Home built before 1975? Knox Heritage could pay to preserve it with $50,000 in grants

The power of preservation is in your hands.

All you need is a home at least 50 years old and an application to be considered for up to $5,000 in grants from Knox Heritage, which wants to help residents in underserved communities who might not have the means for repairs.

That's right: 1974 is considered historical by this definition, and a neighborhood does not have to be historically zoned for a home or building to qualify for these flagship Knox Heritage Community Preservation Grants.

Knox Heritage Executive Director Christine Cloninger told Knox News the nonprofit − which has helped to maintain the Bijou Theatre, Emory Place and other notable historic sites − looked at best practices from counterparts in similar cities for how to fund projects on a smaller scale.

The result is "a really great program that will expand into neighborhoods in North Knoxville and East Knoxville that have historically not had this resource available to them," she said.

As Knox Heritage celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2024, these new grants are helping to refocus the nonprofit's vision for the next 50 years.

Grant money could be used for something as small as restoring the trimming of a home's roof, and the qualifications are simple: In addition to being at least 50 years old, the building must have its historical elements and materials conserved throughout the work.

Knox Heritage is starting with a self-funded grant pool of $50,000 that could be used for homes, historic commercial buildings, neighborhoods and signs. The nonprofit hopes to receive applications from all over town, and sites will be selected with financial need, time sensitivity and diversity of neighborhoods in mind.

"Preservation is for anyone," Cloninger said.

How Knoxville preservation could prevent widespread demolition

Restoration and preservation help a community keep its identity. Whole neighborhoods were dismantled during urban removal, which displaced mostly Black residents by leveling entire Knoxville neighborhoods for infrastructure projects in the 1960s and '70s.

"When the historical elements of a neighborhood, community or even a sign become known, that increases support to preserve and maintain it instead of tearing it down and building a modern structure on top," according to Knox Heritage. "Sometimes all that is needed is smaller-scale assistance. That is the gap we are trying to fill now."

Smaller-scale projects could be replacing a door or window frames, repairing steps or roofs − anything from DIY projects to work that requires a professional. Knox Heritage is in the process of creating a directory of local artisans and tradespeople who can assist with this type of work.

'No preservation effort ... isn't worthy' as Knox County keeps growing

To close another barrier, the money will be awarded to successful applicants on the front end, rather than a reimbursement for work completed.

"You know, a leaky roof or a leaky gutter can can lead to further problems down the road," Cloninger said. "We're willing to help you do these repairs because no preservation effort, no matter how small, isn't worthy. Every bit of it benefits our community in some way."

This is especially important as Knox County continues to grow, with roughly 80,000 people expected to move to the area by 2040. With that anticipated growth comes new developments, especially residential, to accommodate a growing population.

"We've really tried to be in the conversations around sustainable and thoughtful growth because we recognize that growth is a part of changing," Cloninger said. "And as the community grows, we're not coming in to impede that. We actually want to be a part of the conversation to make sure that the developers that are working in historic neighborhoods recognize the value."

On the flip side, she said, helping homeowners better maintain their properties can encourage community development and "spur pride in your community."

Home, sign or neighborhood? How to apply for a Knox Heritage grant

By throwing your name in the hat for one of these new Knox Heritage grants, you're not risking any changes to your home's status. This work would not result in a historical designation, which typically comes with stricter requirements for alterations.

Cloninger said that in addition to home repairs, grant money could be used to preserve other types of historic buildings, such as churches and community centers. This grant program also provides resources for restoring and maintaining historic signs, as well as for research and required reports on historic buildings, neighborhoods and communities.

While the initial $50,000 comes directly from Knox Heritage, Cloninger hopes success stories coming out of the new program will result in community appreciation that could be leveraged in convincing federal and state partners to fund the program moving forward.

Information about the grants will be available at knoxheritage.org.

Ryan Wilusz is a downtown growth and development reporter. Phone 865-317-5138. Email ryan.wilusz@knoxnews.com. Instagram @knoxscruff. 

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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Historic Knoxville homes can be preserved through Knox Heritage grants