- The Heritage Ohio Awards have been decided and are locked up in a steel box guarded by dragons! Or actually I think they’re just on paper somewhere on Joyce’s desk but still y’all will have to wait until they’re announced Thursday, May 7th during the awards luncheon at our annual conference to find out who won! We had a great nomination turn-out this year and I hear judging was NOT easy!
- Next week we’ll also be deciding on our Top Opportunities list. I love Top Opportunities — it was Joyce’s idea to put a positive spin on the typical endangered buildings lists. Joyce says the program is meant to help communities look at their historic assets as opportunities to create “individualized local destinations.” In other words, one person’s abandoned building is another person’s world of possibility. We’ll also be announcing the new list at our awards luncheon.
- Frank — as always working hard for the preservationists of Ohio — got the price down on our hotel block for the conference. This hotel is an amazing building with fabulous rooms in a beautifully revitalized building. The Arcade is just gorgeous and naturally the hotel rooms aren’t cheap. But Frank got the convention people to come way down and now — if you’re going to the conference — you can stay there for what can only be called bargain basement prices. Yay Frank!! Seriously — you should come to the conference just to stay in those luxury rooms at a non-luxury price! Oh and for our great speakers and stuff, natch!
- Joyce has an upcoming historic theater training on May 29th. I’m working on the flyer and email blast now. Remember — if you’re not on our email list, please sign up! It’s the best way to find out about hotel discounts, upcoming workshops and general Heritage Ohio news.
- Finally the National Trust for Historic Preservation (we’re their Ohio partners) sent us this heads up and we’re passing it on!
There has been lots of discussion about whether the $5 billion Weatherization program from DOE that is coming as part of the stimulus package can actually be applied to restoration and repair, rather than just new construction or new materials. It appears that it can. For more information, see the DOE website on the program.
I’ve also attached the summary section from the Weatherization program booklet, which provides a list of measures that can be taken under the program. This includes repair of existing doors and windows, and installation of new storm windows, as well as insulation and a host of mechanical and appliance upgrades.
Good to know, eh?
