Historic Landmark Commission briefed on recommended FY25 heritage preservation grants

The Historic Landmark Commission received a briefing Feb. 5 from Melissa Alvarado, heritage tourism division manager in the Parks and Recreation Department, on the recommended projects for the fiscal year 2025 Heritage Preservation Grant program.

The presentation outlined the grant’s statutory constraints, the external review process and the staff recommendation of 20 projects. Alvarado said the program supports preservation projects ‘‘that are actively marketed to tourists’’ and noted the state law requires funding to advance the convention and hotel industries and to be focused on sites near the convention center or in places likely to attract tourists.

Panel reviewers from outside Austin scored applications using a rubric that measured preservation and tourism impact, accessibility and local effect, project management and budgets. Alvarado told commissioners the panel included professionals from preservation and museum fields and listed reviewers by name in the packet. She said the recommended slate includes 12 capital projects and eight planning, education or marketing contracts.

Alvarado summarized program details: awards run two years; capital and education awards may range from $15,000 to $250,000; planning and marketing contracts are eligible up to $30,000; projects must have or be eligible for a historic designation and occur within a City of Austin council district. She said 55% of recommended applicants were new to the program, about 60% are nonprofits and awardees will leverage more than $1.6 million in other funding.

Commissioners asked about contracting and compliance. Alvarado said awardees must meet precontract requirements, submit interim and final reports, attend tourism-marketing training offered in English and Spanish, and provide invoices and photographic documentation during the grant term. Staff will conduct a mix of interim virtual checks and site visits and perform a final review to ‘‘certify the contract as complete’’ prior to final payment.

The briefing included examples of completed or in-progress projects that used grant funds, such as exterior rehabilitation at a downtown 19th‑century storefront and ongoing work at the Barton Springs bathhouse. No formal action was required of the commission.

The commission directed staff to continue outreach and to consider bringing back summary materials on completed projects to the commission for recognition.

Ending: Staff said applicants may contact the heritage tourism division at heritagetourism@austin.texas.gov and that virtual open office hours and outreach workshops are available for prospective applicants.