On Tuesday, Nov. 16, the Phoenix Economic Development and Equity subcommittee met to discuss and approve properties to receive funds from the Historic Preservation Exterior Rehabilitation Grants.
The Historic Preservation Exterior Rehabilitation Assistance Program supports Phoenix historic buildings by providing funds matched by the property owners for exterior improvements. Interior improvements can be accepted only if the restoration is necessary to preserve the structure of the building.
The Phoenix City Council approved $200,000 from General Obligation Funds to be used for the Historic Preservation Exterior Rehabilitation Grants in the 2021-2022 budget.
Applications to receive funding from the grant were open until October 18. The maximum amount available to request increased from $10,000 to $20,000. Property owners are required to match the amount they receive from the grant.
“In total, we did get 62 applications,” planning and development director Alan Stephenson said during the meeting.
“On November 1, there was a grant panel that was seated. Of those 62 applications, they selected 12 based upon preservation standards, addressing critical needs, the visual impacts, revitalization impacts and efforts,” Stephenson said.
Preservation officer Michelle Dodds presented the 12 recommendations to the attending subcommittee members. Dodds included a slide show that detailed the 12 buildings, their locations, the requested exterior improvements, the total amount needed for the projects and the amount requested by each property owner.
“The grant panel did spend the entire day … reviewing those 62 applications,” Dodds said. “The historic preservation commission did recommend the 12 applications suggested by the grant panel, and that was unanimous.”
The motion to present the 12 recommendations to the full city council for final approval was passed by the Phoenix Economic Development and Equity subcommittee.
Of the available $200,000, the total costs from the project requests of the 12 properties amounted to $186,997.45.
After the presentation from Stephenson and Dodds, the Phoenix Economic Development and Equity subcommittee members asked questions regarding the grant application process and recommendations.
Phoenix Councilwoman Laura Pastor asked if the recipients from this year would be eligible to reapply for the grants next year.
“Even if you receive a grant one year, it is possible to apply and receive a grant in a subsequent year,” Dodds answered. “For those that weren’t successful this year in being chosen by the panel, they can apply again next year.”
Along with matching the amount received from the grant, property owners must also agree to a conservation easement for a specific amount of time based on the amount of money received in the grant. In a conservation easement, the restored property must have limited use to protect its preservation value. The conservation easement will vary from 15 to 20 years.
The 12 historic properties are located in seven different historic districts: three from Willo, three from F.Q. Story, two from Encanto-Palmcroft, and one property from Roosevelt, Villa Verde, Fairview Place and Ashland Place.
The last round of Historic Preservation Exterior Rehabilitation Grants were given in 2015. Out of the 19 applicants, ten were approved to receive the grant. The total amount of grant funding provided was $110,232.69.
Contact the reporter at kmsharm1@asu.edu
