The dates for the technical assistance workshops are set for building owners interested in applying for a subgrant through the National Park Service’s Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization Grant program. The grant’s purpose is to foster economic development in rural communities through the rehabilitation of local historic buildings and resources.
The City of Paducah is offering two workshops to provide applicants technical assistance in completing the grant application. These workshops are free, open to the public, and not mandatory to attend. The workshop dates, times, and locations are as follows:
- Thursday, May 29 at 11 a.m. in the City Commission Chambers at City Hall, 300 South 5th Street.
- Tuesday, June 10 at 6 p.m. in the Market House Event Space at 202 Kentucky Avenue.
Each workshop will consist of a presentation from City staff on the program’s eligibility requirements, application, and review process. A question and answer opportunity will follow the presentation.
The deadline to apply for a subgrant is 4:30 p.m. CDT on Thursday, July 3. To view the guidelines and the application portal, visit Paul Bruhn Subgrant Program. Once you click the link to the application portal, look under “Apply for Incentive Grants" or search “Paul Bruhn Grant” in the search bar.
In 2024, the City of Paducah officially accepted the grant, and over the past few months, staff developed the application process and gained National Park Service approval to distribute the funds through subgrants. The total amount of funding awarded to the City is $750,000 with the grant funding period running through September 30, 2027, to use the funds. Out of the total grant award, $650,000 is allocated for awarding subgrants for building preservation to local building owners in the eligible program areas with the remaining $100,000 for technical assistance. Subgrant awards will range from $50,0000 to $100,000. Examples of possible projects include building stabilization, façade improvements, roofs, HVAC, ADA accessibility, electrical, and plumbing.
There are three eligible program areas for Paducah: 1) Downtown Historic Commercial District; 2) Market House Historical District; and 3) Southside. Properties that may be eligible for the grant include commercial, multi-unit residential, mixed use, educational, churches, and nonprofits. Only existing structures are eligible. Single family residential properties are not eligible. To be eligible for a subgrant, properties must be included within and contributing to a National Register District or individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Properties that are not yet listed in the National Register may still be awarded subgrants.
Palmer Stroup, Planner II in the Paducah Planning Department, is the main contact for the subgrants. Stroup can be reached at 270-444-8690.
This material was produced with assistance from the Historic Preservation Fund, administered by the National Park Service, Department of the Interior under Grant Number P24AP02344-00. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of the Interior.
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