Quincy Preserves launches new program to assist private home facade restoration – Herald-Whig

Posted: Jun. 28, 2017 10:50 am

QUINCY -- Establishing a facade program for residential properties is a request that Quincy Preserves has received during the last several years.

Quincy Preserves President Vicki Ebbing said the organization not only has received requests from homeowners but also has fielded inquiries about programs to help make exterior improvements to historic residences.

"It's an ongoing process for anybody that owns an older home," Ebbing said.

They will now have options. Quincy Preserves announced at its annual picnic last week that it is starting the Private Home Facade Renovation Funding Program to offer $1,000 matching grants to restore period architectural design details and characteristics of building facades, as well as correcting property maintenance code violations relating to the building facade.

"After seeing the demolition of the 421 Jersey building, we decided that we needed to do something to help prevent that sort of thing from happening, where the building slides to the point where people demolish it," Ebbing said. "We've come up with this program to hopefully circumvent that in the future."

Quincy Preserves has offered a commercial facade program in downtown Quincy for many years. Properties that have benefited from the program are 648 Maine, 111 Jail Alley, 833 Kentucky and 117 Hampshire.

The organization also has a donation program through which it helps nonprofits with historic buildings, such as the Historical Society of Quincy and Adams County with the History Museum at 332 Maine, the Quincy Museum at 1601 Maine and Villa Kathrine at 532 Gardner Expressway.

The new program is restricted to private homes within Quincy historic districts -- the East End, the Northwest, the German, the Downtown, the Zwick Row, Brewery Area and the South Side Bungalow historic districts. However, other significant historical architectural residences outside the district may be considered by the Facade Committee and the Quincy Preserves Board of Directors.

The grant must be matched and will be made annually until the program's budget is depleted each year.

To participate in the program, homeowners must be paid members of Quincy Preserves for at least 12 months prior to the date of their applications. The residences must have been constructed between 1830 and 1950, and funding can't be used for roof repairs.

Priority preference will be given to applicants who agree in writing to open their homes for one of the Quincy Preserves Tours after the work is finished. The revenue from the tours helps support the grant program

Preference will also be given to Quincy Preserves plaqued structures and properties that have been made local landmarks by the Quincy Preservation Commission or the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Applications will be available at the Quincy Preserves' website, as well as at the Preservation Commission office at 706 Maine.

For additional information on the program, visit quincypreserves.org, email info@quincypreserves.org or contact Ebbing at 217-257-9909.

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Quincy Preserves launches new program to assist private home facade restoration - Herald-Whig