Architectural Heritage Foundation

Thought this was an insightful article -- and bravo to the Boston Preservation Alliance and Matthew Dickey for sharing their solid stance. We believe that residential density is an important part of the economic vitality of downtown Boston. But let's be thoughtful about what is being built and where. New and old can - and should - stand side by side. Let's protect what makes Boston special, while also encouraging growth.

2024 has been a year of partnerships and relationships. In this line of work, we never work alone – and this year, that was more apparent than ever. From working with municipalities to better understand their historic resources to guiding a Friends group to forge a future for a centuries-old meeting house, AHF is all about creating teams and sharing our expertise. Read on for a few highlights from our year of partnerships.?

Last week in Worcester, Governor Healey announced more than $161 million for 313?grant awards to support local economic development projects in 171 communities across the Commonwealth. Since the Community One Stop program’s inception, AHF has worked with project partners to apply for grant funding to support a range of development activity at their respective sites. AHF is pleased to announce that two AHF-supported projects have received grant funding during this round - the Worcester Memorial Auditorium and the Wright Building in Pittsfield. Read our recent blog post for more details.

Rising on the hill above the town, the Church on the Hill is an iconic building in Lenox. Dedicated in 1806, the distinctive Federalist-style building began as the Lenox Meeting House, hosting municipal and community meetings during the week and worship services on Sundays. Today, the building is beloved but underutilized. It offers great potential to benefit the wider community as an affordable venue for all kinds of events, activities, and performances. The Friends of the Lenox Meeting House seek to expand community access to the building, which will entail making the interior spaces ADA compliant and flexible to allow for a variety of uses and groups. AHF is working with the Friends to guide them through the project’s historic preservation challenges and opportunities, including project phasing, funding and grant sources, and marketing planning for donor visibility and potential future users of the space. Learn more about our projects here: https://lnkd.in/e6iQ_Mca

So excited that the Statewide Preservation Conference will be in Worcester this year! We can't wait to welcome many of you to see the Worcester Memorial Auditorium. Will we see you there?

We think that the National Trust for Historic Preservation's Backing Historic Small Restaurants grant program is one of the best out there. Restaurants are the backbone of our communities, and play a huge role in economic development and historic preservation. Happy to see our friends at Comfort Kitchen Boston represented here this year!

There’s no question that the city of Boston has a liquor license problem. The strict cap on licenses available means that they have become extremely expensive and increasingly difficult to procure, and nearly impossible for small businesses. Shirley Leung at The Boston Globe took a closer look at how some developers, landlords, and restauranteurs are finding creative solutions within the system. Read on for more...

Congratulations to all the Preservation Massachusetts Award winners! This year’s?Lifetime of Preservation?theme celebrates the individuals and organizations that have made long-term substantial contributions to historic preservation across the Commonwealth. Celebrate the award winners this Friday, June 28 at the Massachusetts State House, followed by a reception Carrie Nation Cocktail Club. Vote for the People’s Choice Awards through 6/27! https://lnkd.in/esp_YD8

Voting is now open for our 2024 People's Preservation Choice Award! Meet the eight (8) nominees and vote for your favorite: https://buff.ly/3d2knrF Voting closes at 12:00 noon on Thursday, June 27. The winner will be announced at the annual Preservation Awards event at the Massachusetts State House, Great Hall, on FRIDAY, JUNE 28. Advanced ticket purchase required (no ticket sales on site). Learn about all of the 2024 awardees + get event details online: https://lnkd.in/esp_YD8 #peopleschoice #historicpreservation #preservationmonth #historicpreservationmonth #preservationawards

We're closing out our Preservation Month tour of DCR's Historic Curatorship Program properties, by sharing a few new opportunities. DCR is currently looking for curators at Beartown State Park (Monterey) in the Berkshires, at Lake Wyola (Shutesbury) in the Pioneer Valley, an administration building along the Neponset River in Milton, and at Bullard Farm on the banks of the Stearns Reservoir in Framingham. These are unique places that require creative ideas and a lot of enthusiasm and energy. Know someone who loves a historic building and a big juicy challenge? Pass this along! As curators of the Charles River Speedway, we have learned so much about partnering with DCR over the years. Happy to share what we know! https://lnkd.in/eyrU58Ws