The following is the text of a press release issued by the National Trust for Historic Preservation:
(SEATTLE) — Today, American Express (NYSE: AXP – News) and the National Trust for Historic Preservation announced a diverse group of 11 historic and culturally significant sites in the Seattle-Puget Sound area to receive grants for historic preservation projects.
When the Seattle-Puget Sound Partners in Preservation initiative launched in April, the public voted online over a four-week period for their favorite historic places from a slate of 25 candidates across the Seattle-Puget Sound area to receive a portion of $1 million being given away in preservation grants from American Express and the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
On May 13, the Schooner Adventuress was announced as the winner of the popular public vote, with 20 percent of all votes cast. A grant of $125,000 will be given to the nearly 100-year-old vessel to address damage caused by natural wear and tear. In recognition of the unparalleled photo-finish, Partners in Preservation also awarded Town Hall, runner up in the public vote with 19 percent, a grant of $125,000.
The nine additional historic sites announced today were chosen by an Advisory Committee comprised of civic and preservation leaders from the Seattle-Puget Sound area, as well as representatives from American Express and the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Factors that were considered in the selection process included public voting results and community support for the project, the preservation needs of the site, historic significance, project completion ability, and the role the site plays in the community.
The eleven American Express Partners in Preservation 2010 award winners are:
Schooner Adventuress, Seattle and Port Townsend: $125,000 to repair natural deterioration of the Adventuress’ iconic overhanging counter stern.
Town Hall Seattle: $125,000 to restore, clean and seal the white terra cotta façade and restore the prominent south-facing stained-glass window.
Point No Point Lighthouse, Hansville: $100,000 to rehabilitate the lighthouse, including repairs to the lantern room, roofing & decking, stucco & brickwork and windows & doors.
Skansie Brothers Net Shed, Gig Harbor: $100,000 to stabilize the net shed by repairing and replacing failing wood piling and structural supports.
Washington Hall, Seattle: $90,000 to install new electrical service to allow the safe operation of the theater.
Japanese Cultural & Community Center, Seattle: $75,000 to rehabilitate the Center’s primary façades, including siding, windows and entry porticos.
Orting Soldiers Home-Garfield Hall, Orting: $70,000 to restore Garfield Hall’s elegant but seriously deteriorated portico.
Mill Creek Canyon Earthworks, Kent: $70,000 to restore the Earthworks’ sculptural landscape elements to their original design.
Ferry House at Ebey’s Landing, Whidbey Island: $65,000 to reconstruct the Ferry House’s front porch and provide seismic and structural improvements.
University Heights Community Center, Seattle: $60,000 to repair the Community Center’s deteriorated historic wood windows.
Chapel Car 5 “Messenger of Peace,†Snoqualmie: $50,000 to rehabilitate Chapel Car 5’s deteriorated structural components, replace missing windows and seating, and restore damaged interior appointments.
In addition, American Express and the National Trust for Historic Preservation recognized the remaining 14 sites participating in the initiative by granting them each $5,000 in preservation funding. These grant recipients include:
The 5th Avenue Theatre, Seattle King Street Station, Seattle Port Townsend U.S. Customs House, Port Townsend Kirkland Arts Center, Kirkland Titlow Park Lodge, Tacoma Anderson Island Historical Society, Anderson Island Horiuchi’s Seattle Mural, Seattle Spanish Steps, Tacoma Naval Reserve Armory—MOHAI, Seattle Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle Building, Seattle Tugboat Arthur Foss, Seattle Keewaydin Clubhouse, Mercer Island Theodor Jacobsen Observatory, Seattle Bowman Bay Kitchen Shelter, Deception Pass State Park
“Bringing the community together and helping to preserve and raise visibility for these wonderful historic places in Seattle and throughout the Puget Sound region is what the Partners in Preservation program is all about,†said Timothy J. McClimon, president, American Express Foundation. “We congratulate the winners and commend all of the sites for their fantastic work, and we look forward to seeing the finished results of each preservation project.â€
“The community support for these treasured historic places has been extraordinary,†said David Brown, acting president of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. “Partners in Preservation not only provides financial resources for the preservation of some of these irreplaceable sites, it also encourages communities to come together in support of preserving their past. We are pleased to be able to help preserve the unique places that tell Seattle-Puget Sound’s many diverse stories.â€
To help guide American Express and the National Trust for Historic Preservation through the selection process, an Advisory Committee was established of 24 leaders in the Seattle-Puget Sound area who have an understanding and appreciation of historic preservation and the area’s historic places.
Seattle-Puget Sound is the fifth region to host the Partners in Preservation program and receive funding from American Express. The program previously supported preservation projects in the Greater Boston area, San Francisco, Chicago and New Orleans. Together, American Express and the National Trust for Historic Preservation are redefining preservation across the country through the innovative nature of the Partners in Preservation program, which is providing the resources needed to save the places that matter to us all.
About the Partners in Preservation Program
Launched in 2006, Partners in Preservation is a program in which American Express, in partnership with the National Trust for Historic Preservation, pledged $5.5 million over a five-year period toward preserving historic places throughout the United States. American Express has already allocated all of the $5.5 million in preservation grants, which has allowed recipients to make significant progress in achieving their preservation goals. American Express has also given $1.1 million to the National Trust for Historic Preservation to support its work helping people save the places that matter to them all across the country.
About American Express
American Express is a global services company, providing customers with access to products, insights and experiences that enrich lives and build business success. Historic preservation has long been a hallmark of American Express’ involvement in the community, reflecting its recognition of the contribution of sites and monuments to a sense of national and local identity and the role that their preservation can play in attracting visitors and revitalizing neighborhoods. As early as 1983, American Express launched a cause-related marketing effort that raised $1.7 million for the preservation of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. From 1996 to 2005, American Express contributed more than $10 million to help preserve 126 historic sites in 62 countries from the World Monuments Watch List of the 100 Most Endangered Sites. In June 2006, the company announced the American Express Partners in Preservation initiative, with the National Trust for Historic Preservation as its partner in the U.S. and the World Monuments Fund as its partner internationally.
About the National Trust for Historic Preservation
The National Trust for Historic Preservation is a non-profit membership organization bringing people together to protect, enhance and enjoy the places that matter to them. By saving the places where great moments from history – and the important moments of everyday life – took place, the National Trust for Historic Preservation helps revitalize neighborhoods and communities, spark economic development and promote environmental sustainability. With headquarters in Washington, DC, eight regional and field offices, 29 historic sites, and partner organizations in 50 states, territories, and the District of Columbia, the National Trust for Historic Preservation provides leadership, education, advocacy and resources to a national network of people, organizations and local communities committed to saving places, connecting us to our history and collectively shaping the future of America’s stories.
