City of Paducah to administer $750,000 Paul Bruhn historic revitalization grant; $650,000 for subgrants

The City of Paducah on March 11 outlined plans to administer a $750,000 National Park Service Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization grant awarded in fall 2024.

Planning staff told commissioners the award is intended to spur economic development through rehabilitation of historic buildings. “The total grant award was $750,000 over three years,” the presenter said. “Of that amount, $650,000 is designated for subgrants to local owners of buildings and then $100,000 is designated for technical assistance for environmental issues, legal issues, things like that.” The grant period runs from Oct. 1, 2024, through Sept. 30, 2027.

Why it matters: The grant targets rehabilitation of existing historic structures to stabilize buildings, preserve historic resources and leverage additional funding for larger restorations. The city will operate a subgrant program: applicants submit proposals to the city, a review panel will score applications, the city will select awards and the National Park Service will then review the city’s selections.

Eligibility and requirements explained by staff: - Properties must be listed on the National Register of Historic Places or be contributing buildings in a listed historic district; buildings not yet listed may apply but must have completed the listing process by the end of the grant period. - Award recipients will be required to enter into preservation easements with the Kentucky Heritage Council/State Historic Preservation Office to protect the investment. - Funded work must be on existing structures; the grant cannot be used to build new buildings. - Eligible property types include commercial, multi‑unit residential, mixed‑use, educational buildings, churches and nonprofits; single‑family residential buildings are not eligible. - Allowed work emphasizes stabilization and structural integrity: facades, roofing, ADA access, electrical, plumbing and HVAC. Projects must follow the Secretary of the Interior’s standards for rehabilitation when applicable.

Match and scoring: Staff said there will be a minimum 10% cash match requirement; a sliding scale in scoring will award more points for higher match percentages to encourage leveraging of other funds. The city expects to consider project budgets in the $50,000–$100,000 range as part of the evaluation.

Program administration: The city will draft program guidelines, submit them to the National Park Service for review, publish the subgrant application, convene a scoring panel (city to decide membership), and notify awardees after NPS review. Planning staff recommended a small panel (about five members) and cautioned about conflicts of interest if outside reviewers have ties to potential projects.

Geographic focus: The application identifies three target areas included in the city’s proposal — the Downtown Historic Commercial District, the Market House Historic District and portions of the South Side where individually eligible buildings may qualify.

Timing: Staff said they are finalizing application questions and hope to open the subgrant round in May, subject to National Park Service review and potential federal-level timing uncertainties. Staff pledged to keep the commission engaged on the final application package before public release.

Quotations in the meeting were from planning staff and the record shows recognition of additional planning staff who contributed to the application process, including Palmer Stroop of the planning department.