The Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development (TNECD) announced the recipients of Tennessee Historic Development Grants.
“Tennessee is known for its quality of life, and at TNECD, we have the privilege to take part in community development programs that assist in restoring and preserving some of our state’s most unique and historic assets,” said TNECD Commissioner Stuart McWhorter. “Through the latest round of the Historic Development Grants program, communities across Tennessee are taking steps to revitalize their historic buildings so that they can continue to serve as catalysts for future economic opportunity.”
Approved by the Tennessee General Assembly in April 2021, the program will provide $8.7 million to projects that aim to renovate and preserve historic buildings across the state. The program encourages communities and private developers to invest in buildings that have contributed to a community’s history but now sit idle. These buildings can once again contribute to the economy through job creation and commercial opportunities.
For this round of the program, the state’s $8.7 million investment is expected to leverage more than $18 million in private investment.
TNECD partnered with the Tennessee Historical Commission (THC) to structure application requirements and review grant applications to ensure that each proposal would rehabilitate the structures while maintaining the historical integrity. The THC’s mission is to protect, preserve, maintain and administer historic places and encourage the inclusive diverse study of Tennessee’s history for the benefit of future generations.
“The Tennessee Historical Commission is proud to have the opportunity to provide assistance in this program to ensure that the legacy of Tennessee’s historic landmarks continue to inspire generations to come,” said Patrick McIntyre, executive director of the Tennessee Historical Commission and state historic preservation officer. “Historic properties are being rehabilitated across our state, including the Snuff Factory Warehouse in Memphis and the Vose School in Alcoa where work is being accomplished thanks to the economic incentives from the Historic Development Grants and Federal Historic Tax Credits.”
The grant recipients include the following individuals, developers, nonprofit or local government agencies:
African American Heritage Society Museum, Inc. dba American Heritage Society of Williamson County – $192,092 to rehabilitate the Merrill Williams House in Franklin, TN
Charles Nelson dba LCLL, LLC – $296,303 to rehabilitate the Dickson Post Office in Dickson, TN
Five Points Properties, LLC – $112,500 to rehabilitate the White Building in Franklin, TN
Heritage Foundation of Williamson County, TN – $300,000 to rehabilitate the Winstead House in Franklin, TN
Maury County – $300,000 to rehabilitate the War Memorial Building in Columbia, TN
Tulip Street Development, LLC – $300,000 to rehabilitate the Tulip Street Church in Nashville, TN
Various criteria must be met in order for a structure to be eligible for a grant. Eligible properties that qualify as certified historic structures are defined here.
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