OTDB Receives Two Milestone Awards

On Friday, March 20, Old Town Development Board (OTDB) and City of Winchester were presented with a Virginia Main Street Milestone Achievement Award for $80 million in private investment and 25,000 volunteer hours contributed toward downtown revitalization. The Virginia Main Street (VMS) Milestone Achievement Awards celebrate achievements in volunteerism and private investments in Virginia’s designated VMS localities.

“Winchester is being recognized for setting another benchmark; one that only a few years ago may have seemed, to many, out of reach,” said Bill Shelton, Director of the Department of Housing and Community Development. “Winchester had several landmark projects completed in 2008, including the newly constructed First Presbyterian Fellowship Hall, the adaptive reuse of the historic Union Bank Building, now open as the Union Jack Pub and Restaurant, and the reopening of the 90-room George Washington Hotel, featuring a grand ballroom, meeting facilities and spa.” Mr. Shelton noted that it was extremely fitting that he was able to present the private investment award to Winchester Old Town Development Board member Kim Burke on behalf of the organization and the City of Winchester. “Kim and her husband Glen (who also attended the luncheon) own the George Washington Hotel and their efforts have contributed to this award for having reached $80 million in private investment in Old Town since 1985.”

Click here to read the full press release.

City Infrastructure Hearing

The City Council, sitting as a “Committee of the Whole” for Public Services, will meet on April 7 at 5:30 p.m. in Council Chambers to determine one of three options for the sidewalk replacement program for Braddock, Loudoun, Cameron and Piccadilly Streets. The options are: (1) Mostly concrete pavement with a brick strip, as seen on Boscawen and Cork Streets; (2) All (new) brick, at an additional cost to the city of $190,000; or (3) Permitting property owners to choose to repair/replace (under city supervision and inspection) the old brick sidewalks adjacent to their property.

PHW urges you and your neighbors to attend the City Council meeting on April 7th. Be prepared to speak or to present petitions of those who share your sentiments retain and repair original brick sidewalks.

Old Jake Weather Vane Update

Jessica Burchard at the Winchester Star reports that the Old Jake weather vane, a fixture of Winchester’s downtown skyline, has had no official word of a sale past the 60 day contract with Sotheby’s. “If it finds a buyer, the fire and rescue company would use the money from the sale to set up an endowment. The interest earned by the endowment would be used for Rouss’s maintenance projects, according to local lawyer Benjamin Butler, who is representing the company during the sale.” A replica of the Old Jake weather vane is expected to be reinstalled on the Rouss Fire Hall by the end of April.

Read the rest of the article at the Winchester Star online.

Trees and Streetscape Forum Follow-Up

“At the Old Town Events Center Wednesday, city residents and members of the PHW who had gathered for ‘Limestone, Sycamores, and Preservation: Tree Forum’ quizzed officials about trees that have been removed for the project and plans to replace old sidewalks along the two streets.” Plans discussed during the forum about the future of sidewalks and their impact on trees and existing old brick sidewalks and limestone curbing as part of the City’s infrastructure project will appear before City Council on April 7, and citizens are encouraged to attend and make their concerns heard.
The rest of Eric Beidel’s article summarizing last night’s event can be found at The Winchester Star.

Limestone, Sycamores, and Preservation: Trees, Streetscapes, and the Historic District

Join Preservation of Historic Winchester on March 25th at 7 p.m. in the Old Town Event Center, 403 S. Loudoun St., for the next Limestone, Sycamores, and Preservation event on trees and streetscapes in the Historic District of Winchester. Four guests will speak on the programs and goals of their respective departments, followed by a question and answer section. This event is free and open to the public.

Speakers:

  • Patrick Farris, Chairman of the Tree Commission
  • Perry Eisenach, Public Services Director
  • Tom Hoy, Public Works Director
  • Tim Stern, City Arborist

Spread the word and bring a friend to this timely event on the role of trees in downtown Winchester!

City Infrastructure Events

PHW wishes you a happy and safe St. Patrick’s Day. As part of the “green” theme of the day, there are three events impacting the downtown historic district in the coming weeks:

  • On March 24th between 4 and 7 p.m. in the Exhibit Hall at Rouss City Hall, the city is having an “open house” for citizens to look at plans for the Downtown Utility Infrastructure Improvements Project, which includes the replacement of sidewalks and curbs. PHW urges you and any of your neighbors to attend the open house to ask questions and examine plans.
  • The City Council, sitting as a “Committee of the Whole” for Public Services, will meet on April 7 at 5:30 p.m. in Council Chambers to determine one of three options for the sidewalk replacement program for Braddock, Loudoun, Cameron and Piccadilly Streets. The options are: (1) Mostly concrete pavement with a brick strip, as seen on Boscawen and Cork Streets; (2) All (new) brick, at an additional cost to the city of $190,000; or (3) Permitting property owners to choose to repair/replace (under city supervision and inspection) the old brick sidewalks adjacent to their property. PHW urges you and your neighbors to attend the City Council meeting on April 7th, and be prepared to speak or to present petitions of those who share your sentiments retain and repair original brick sidewalks.

Document Digitization Pilot Project

This project requires advance registration. Contact Terry Heder, Program Manager at the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation at theder@svbf.net or (540)740-4545 for more information or to schedule a half-hour time frame to bring in the materials on the day of the project.
Date: Saturday, March 14, 2009
Time: 9 a.m.- 4 p.m.
Place: The Winchester-Frederick County Visitor Center (document digitization) and Winchester-Frederick County Historical Society (preservation information) Continue reading Document Digitization Pilot Project

Traditional Mortar Seminar Follow-Up

If you were unable to attend PHW’s first Limestone, Sycamores, and Preservation seminar in Traditional Mortar, not to worry. Jeff Price of Virginia Lime Works has uploaded his lecture on Youtube.com:

The rest of the lecture may be found by clicking the following links:
Part Two
Part Three
Part Four
Part Five
Part Six
Part Seven
Part Eight
Part Nine

Visit Virginia Lime Works online at www.virginialimeworks.com.

Limestone, Sycamores, and Preservation Seminar

PHW launches a new, free seminar series in compatible building materials, Limestone, Sycamores, and Preservation. The first seminar focuses on traditional mortars in restoration and repair, with guest speaker Jeff Price of Virginia Lime Works. The event will be held at 2 PM in the Old Town Event Center at 403 S. Loudoun St. and is expected to run approximately two hours. Light refreshments will be provided afterward. RSVP by March 3 to the PHW office by calling 667-3577 or e-mailing phwi@verizon.net.

Click here for the postcard.