Staff writer
Peabody Economic Development and Peabody Main Street Association Executive Director Shane Marler was in Topeka on Friday to address members of the Kansas State Historic Preservation Office.
Marler spoke in support of an application he had submitted for a Heritage Trust Fund grant to renovate the storefronts of the Baker buildings in downtown Peabody.
Monday morning Marler received confirmation that the application had been successful and the city would receive a grant of $75,910 for the project.
“There were 43 applications for the available grant money from the Heritage Trust Fund,” Marler said. “The selection process is highly competitive and we are excited to have been chosen. It truly is an honor.”
The city recently received a smaller grant from the National Trust for Historic Preservation in Washington, D.C., for the same project. That grant was for $1,538.
Marler also will be applying for third grant for $20,000 from Kansas Main Street.
In addition, in 2011 Kansas Main Street also provided technical assistance for the storefront renovation by hiring an architectural firm to provide plans and drawings of the work to be done.
“Construction costs for the project will be about $150,000,” Marler said. “The Heritage Trust Fund grant gave us a giant boost toward meeting that goal.
“There are a lot of individuals and organizations on the state and national level watching our project,” he added. “This grant brings us one step closer to the full development of the Baker buildings.”
Two additional Marion County applications in the competition were not successful. Fund requests for renovation of the Hillsboro small water tower and upgrades for Marion County Courthouse were denied.