There’s still a long way to go, but I’ve just received word that Friends of the Freighthouse were successful in getting a $35,000 historic preservation grant from the U.S. Department of the Interior. Here’s a clip from their announcement:

…A $35,000 grant from the Department of the Interior and administered by the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) was awarded to the City of Ypsilanti. The Ypsilanti Freighthouse is the designated beneficiary of the funds. Grant proceeds will be matched at 40% with additional funds from The Friends of the Ypsilanti Freighthouse, the Depot Town DDA and the Ypsilanti Heritage Foundation.

“Our confidence is really boosted by this success,” said Bonnie Penet, FOYF Co-Chair and co-author with Nathalie Edmunds of the grant. “This site is a crown jewel in historic Depot Town.”

“This grant targets some of the most critical site issues surrounding the Freighthouse,” stresses Edmunds, “water run-off and accumulation, which is undermining the foundation and producing what is called ‘rising damp’ in the brick walls and mortar.”

Repairs will involve the installation of proper drainage systems, collection of rain water run-off into the drains, and the contouring of the surfaces around the entire site, including nearby parking areas.

“We were very confident, because we did our homework and prepared our application with great care,” says Edmunds.

The Friends of the Ypsilanti Freighthouse are also hoping for positive news regarding their General Mills/Hamburger Helper application for a $15,000 grant, which was crafted as a follow-up to this State grant. The Hamburger Helper grant will allow for foundation repairs, installation of proper foundation venting, and initial control of the brick-and-mortar moisture issues in the walls.

Hamburger Helper challenges applicants to rally local citizens to support the need for funds with personal stories and other positive comments. The FOYF Hamburger Helper application received nearly 300 supportive comments from Ypsilantians. Notification is expected around May 15, 2008.

Having already begun the administrative work on the project, the FOYF look forward to the contractor’s work on the project to begin this summer and to be completed by the end of 2008.

Congratulations and thank you to everyone involved.

When asked about the repairs that are necessary, Bonnie and Nat have told me that we’re looking at almost $400,000 in work. I don’t, however, know how much of that is absolutely necessary to getting the Freighthouse open to the public. As I understand it, the only thing keeping the building closed right now is the fact that it can’t, in its current state, be insured. I’d like to have a better sense from the Friends of the Freighthouse as to just how much of the $400,000 we actually need to secure insurance and get the doors open. I suspect - and I haven’t confirmed this with anyone - that this amount is significantly less than $400,000. The rest, while necessary in order to keep the building viable for the long term, I suspect is not really critical at this point. I’d like to know exactly what the dollar amount needed to get the doors open is. And, I’d like to know if it’s conceivable that we could have it open for business in a year. I’d also like to see a thermometer in Depot Town this summer (by Heritage Fest) showing that number, and I’d like to see everyone in the community coordinated and working toward that goal.