LRP funded deck restoration project, Vashon © 2011, courtesy of Marian Brischle

Funding through the Landmark Rehabilitation Program is open to private, nonprofit, and public stewards of designated King County (WA) landmarks and landmarks in cities that have  interlocal agreement with the King County Historic Preservation Program. Landmark Rehab supports project planning, stabilization, and restoration projects. Guidelines, required application support materials and links to the online application are available at www.4culture.org/apply/landmarkrehab.

In 2011, 15 applicants were funded totaling $107,070 in support for county-wide projects. A portion of Lodging Tax revenues collected in King County, WA provides all of the funding for this program. First time applicants need to arrange a site visit with 4Culture Preservation Lead, Flo Lentz, prior to applying. Questions? Contact Flo at 206.296.8682 or flo....@4culture.org.

Image: LRP funded deck restoration project, Vashon © 2011, courtesy of Marian Brischle

Owners of the Beall house on Vashon, recently completed repairs to the front porch with partial support for materials from 4Culture’s annual Landmark Rehabilitation Program. This 1900 landmark was constructed by a local carpenter for the Beall family, who pioneered the floriculture industry in western Washington and, by the 1930s, had garnered world-wide fame for their orchid production.

Restoration work included pouring new reinforced concrete pad footings for supports, and replacing rotten wood in the columns, column bases, and portions of the porch deck. After repairs were completed, the entire porch (including the roof) was painted to blend the new with the old. Work was completed this fall, primarily by the owners themselves, but with some help from four-legged friends. For more information on 4Culture’s Landmark Rehabilitation Program visit www.4culture.org/apply/landmarkrehab.

Images: Beall house on Vashon 2011 ©, courtesy of Robert Henry

Perhaps you saw 4Culture construction banners around the county this summer, and were wondering what they meant. From Woodinville to Kent, landmark properties got some much needed TLC with support from our Landmark Rehab Program. Every one of these projects pumped dollars into the economy for materials and jobs for local craftsmen.

Marjesira Inn, Vashon Island

The owner of this rare, rustic landmark worked with island carpenter Gary Peterson to complete much-needed repairs to the third floor porch deck and railing this summer. Marjesira Inn was built in 1906 at Magnolia Beach overlooking Quartermaster Harbor. In the era of the Mosquito Fleet, it functioned as a small hotel with a post office and general store.

Peter Kirk Building, Kirkland

Kirkland founder and steel magnate Peter Kirk erected this picturesque Victorian building as his headquarters back in 1891. The Kirkland Arts Center received funds to make necessary repairs to the original wood windows of the turret, a signature feature of this beloved eastside landmark. Legacy Renovation’s Troy Axe performed the restoration work.

August Lovegren House, Preston

Preston shingle mill owner August Lovegren built this handsome Colonial Revival house in 1904, finishing it with amazing hand-crafted vertical grained woodwork throughout the interior. The owners were awarded funds to repair and restore the historic wood windows back to operable status. They worked with craftsman Jim Felch of the Window Preservation Project.

DeYoung House, Woodinville

The DeYoung family made a significant contribution to Woodinville’s early development. Now their Dutch Colonial house is home to the Woodinville Historical Museum. Landmark Rehab allowed the Society to hire R.C. Painting & Sons to bring the house and garage back to their original yellow color.

McGrath Hotel, North Bend

Built in 1922, this former hotel and cafe once attracted travelers on the Cross-State Highway over Snoqualmie Pass through downtown North Bend. The current owners completed two simultaneous re-roofing projects this summer, with the help of funds from the Landmark Rehab program. This job went to A.M. Roofing & Construction of Ellensburg.

Saar Pioneer Cemetery, Kent

This historic grave yard dates back to at least 1873, and saw over seven decades of community use. The South King County Genealogical Society hired GeoRadar Imaging LLC to locate lost features (graves, roads, enclosures and headstones) using ground penetrating radar. The scanning work completed this summer will help the society create a more detailed site plan to guide future restoration.

Images: Marjesira images © 2011, courtesy of Marian Brischle; Peter Kirk building images © 2011, courtesy of Kirkland Arts Center; Lovegren house images © 2011, courtesy of Philip and Beverly Raymond; DeYoung house images © 2011, courtesy of Woodinville Heritage Society; McGrath Hotel images © 2011, courtesy of Rookwood Properties LLC; Saar Pioneer Cemetery images © 2011, courtesy of South King County Geneological Society.

