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09/14/2020
By Preservation Maryland

Best of Maryland: CASA de Maryland Recognized with Stewardship Award for Historic Belnord Theatre Project

CASA de Maryland is a Latino and immigration advocacy and assistance organization with satellite offices in Pennsylvania and Virginia. Here in Maryland, the non-profit organization had been serving the community for several years from East Fayette Street, a few blocks from the Belnord Theatre building. After a purchase in 2017, CASA created bold plans for the historic theatre. Selective demolition removed a non-historic ceiling revealing beautiful architectural details and a space large enough to create a series of modern pods for different uses – all while respecting those design elements and achieving ADA compliance and LEED Gold Certification. Even during Covid-19, CASA has been able to utilize the extra space of the Belnord Theatre renovation to host large-scale and socially-distanced grocery pick-ups. CASA is eager to return to full-strength – supporting the community – and the restored Belnord will take center stage.

09/14/2020
By Preservation Maryland

Best of Maryland: Washington Grove Historic Sign Volunteer Team Celebrated with Community Choice Award

When Washington Grove transitioned from a summer resort to an incorporated town, much of the rustic camp character of this special place carried on including their approach to handcrafting their street signs. Starting in 1937, citizens built, painted, installed, and maintained these iconic posts, including a new cohort of volunteers who recently worked with the Historic Preservation Commission and the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service to make minor modifications to the original design to ensure that the town would not lose these iconic signs that provide a sense of direction and a sense of place. For their dedication to the details, Preservation Maryland presents Susan Van Nostrand and the thirty-three volunteers of the Washington Grove sign project with a 2020 Best of Maryland Community Choice Award.

09/14/2020
By Preservation Maryland

Best of Maryland Awards: James Castle of the Brunswick Heritage Museums Honored With Harrison Volunteer Award

A native of Brunswick, Maryland in Frederick County, James Castle is a model citizen, dedicated volunteers, skilled historian, and stalwart preservationist…sometimes known as Brakeman Jim, while giving free tours to heritage tourists or local senior citizens. In 2015, James Castle became President of the Brunswick Potomac Foundation almost 20 years from the day he first started to volunteer for the organization. He has held the position ever since. In his tenure, Castle has led a note-worthy fundraising effort, supported the creation of a protective conservation district and the relocation of the historic WB Railroad Tower, and reinvigorated the organization’s online presence during Covid-19. Preservation Maryland is pleased to recognize Jim Castle with this year’s Preservation Maryland Best of Maryland Harrison Volunteer Award.

Flags at historic Union Mill.

Preservation and Tourism Organizations Announce Maryland Heritage Recovery Task Force

05/14/2020
By Elly Colmers Cowan

In the face of the ongoing pandemic, Preservation Maryland convened a task force of history, preservation, economic development, design, and tourism organizations to focus on identifying and advocating for public policy necessary to support the recovery of Maryland’s historical and cultural resources and the communities they support.

Maryland’s unique cultural attractions draw visitors from around the world and support countless local businesses while providing nearly $320 million in local and state tax revenue and generating $1.3 billion in economic activity annually. Unfortunately, these venues and the main street communities in which they reside have been hit hard by the economic fallout of the pandemic and will require targeted support as the state and nation move from sheltering to recovery.

The Maryland Heritage Recovery Task Force is comprised of public and private organizations that characterize all aspects of the broad and diverse historic preservation community – from Main Street organizations to history museums, architectural firms, and preservation rehabilitation developers.

JOIN THE TASK FORCE

Organizations, agencies, or companies wishing to add their support to the Recovery Task Force are encouraged to do so. Fill out the form below and someone from the Task Force will be in touch about next steps. Individuals looking to stay informed or get involved, please sign up for our email alerts.

TASK FORCE SIGN-ON

The Task Force will work together to help identify what local, state, and federal policy actions could be implemented to help with recovery of this critical sector of Maryland’s economy from the impacts of Covid-19.

“The situation for the heritage tourism and preservation industries in Maryland is becoming desperate,” explained Nicholas Redding, Executive Director of Preservation Maryland. “This new task force is an outgrowth of a real grassroots desire to help preservation and heritage organizations recover after the disastrous blow that has been dealt by the response to Covid-19. Community leaders and business owners are coming to recognize that the economic value of this work is immense. We are stronger when we stand together, and we believe that by combining our efforts we can turn retreat into advance.”

The Steering Committee of the newly formed Heritage Recovery Task Force includes:

Learn more about our Recovery ResourcES

Download the press release (PDF)

 

Elly Colmers Cowan · Director of Advocacy

Elly Cowan is here to get you involved in historic preservation, smart growth, and community development by becoming an advocate with us.

Meet Our Team

TASK FORCE

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