Grants and tax credits for historic properties, and Montgomery Modern initiative represent County’s strong commitment to historic preservation
SILVER SPRING, MD – The Montgomery County Planning Department, part of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, is renewing its focus on historic preservation programs following the County Council’s recognition of May as Preservation Month in Montgomery County. On May 11, 2015, Councilmember Hans Riemer introduced the proclamation by praising the efforts of the Montgomery County Historic Preservation Commission.
“Historic preservation is always such a challenge and it’s thanks to the pressure, the support and the ideals of the historic preservation community who keep us moving forward and prioritizing this important need,” said Riemer.
The Planning Department’s Historic Preservation Office contributes to this momentum through community outreach programs to fund historic preservation projects and raise awareness of tax credits for exterior restoration and the historical significance of mid-20th-century modern structures in the County.
View the latest video promoting the work of the Montgomery County Planning Department’s Historic Preservation Office.
Grants for Historic Preservation Projects
Currently, the Montgomery County Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) is seeking proposals from non-profit organizations or municipalities that wish to apply for matching funds to finance historic preservation projects in Montgomery County. Application materials must be received by May 18, 2015. Up to $60,000 may be available to be awarded in this grant round.
A range of projects will be considered, with special priority given to projects that document or interpret historic resources or use technology to present information and engage the public in historic preservation. The types of projects that will be considered include GIS mapping, apps for mobile devices, development of websites and digitally accessible content, walking tours of historic districts, handbooks, design guidelines, historic site brochures or other interpretive materials, historic district or site survey and documentation, oral histories, videos or exhibits pertaining to County history or architecture.
Grant guidelines and applications are available online.
Increase in Tax Credit Applications
Currently, the Planning Department’s historic preservation staff is reviewing applications from County property owners seeking financial rewards for faithfully restoring the exteriors of their historic structures. The 92 applications for tax credits were submitted in April 2015 and represent an increase from the 87 received in 2014.
This tax credit may be granted against the County real property taxes, based on the amount expended by a homeowner for restoration or preservation of an historic property. The property must be an historic site designated on the County Master Plan for Historic Preservation or within a historic district designated in that Plan. Tax credits are approved for exterior work only and no credit is granted for new construction.
Award for Montgomery Modern Initiative
Earlier this spring, the Planning Department’s historic preservation staff was honored with the Excellence in Community Engagement Award from the Maryland Historical Trust. The award was announced in March at the 2015 Maryland Preservation Awards ceremony, hosted by the Maryland Historical Trust Board of Trustees.
This accolade recognizes the success of the Montgomery Modern program, launched by the Planning Department’s Historic Preservation Office in 2013 to raise awareness of the County’s remarkable legacy of mid-20th-century architecture and design. The educational and outreach initiative has included bus and bike tours of modern neighborhoods and buildings, and an interactive website. A book documenting the County’s midcentury structures is now being written by staff preservationist Clare Kelly for publication in fall 2015.