Historic Prospect Place Estate

How are things going with the restoration?

Right now we are on hold for money. There is a little progress from time to time but we are currently focusing on raising funds. We have added a whole slew of events for the summer and are also working some grant funding leads.

We are also considering an "adopt a room" program.

I help people write grants as part of my business and grantors have gotten picky about what (and how much) they'll fund over the past few years. It does seem like the availability of funds has increased some over the past six months though, which is good news.

It should be easier to get grant funding the more revenue you have coming in from events (theoretically).

Were you able to get the utility bills more under control?

My group and a few others are very interested in helping with fundraising ideas and we've developed quite a few. I'm sure we'll be able to help
with the financial situation, soon.

I'd be willing to help with fundraising too. And if you ever need volunteers for any of the events, I'd be more than happy to help!

Count me in as well.

Finally the bills are coming down. We are all electric now so the gas bill is no longer a concern. But it was cold this winter and last month's electric bill was $895.00. Paid thanks to the Psychic Faire and other income. This summer we are not going to run the central A/C unless we have a group coming or an event scheduled. That ought to save a little too.

The real devil in the matter is AEP. They charge us commercial rates so we pay the same as a KMart or a factory. Appealed that decision explaining we were a charity and the answer was: No you have to remain on your current rate plan

How much would it help the heating/cooling issues to have the ballroom insulated? That is one area of the house that is lacking some restoration that might help with other issues.

If you decide to go with the "adopt/sponsor a room" suggestion you could break-down the restoration projects to smaller issues like windows (some of them look like they're going to fall out or in), insulation, and drywall (especially the walls that separate the ballroom from the coat room).

It would cost about $3500.00 in materials for roll type fiberglass insulation.

For the urethane foam spray on stuff (would have to be done by a contractor) about $9500.00.

The ballroom has the largest restoration budget of all the rooms in the house at $16,990.00 to complete (insulation, wiring, lighting, drywall, plaster, paint). That number excludes any contractor involvement.

Big project

I had a construction job during the summers in college and one of my typical responsibilities was carrying drywall sheets to where they needed to be...in my opinion that will be the worst part of remodeling that ballroom. I hated carrying that stuff around in a 1 story house....

I notice discussion of PP restoration dwindled after 2007. I wondered if there were a full list of what needs to be done, with cost estimates for material and for paid labor? If such a list were arranged from smallest to largest, we could whack away at the small jobs while we seek funding for the big ones. I think it helps to have a list and cross off jobs as they are done; gives a sense of what was already accomplished and what remains. -- Bob Gaebler

I think that would be a good idea to have a list of atleast the small jobs that needs to be done, that way maybe some of us could possible do them.

Dan

THAT'S A GREAT IDEA! But it all depends of what resources are available and supplies with their specific instructions. I hope Randy can get with George to share this information here ; it'd be great to be able to get together and do some of the work.

That would be great to see a list! There may be some small stuff that some of us could donate even.

If the money for supplies would have to come from the GWA Educational Center, I don't think much will get done. But, can things be donated as needed for repairs, etc., like the back porch? Would stuff like THAT have to be addressed at a board meeting in order to approve any work that people would want to volunteer to do? (I'm a little confused now regarding the power of the Board of Directors and how those bylaws and the Non-Profit GWA Educational Center's status with its restrictions could possibly ever plan to get anything done otherwise.. .)
From what I understand, the center needs to find a huge sponsor, or investor, (because George said there are NO grants available) in order to get the big moneys for repairs and restoration purposes. How possible is that looking right now???