King County’s Historic Preservation Program was highlighted at the King County Council’s Committee of the Whole. The presentation focused on the current successes and the plan for this year’s awards.

Metropolitan King County Council member Kathy Lambert, chair of the committee, said, “Many of these barns are in my district and I am so grateful to the program for this help in restoring them. They are a valuable piece of our rural character and have been slowly disappearing. The ‘Barn Again’ program is preserving these valuable assets.”

The “Barn Again” program was re-launched in 2016 as part of King County and 4Culture’s Building for Culture Initiative, which leveraged the early retirement of Kingdome debt to provide significant funding for cultural facilities and historic properties throughout the county.

The first of two competitive grant rounds was completed last year, providing a total of $235,000 to nine qualifying projects.

Six barns, three milk houses, one milking parlor and one chicken house located in King County’s eastern and southern rural areas were awarded funding ranging from roughly $6,000 to $41,000, with many applicants contributing some matching funds or in-kind donation of labor to help the funds go further, although that was not required.

The historic preservation program will award up to $250,000 in the second round of its “Barn Again” historic barn preservation grant program this spring. Applications for projects that stabilize and extend the useful life of these iconic structures are now being accepted.

To be eligible for 2017 “Barn Again” funding, barns, outbuildings and agriculture-related community spaces, such as grange halls, must still convey their historic character, be more than 40 years old, located in King County and in need of substantial repair.

Grant awards are anticipated to be in the range of $5,000 to $50,000 for projects that extend the life of the building and retain historic features. 2017 grant guidelines and application forms are posted on the King County Historic Preservation Program website at http://www.kingcounty.gov/property/historic-preservation.aspx.

Applications are due April 21.