Shared Use Business Plans Help Meet Community Goals
Three Central NH Arts & Culture Non-profits Receive Grants from the NH Preservation Alliance to Restore their Buildings
Three nonprofit cultural organizations in central New Hampshire have been awarded grants from the NH Preservation Alliance in partnership with The 1772 Foundation. All three, Kimball Jenkins in Concord, the Belknap Mill in Laconia, and the Tamworth History Center, are making significant new investments in their historic buildings.
These grant recipients are also adopting new business models to enhance their financial position. Besides the traditional income sources such as program fees, memberships, grants, and general fundraising, their formula for success includes greater reliance on innovative partnerships, rentals, and leases. Of course, a mission and vision that meet community needs, committed leadership, and effective staffing are also important ingredients for success.
Kimball Jenkins in Concord is undergoing a comprehensive exterior restoration that includes removal, restoration, and re-installation of ten windows in the roof dormers of their impressive Gothic Revival Main Street mansion. The complex of buildings houses a community art school, galleries, studios, and classrooms.
These non-profits will be addressing their most urgent preservation needs with this grant funding and varied additional sources of income. In the process of restoring or rehabilitating their landmark buildings, they will be enriching the cultural and social life of their communities, providing jobs, and inspiring additional economic investment.
Kimball Jenkins, Inc. in Concord, was awarded $5000 to assist with removal, restoration, and reinstallation of ten windows in the roof dormers of their Gothic Revival Main Street mansion. This work is part of a comprehensive exterior restoration project running concurrently with already-funded slate roof work, thus saving money on renting and erecting scaffolding. The elegant brick building, once furnished with period rooms, is now actively used as part of a non-profit art school and cultural center. Director Julianne Gadoury notes that “we are excited to be preserving this gem located within the North Main Street Historic District, stewarding not only the mansion but the Carriage House and the Yellow Building. We rent these spaces as studios and classroom space for our artists.”
The Belknap Mill Society in Laconia is in the midst of a $1.5 million Industrial Evolution Campaign to address critical needs for their iconic 1823 structure in downtown Laconia. Making space available for community use through rentals has long been part of their business plan, and improvements to the building are expected to enhance that use.
The Belknap Mill Society in Laconia will use its $9,000 grant for exterior painting on the fourth (top) level including cornices, window trim, rakes and vents. This work is part of the $1.5 million Industrial Evolution Campaign to address critical needs for their iconic 1823 structure in downtown Laconia. The roof has been replaced, a new energy efficient boiler system has been installed, the elevator has been upgraded, and exterior drainage has been corrected. Yet to come is third floor renovation and continued exterior restoration. Karen C. Prior, Executive Director, observed that “Belknap Mill is the nation's oldest largely unaltered brick textile mill and has evolved from a center of industry into a center of cultural heritage and community, embodying the long and proud history of the mills in the Lakes Region. Belknap Mill celebrates that legacy, our community, and our future.” Leasing office space, and renting meeting and function space for community use has long been part of their business plan, and improvements to the building are expected to enhance that use.
The Tamworth History Center is restoring the 1830s Hall-Dyer House as their new headquarters. Exhibits of local art and artifacts and a large front lawn used as a gathering space in the heart of the Village attract residents and visitors alike. A small apartment generates valuable additional income.
The Tamworth History Center will receive $3,450 for on-going preservation of the Hall-Dyer House. About ten years ago, the Tamworth Historical Society acquired the 1830s Hall-Dyer House for use as their new headquarters. After carrying out a detailed conditions assessment and developing a strategic plan, they began restoration. The new Tamworth History Center opened in 2016 as part of the 250th anniversary celebration of the of the town’s founding. Exhibits of local art and artifacts and a large front lawn used as a gathering space in the heart of the Village attract residents and visitors alike. A small apartment generates valuable additional income. This grant will support repair and repainting of clapboards and windows. Michelle Longley, chair of The Tamworth History Center, observed that “our small group believes that history happens every day. Our building expresses our commitment to the past and the future; we are honoring the workmanship of the past while providing a sustaining resource and continuity for our community."
The New Hampshire Preservation Alliance can’t imagine New Hampshire without its museums and historical societies, opera houses and theaters, music schools, retreats, and art centers. We support innovative ways to sustain non-profit uses of these places so that they can open their doors to people of all ages and continue to connect the stories of our past to our present lives.
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