Preservation Georgia online, Dec. 6-12, 2008

Preservation Georgia Online December 6-12, 2008
In this issue: MESSAGE FROM DIRECTOR LUCE: HPD Awards First Grant Funded by
Preservation License Plate to Historic Tybee Theater Vacant buildings legislation discussed - with historic preservation provisions Preservation events calendar Subscription information
************************************************************************
MESSAGE FROM DIRECTOR LUCE: HPD Awards First Grant Funded by Preservation License Plate to Historic Tybee Theater
After three years of working with Georgia's preservation community to make the preservation license plate a reality, HPD is extremely pleased to announce that the first Georgia Heritage Grant funded with proceeds from tag sales has been awarded to the Friends of the Tybee Theater. The matching grant of $20,000 will be used for window and door repairs to the historic Tybee Theater on Tybee Island in Chatham County.
This unusual and significant community landmark was constructed in 1930 by the U.S. Army as part of Fort Screven. After the fort was decommissioned in 1945, the theater served as the "beach theater" for the community until 1970, after which it was abandoned. The Friends of the Tybee Theater purchased the property in 2005 with plans to rehabilitate the building into a multi-purpose cultural center for Tybee Island.
The Friends of the Tybee Theater grant application was one of 37 received this past summer as part of the SFY 2009 cycle totaling almost $800,000.00 in grant requests. Unfortunately, state budget constraints have allowed only license plate money to be available at this time for this top-scoring Tybee Theater project.
The license plate, designed by Georgia artist Larnie Higgins of Planet Studio in Atlanta, was authorized by the 2005 General Assembly and signed into law at that time by Governor Perdue. More than $20 from each $25 license tag fee goes to the Georgia Heritage Grant Program, which provides funding for historic preservation projects around the state.
Thank you all for your continued support of this special license plate. As sales increase, the direct impact will be the preservation of Georgia's historic places.
For information on how to purchase the preservation license plate or on the Georgia Heritage Grant Program, please contact Grants Coordinator Carole Moore at 404-463-8434 or carole.moore@dnr.state.ga.us

************************************************************************
Vacant buildings legislation discussed - with historic preservation provisions
The problem of vacant buildings in urban areas reached a boiling point earlier this year, but increased Congressional interest did not result in new legislation in the 110th Congress. The 111th Congress will have an opportunity, early on, to reconsider the issue.
Congressman Tim Ryan (D-OH) is now in the process of drafting vacant buildings legislation that would support historic preservation efforts in cities nationwide, though program funds would also be used for demolition of vacant properties. The draft clearly states that demolition of properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places or any property designated under state or local law unless designation is waived by historic preservation officials after public review.
His office is seeking input from the grassroots on "The Renaissance Communities Act of 2009." The Act sets up a demonstration program focused on areas with at least 10% population loss since 1980. Adaptive reuse of "architectural, historically or culturally significant properties is an eligible expense.
The draft legislation does not proscribe how much funding would be authorized for this program.
A PDF version of the draft legislation is available online at: http://www.preservationaction.org/RC%20Act%20Draft%2010%2027%2008.pdf
Comments on the program draft should be directed to Steve Cerny in Congressman Ryan's office: Steve.Cerny@mail.house.gov
- from the December 5, 2008 edition of the Weekly Legislative Update for State Historic Preservation Offices
************************************************************************
Preservation events calendar Check the Events Calendar at www.gashpo.org for complete listings by date.
Please note that items on the "Preservation Events Calendar" are events and meetings of interest to preservationists. It is not to be used for the detailed scheduling of meetings with HPD staff without contacting those individuals.
Submit your listings to: helen.talley-mcrae@dnr.state.ga.us.

This week's new listings -
March 26-29 -74th Annual Savannah Tour of Homes and Gardens - Historic Savannah Foundation - www.savannahtourofhomes.org or call 912-234-8054
May 23 - Jarrell Plantation State Historic Site Family Farm Day - Juliette - 478986-5172 - jarrell_plantation_park@dnr.state.ga.us
National and state conferences and meetings (listed in previous newsletters)-
January 10 - Georgia Chapter of the Trail of Tears Association membership meeting - Waleska - 770-704-6338 - www.gatrailoftears.org
January 10-17 - Preservation Leadership Training (PLT) - National Trust Birmingham, AL - http://www.PreservationNation.org/plt or contact Alison Hinchman at 202-588-6067 or plt@nthp.org (The deadline for receiving applications is October 3, 2008. A limited number of scholarships are available.)
January 22-24 - 8th annual New Partners for Smart Growth conference Albuquerque www.newpartners.org
January 30 National Register Review Board meeting Atlanta http://www.gashpo.org/content/displaynavigation.asp?TopCategory=177
February 3-14 - Georgia Days in commemoration of the 276th anniversary of the founding of the Georgia colony - Georgia Historical Society - statewide events http://georgiahistory.com/stories/79
February 9-10 UGA School of Environmental Design Career Fair Athens - contact Audra Lofton at alofton@uga.edu
February 19-21- Sixth biennial Savannah Symposium: World Heritage and National Registers in Perspective - Savannah College of Art and Design Savannah - http://www.scad.edu/architecturalhistory/dept/events/symposiums.cfm
March 8-11 - 2009 NCSHPO Annual Meeting and Historic Preservation Advocacy Day - Washington DC - http://www.ncshpo.org
March 11-15 12th US/ICOMOS International Symposium: Preservation in Peril New Orleans www.usicomos.org
March 12 - Georgia Women of Achievement Annual Induction Ceremony with guest speaker author Mary Kay Andrews - Wesleyan College, Macon www.georgiawomen.org

March 19-21 6th National Forum on Historic Preservation Practice: A Critical Look at Sustainability and Historic Preservation Baltimore, MD www.goucher.edu/forum2009
March 26-27 - 2009 Landmark and Preservation Conference - South Carolina SHPO - Columbia - http://shpo.sc.gov/conf
April 8-11 - The Popular Culture Association and American Culture Association annual conference - New Orleans - contact http://www.pcaaca.org/conference/national.php
April 22 -26 - Society for American Archaeology (SAA) 74th Annual Meeting Atlanta - www.saa.org
May 5 Preservation 101: A Georgia Orientation Historic Preservation Division Atlanta or Decatur http://www.gashpo.org/content/displaycontent.asp?txtDocument=414
May 29-June 7 Victorian Society in America's 29th annual American Summer School Newport, RI www.victoriansociety.org
June 10-13 - Vernacular Architecture Forum Annual Meeting - Butte, Montana www.vafweb.org
August 23-26 - National Scenic Byways 2009 conference: Elevate Your Expertise - Denver, CO - www.bywaysresourcecenter.org or center@byways.org
August 26-29 - 2009 AASLH (American Association for State and Local History) Annual Meeting - Indianapolis, IN - http://www.aaslh.org/2009-annualmeeting.htm
October 13-17 - 2009 National Preservation Conference - Nashville, TN http://www.preservationnation.org/resources/training/npc/
************************************************************************
Subscription Information
Preservation Georgia Online is produced by the Historic Preservation Division (HPD) of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. We hope that you find it useful and informative. Please send your comments, suggestions, and information via e-mail to: helen.talley-mcrae@dnr.state.ga.us.
To be added to our e-mail subscription list, please send an e-mail message to helen.talley-mcrae@dnr.state.ga.us with "Preservation Georgia Online -

Subscribe" in the subject line and your name, organization affiliation, title, and telephone number in the body.
If you do not wish to receive Preservation Georgia Online, please send an e-mail message to helen.talley-mcrae@dnr.state.ga.us with "Preservation Georgia Online - Unsubscribe" in the subject line.