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The Minnesota Main Streets “Looking Up” program will focus on assisting owners of historic rural downtown buildings rehabilitate their second stories. There’s been some excellent attention paid to ground floor store front spaces, but Minnesota’s Main Street communities throughout the state have experienced underutilized upper floors leading to disrepair and the need for significant updates. Rethos has been coordinating the Minnesota Main Street program since 2010. Since that time (and previously, since its inception in 1981) Rethos has not had an opportunity to offer funds of this level to individual owners for building redevelopment. There is incredible need in greater Minnesota for support for folks who want to update their historic buildings but lack the capital to fully fund the work. Making upper floors not only habitable, but accessible and safe, is crucial to the continuation of successful downtown districts.

Dr. Heidi Swank, the Executive Director at Rethos, shared that “We’re thrilled to be able to provide an opportunity for physical revitalization of buildings in our Main Street communities. Access to capital for rehabilitation is critical for the continued growth of economic development efforts in our historic downtowns and drawing attention to the upper floors of buildings will help communities solve a range of issues, from housing to expanded business space.”

Rethos’ inspiration for this project came from the Main Street America network. Thanks to learning sessions at the Main Street Now conferences and support from past successful Paul Bruhn grant recipients (like Ray Scriber with Louisiana Main Street and Main Street America’s work in New Mexico), we were able to really think through what we needed in Minnesota Main Streets and how to make that work valuable of support from the National Park Service.

The Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization Grant Program is part of the Historic Preservation Fund (HPF), an important source of national grant funding for preservation projects as well as essential funding for State and Tribal Historic Preservation Organizations and Certified Local Governments. Funding levels for the HPF and programs like Paul Bruhn are established annually through the appropriations process. Recently, both the House and Senate released appropriations bills including the Department of the Interior. Funding for Paul Bruhn Revitalization grants remained at $10M in the House appropriations bill, while it was increased to $12.5M in the Senate draft. The two bills differ in overall HPF appropriations, with the Senate offering a $20M increase.

In February, Congresswoman Teresa Leger Fernández (NM-03) and Representative Blumenauer (OR-03), the Co-Chair of the Historic Preservation Caucus, introduced the Historic Preservation Enhancement Act (H.R. 6589) to permanently authorize the HPF and increase deposits to $300M annually to be expended without further congressional appropriation. Main Street America and our partners are working with Congress to move this bipartisan legislation forward and ensure long-term support for preservation projects.

How can you help? Join the Historic Preservation Advocacy conversation at the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Past Forward 2022.

As part of the online conference experience this year, the NTHP Government Relations department is organizing a federal advocacy opportunity. If you are interested in virtually educating your Members of Congress about preservation priorities while attending the conference, please select this as an event option during your registration process. A volunteer Advocacy Captain will contact you with state-specific details. Register by September 26 for the best rates >