From the desk of Karen Bouton: “The South King County Genealogical Society was awarded a Landmark Rehabilitation grant to hire Robert Schall of GeoRadar Imaging to locate unmarked burials in the Saar Pioneer Cemetery (located in Kent, WA). As of this writing, he has indicated 50 anomalies and hopes to finish scanning the rest of the cemetery within the next couple of weeks. The weather plays a huge part in Robert’s schedule as the ground has to be dry for three days in a row. Besides locating burial areas, he discovered an artifact buried several inches deep. It is iron and looks to be part of fence or decorative post. It was found near the original entrance of the cemetery and by Margaret Saar’s burial plot.”

Thank you Karen for sharing this story with us! This is such a unique project, and we hope the society will share more with us as it develops.

Images: (Upper left) Robert Schall using the GPR machine at Saar Pioneer Cemetery © 2011. (Lower right) Showing the orange paint that marks additional burials © 2011. Both courtesy of the South King County Genealogical Society.

On Saturday, July 16th, the Woodinville Heritage Society will celebrate the grand opening of the DeYoung house as the new Woodinville Heritage Museum. The house, donated to the society in 2008, and designated as a City of Woodinville landmark in 2010, has undergone repairs to make it accessible to the public for a much anticipated heritage museum and meeting space.

In a recent statement to 4Culture, Lucy DeYoung, Woodinville Heritage Society President, reports: “We finally have our Occupancy Permit from the City of Woodinville due to the generosity and support of the Society members and the Woodinville Rotary who contributed over $100,000 for a new sidewalk, parking stalls, and ADA access. Additional support has recently come from a 4Culture 2011 Landmark Rehabilitation Program award which will fund the removal of lead-based paint on the exterior of the house and the re-painting of it and the garage to the house’s original yellow color with a white trim. It is anticipated the painting the house will occur in July since it is weather dependent. The Society is very grateful to 4Culture for the opportunity to return the House to its original color and 1930’s look. When the Woodinville Heritage Society was founded in 1974, one of its original goals was to have a Woodinville Museum to celebrate and showcase Woodinville’s rich history. Thirty-five years later that dream has become a reality.”

The July 16th event is free, and the museum will be open to the public for viewing from 10am to 2pm. A Ribbon Cutting Ceremony will take place at noon. Beginning Sunday July 17th, the museum will be regularly open to the public on Sundays from noon to 4pm. The museum is located at 14121 NE 171st Street Woodinville, WA 98072. Additional Parking for the opening will be available at the Woodinville Methodist Community Church (which is at the intersection of 140th Ave NE and 171st Street) across the street. For more information please contact the Society at info@woodinvilleheritage.org.

Image: DeYoung House in Woodinville © 2011, photo by Lucy DeYoung.

This year’s recipients include the South King County Genealogical Society, which will receive an award of $6,700 for innovative research that will lead to continued restoration of the Saar Pioneer Cemetery in Kent.  This forgotten graveyard has been recently rescued, cleaned up, and re-introduced to the public by a dedicated group of local genealogists.

Another LRP award will fund much-needed painting and repairs to the newly designated Richmond Masonic Center in Shoreline, in the amount of $10,000.  The Masonic Center Association plans to restore and revitalize this highly visible 1920s community facility, located right in the heart of Shoreline’s new town center.  

The City of Snoqualmie will also get an assist with their revitalization efforts, with a $10,000 award for storefront design for multiple buildings in the downtown historic district.  The City will work with private property owners who are interested in doing simple, effective, and historically-appropriate façade improvements.

2011 Landmark Rehabilitation Program Recipients:

For more information on the Landmark Rehabilitation Grants, contact Flo Lentz, Preservation 4Culture, 206 296.8682.

In honor of Preservation Month, Preservation 4Culture is pleased to announce Landmark Rehabilitation Program (LRP) support for twelve preservation projects, providing $96,802 in financial assistance for local property owners. One of 4Culture’s core programs, the LRP supports the preservation of designated King County landmarks by providing funds for construction-related planning and design, architectural and engineering expenses, and materials and labor. These awards leverage thousands of dollars of additional private investment all around King County.

This year’s recipients include the North Bend Theatre, an excellent example of the 1940s Art Moderne style in a small town setting. The LRP award of $7,000 will fund a comprehensive preservation plan for the building, and temporary roof and wall repairs.

Another LRP award will fund critical foundation work on the well-loved Hardware Store Restaurant on Vashon Island.

Continue Reading >>

Image: 2010 © Courtesy of the Hardware Store Restaurant

The 2010 Landmark Challenge Grant application will be available online starting May 19th. This program provides assistance countywide for “bricks and mortar” projects involving highly significant, designated historic properties. Eligible properties include: City of Seattle landmarks, City of Bothell landmarks, King County and its interlocal city landmarks, and National Register sites in areas without a local landmarks ordinance.

Check back May 19th for the program’s new (and improved!) online guidelines. Contact Flo Lentz, Preservation Lead, for questions about the program or eligibility.

