History groups seek cultural restoration bond funds

Historic groups have filed 42 applications seeking a total of $11.4 million from the Commission for Cultural Affairs.

The annual grants are funded by bond proceeds approved by the Legislature. Since 1993, they have provided $29 million in grants for cultural and historic projects around the state.

State Historic Preservation Officer Ron James said applicants, which makes the competition for funding intense. The commission's problem is that it has just $3 million a year to give to the applicant's.

Four of the requests, including one of the largest amounts sought, are for projects on the Comstock.

Piper's Opera House is seeking $1.3 million to excavate and remodel the basement to provide such things as bathrooms and dressing rooms to make the building more functional as a theater.

The Fourth Ward School is seeking $380,585 to continue restoration work, and the Virginia City Convention and Tourism Authority applied for $195,445 to restore the Crystal Bar/VC Visitors Center building.

The fourth request from the Comstock was made by the Gold Hill Historical Society, which wants $159,250 for work on the Gold Hill Railroad Station.

The largest single request was submitted by the city of Las Vegas, which wants $1.5 million for redevelopment of its historic downtown post office.

Carson City has three requests: $63,824 for an historic structure report, $25,250 for repairs to the Roberts House museum, and $270,371 for the Brewery Arts Center to upgrade the performance hall.

The Thunderbird Lodge Preservation Society applied for $267,930 to preserve the Whittels masonry and waterfall system at Lake Tahoe.

The third-largest request on the list is the $698,500 requested by the Board of Regents for conservation and renovation work on the Planetarium at University of Nevada, Reno, followed by $558,642 sought by North Las Vegas to restore the adobe work at Kiel Ranch.

James said the commission will meet for two days in March to review and take testimony on the different projects, then vote on how much money to award and which projects to give it to.

• Contact reporter Geoff Dornan at gdornan@nevadaappeal.com or 687-8750.