.
Laura Bush presented nearly $2.6 million to some of the nearly 500 Preserve America Communities across the country.
“I want to ensure that our priceless historic properties throughout the nation continue to be preserved, used, and enjoyed for the benefit of future generations,” Bush said in a press release. “That is why we started the Preserve America initiative – to promote cultural and natural preservation, and to encourage greater appreciation of our heritage – from monuments and buildings, to landscapes and main streets.”
The grant is a great accomplishment for the city of Petersburg. Considering that only 500 communities have received grants, Petersburg’s effort to get federal help should be commended. And many of the communities received less than $100,000.
The grant is the latest indication that Petersburg’s historic downtown is getting the attention of the outside world. And in this case, that attention translated in dollars to help the historic downtown.
Online at: http://www.progress-index.com/site/n...d=462943&rfi=6
07/25/2007
Petersburg just got some help from outside the community.
The city recently received a $100,000 check as part of the Preserve America Program.
The federal program distributes matching grants to designated Preserve America Communities throughout the nation. Petersburg is one of 14 communities in Virginia with the Preserve America designation.
The program seeks to preserve America’s heritage by helping to protect, and use historic properties owned by the federal government. The program also seeks to increase cooperation and partnership between governments in order to preserve and use historic properties.
Needless to say, Petersburg has a lot of historic properties.
The money will be used to add signs to the historic downtown area, provide benches and other improvements aimed at promoting tourism and foot traffic in the downtown area.
“Some of the signs will serve to point out particularly historic buildings, others will give tourists information on how to get around,” City Preservation Planner Victoria Hauser said.
The award from the federal government says: “The City of Petersburg will create a series of interpretative markers within the Petersburg’s historic districts. These will be accompanied by a series of walking tour brochures to help draw attention to the historic architecture and sites in the area.”
The federal grant money, along with a city match of $100,000, will be used over the next 18 months to put the signs in place.
Other projects will include developing walking tours for the downtown area and other efforts to beautify the city.
“This grant is wonderful news for Petersburg as it continues its aggressive plan to highlight the rich history of the city,” Congressman J. Randy Forbes, R-4th, said in a press release announcing the grant.
As part of the honor of receiving the grant, Petersburg Mayor Annie M. Mickens received the check from first lady Laura Bush and Forbes.
Laura Bush presented nearly $2.6 million to some of the nearly 500 Preserve America Communities across the country.
“I want to ensure that our priceless historic properties throughout the nation continue to be preserved, used, and enjoyed for the benefit of future generations,” Bush said in a press release. “That is why we started the Preserve America initiative – to promote cultural and natural preservation, and to encourage greater appreciation of our heritage – from monuments and buildings, to landscapes and main streets.”
The grant is a great accomplishment for the city of Petersburg. Considering that only 500 communities have received grants, Petersburg’s effort to get federal help should be commended. And many of the communities received less than $100,000.
The grant is the latest indication that Petersburg’s historic downtown is getting the attention of the outside world. And in this case, that attention translated in dollars to help the historic downtown.
Online at: http://www.progress-index.com/site/n...d=462943&rfi=6