Thanks to all the groups and individuals who helped make the Revolving Fund Site Visit a success. We are working on the report and will have more about this new preservation tool soon.
Since its founding in 1964 the Cincinnati Preservation Association (CPA) has been active in the areas of education, advocacy and technical support for the public. Throughout that time there have been a number of occasions where CPA has provided funding or taken direct action to saved historic structures, neighborhoods and sites. The organization is seeking to expand its impact by making direct support of rehabilitation an ongoing component of CPA’s work. The objective of this Revolving Fund Site Visit and Assessment is to provide advice on the most effective operational structure and focus for a revolving fund.
This opportunity to expand the scope of CPA activities is possible because of the preservation successes Cincinnati has experienced in recent years. Rehabilitation work by many organizations and individuals has transformed the city and in the process transformed the public’s attitude toward our historic buildings. Over-the-Rhine, a 360 acre National Register Historic District is undergoing revitalization on an unprecedented scale, two National Historic Landmark icons, Union Terminal and Music Hall, are being renovated with strong public support, and historic neighborhoods are now an attractive choice for residents and newcomers.
As extensive as the rehabilitation has been, it has only touched a small proportion of Cincinnati’s historic fabric. CPA seeks to build upon the public’s emerging enthusiasm for historic buildings and neighborhoods to create a fund that will extend the benefits of revitalization to more locations within the city.
CPA was awarded a grant from The 1772 Foundation to fund an assessment of the current opportunities for RF program and make recommendations for project types or target neighborhoods the RF could most effectively address. Our visiting team included
Kathy Kottaridis of Historic Boston, Inc., Clark Schoettle of the Providence Revolving Fund and J. Myrick Howard of Preservation North Carolina.
Cincinnati Preservation Collective shared their Focus Buildings list and OTR Adopt outlined their work to take on the buildings in need of new owners.
Community Development Corporations identified the type of projects which might benefit from a preservation revolving fund.
The visiting team at work on their recommendations
Public presentation of the recommendations at Memorial Hall
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