Image: 2010 © Courtesy of Seattle Church of Christ

To me, one of the most enjoyable aspects of the work of 4Culture is its comprehensive approach to the breadth of what we call “culture.” Culture embodies more than the arts, including public art, and local history, the focus of our heritage program. It includes science and zoos and natural history and the ethnic traditions of a diverse society and so much more.

Culture also embraces historic preservation, a little understood field of endeavor that recognizes the value of saving the significant structures that tell the story of a community’s past. For instance, very few people today are members of a fraternal society, but our landscape is dotted with aging fraternal lodges that remind us of the methods of social engagement from our not too distant past. In many rural communities in King County, these lodges are important community gathering places, active reminders of the importance of social interaction. They may have small performances occasionally; they may have interpretive displays about the important people and events in a community’s history, but they are not commonly owned by arts organizations or heritage organizations. They do not typically apply to our Arts or Heritage Cultural Facilities programs (which regularly provide support for preservation projects that are also arts and heritage facilities.)

4Culture has two funding programs that provide capital support to maintain these significant community assets, no matter what kind of use goes on inside. These can include historic farmsteads, train stations, ships, privately-owned residences, gardens, and even churches. The Landmarks Rehabilitation Program and Landmark Challenge Grants are two 4Culture preservation programs – and the only such programs in King County – that provide “bricks and mortar” funding for these kinds of preservation projects.

The stewards of these structures that are important to all of use deserve help with the extra expense involved in maintaining them, regardless of how they are used or who owns them.

The Washington Trust for Historic Preservation, our statewide advocacy group, maintains a Most Endangered List – a roster of historic resources of all sorts that face a myriad of threats. Right here in King County are five properties on the current list, including the brick buildings at Sandpoint Naval Station, the little Nuclear Reactor Building on the UW campus, the modernist Surrey Downs subdivision in Bellevue, the iconic P-I globe, and the old Homestead Restaurant at Alki. The Trust is now accepting nominations for the 2010 list, deadline March 15.

It will take much more than a small grant to resolve these complicated preservation issues and others like them, but we are pleased to be able to offer strategic assistance when the time is right.

If you’re an artist, arts group, heritage organization/specialist/educator, or someone needing help to rehabilitate a landmark, don’t forget to apply to 4Culture for project support – several deadlines are coming up in early March:

Landmark Rehabilitation: deadline March 3, 2010
Heritage Special Projects: deadline March 3, 2010
Heritage Cultural Education: deadline March 3, 2010
Individual Arts Projects: deadline March 10, 2010
Group Arts Projects: deadline March 17, 2010
See more upcoming opportunities on our 2010 Funding Calendar

Have questions? Click the link for each program above to:
1)    read more
2)    check out our brand new online application system
3)    contact the staff member for each program
4)    learn about our free application workshops

Also, we’re thrilled to have transitioned to an all-online application this year which has allowed us to simplify and streamline the process. Leave a comment below to let us know what you think.

© Jason Hirata, 2009 Individual Artist Project recipient has work on view at James Harris Gallery through March 27, 2010. Abstract drawings are crafted using raw pigment mixed with the sweat. “It’s a personal connection,” explains the artist, “but in an extremely literal sense.”

Get your typing fingers ready! 4Culture’s 2010 Landmark Rehabilitation Program application is now available online. One of 4Culture’s core programs since 2003, the Landmark Rehab Program supports the preservation of designated county landmarks by providing funds for rehabilitation work, such as construction-related planning and design, architectural and engineering expenses, materials and labor. In 2009, the program provided $93,390 in financial assistance for 14 local projects in communities throughout King County.

Click here to review 2010 guidelines, and start your application today! Deadline is March 3, 2010.

August Lovegren House, 2009, photo by Phillip Raymond

Locals in the Auburn area might have noticed the large scaffolding and workmen surrounding the historic Auburn Carnegie Library, home of the Auburn Dance Center. This prominent downtown building is undergoing some necessary repairs to its exterior, beginning with the restoration of its distinctive windows and front doors.

The building’s current owner applied to 4Culture’s 2009 Landmark Rehab Program for funding to repair and paint the exterior windows sills, sashes, front doors and doorframes. 4Culture awarded the project $6,178 to address the immediate concerns of the large wooden windows on the south and west elevations, which have the highest degree of deterioration.

If you are interested in the fascinating history and significance of Carnegie Libraries, look for a new book, co-written by Meredith Wirshing and Mildred Andrews, on Carnegie Libraries in Washington State to come out in 2010. (A 2009 Heritage Special Projects award.)

Photo: 2009, workers repairing library’s windows, courtesy of Robert Smith.