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HALLOWELL – Historic preservation projects in Augusta and Rumford are among four that have been awarded grants through the Maine Development Foundation Maine Downtown Center.
MDC awarded $656,789 through the REvitalizeME Gen2 National Park Service sub-grant program to projects that are preserving historic downtown buildings. All four support economic development in rural downtowns during this critical time.
The Colonial Theater, in Augusta, was awarded $160,229 for window and exterior door repair.
Bag Mill, in Rumford, was awarded $200,000 for roof and energy efficiency improvements and another $48,560 for plans and specifications and a window survey.
The other two projects that were awarded grants were the Old Hancock County Sheriff’s Home and Jail, Ellsworth, $200,000, and Porter Memorial Library, Marchias, $48,000.
“We are pleased to make these awards for catalytic projects in Maine downtowns,” Anne Ball, MDC program director, said. “The program set out to drive the connection between economic development and historic preservation. These projects illustrate this in four unique downtowns in four different Maine counties and in four different building types: a library, theater, mill, and former jail.”
The Maine Historic Preservation Commission partnered on the project. “We are pleased to be able to support rehabilitation work on several historically significant buildings,” Kirk Mohney, director and state historic preservation officer, said. “The variety of buildings that received awards underscores the rich architectural heritage of Maine’s downtowns.”
The REvitalizeME Gen2 sub-grant program was funded by the Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization Grants Program of the National Park Service, Department of Interior. The objective of the program is to support the rehabilitation of historic properties that will drive economic development in rural communities.
PHOTOS: Top, Colonial Theater, Augusta, and below, Bag Mill, Rumford. (Submitted photos)
