Hurricane Harvey Disaster Assistance

Hurricane Harvey Emergency Supplemental Historic Preservation Fund Grant Program

Damage caused by Hurricane Harvey in 2017In 2019, the National Park Service (NPS) awarded Texas a $12,518,047 Emergency Supplemental Historic Preservation Fund grant for historic preservation projects. The emergency grant program will address damage inflicted by Hurricane Harvey. The Texas Historical Commission (THC) is managing the grant program for the State of Texas.

The Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria Emergency Supplemental Historic Preservation Fund (HIM ESHPF) grant program is competitive. The THC awarded grants to the qualified applicants listed below, and will coordinate with grantees and the NPS.

These emergency grants do not require matching monies. Certain project costs are paid as a reimbursement of eligible expenses incurred by the grantee. Projects funded under this program constitute “undertakings” as defined by Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, as amended (54 U.S.C. 306108), and all projects receiving repair assistance must enter into a preservation agreement or preservation easement as part of accepting the grant award. Additionally, if a property is not listed in the National Register of Historic Places at the time of a grant award, a nomination must be produced, reviewed, and accepted by THC staff before final project costs are reimbursed.

Types of Preservation Grants

Examples of eligible activities for emergency grant funding include:

  • Recovery and repair of historic properties (i.e., stabilization, restoration, or preservation);
  • Survey and inventory of historic-age properties to determine National Register eligibility, degree of damage; and,
  • Provide preparedness for future disasters, which can include planning and historic preservation educational activities.

Programmatic Agreement

Hurricane Harvey-damaged properties are now being prepared for evaluation through a multi-step environmental process. The first evaluation projects will go through is the Section 106 review process of the National Historic Preservation Act. Section 106 requires federal agencies to consider the effects of their undertakings on historic properties. The THC invites comments regarding the grant program and individual projects as they complete the selection process. Properties undergoing evaluation are found in the Projects Preliminarily Awarded Funding table below. Please direct any comments or questions to program coordinator, Lisa Hart.

The THC can evaluate the proposed projects due to efforts by the NPS, which has been in consultation with grant recipients and preservation partners as described in 36 CFR Part 800 (Section 106). A Programmatic Agreement (PA) has been developed to direct the necessary Section 106 activities related to this program. The NPS has worked to ensure those with an interest in the historic resources within the affected disaster areas were included in the discussions. The PA reflects comments received from concurring parties, the primary grantee, and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation. This is the fully executed Programmatic Agreement

Projects Preliminarily Awarded Funding

City County Project Name Brief Project Description Funding
Giddings Lee Lee County Courthouse Repairs to address water infiltration $250,000
Anderson Grimes Grimes County Courthouse Repairs to address water infiltration $250,000
Galveston Galveston Ashton Villa Water mitigation and drainage system $250,000
Corpus Christi Nueces Old Nueces County Courthouse Stabilization plan and structural assessment $150,000
Huntsville Walker Austin Hall, Sam Houston State University (SHSU) Replace roof system, enlarge scuppers, waterproof cupola and foundation $250,000
Huntsville Walker Sam Houston Memorial Museum, SHSU Waterproof exterior subgrade, install French Drain $102,831
Luling Caldwell Zedler Mill Bank Reclamation & Stabilization Restore and stabilize 575 feet of San Marcos River Bank $250,000
Houston Harris Magnolia Brewery Building Repair/replace material basement and 1st floor $250,000
Huntsville Walker Peabody Memorial Library, SHSU Waterproof foundation, install French Drain, repair windows $247,300
Galveston Galveston Galveston City Hall Repair sills/ lintels/windows/ finishes, repoint $250,000
LaGrange Fayette St. James Episcopal Church Bell Tower structural and material repair, site drainage $179,726
Houston Harris Architecture Center (AIA) Design/construct enhanced flood mitigation $249,567
West Columbia Brazoria Varner-Hogg Plantation Historic Site Structural assessment, stabilization, drainage $250,000
Bastrop Bastrop Bastrop County Courthouse Tower restoration, mold remediation $250,000
Rockport Aransas Fulton Mansion State Historic Site Site repairs, mechanical repairs, replicate historic interiors $250,000
Bastrop Bastrop Bastrop Historic County Jail Structural study, mold/lead/asbestos abatement $241,000
Bellville Austin Bellville Turnverein Pavilion Replace roofs, weatherproof cupola, ADA compliance $248,161
Rockport Aransas Bracht House Balcony reconstruction, paint $250,000
Elgin Bastrop Mary Christian Burleson House Repair structural damage, roof, windows, doors $158,968
Rockport Aransas Rockport School Replace damaged windows $250,000
Houston Harris One Main Building, Univ Houston-Downtown Design basement flood mitigation, install 1st floor flood mitigation $250,000
Palacios Matagorda Luther Hotel Replace and level foundation, repair windows, walls $202,834
Gonzales Gonzales Crystal Theater Replace damaged material $90,107
Houston Harris Schlumberger Well Servicing Corp Building Patch and replace roof $250,000
Victoria Victoria Welder Center for Performing Arts, Victoria College Replace roof, mold remediation, exterior stabilization $242,550
Multiple Jefferson Jefferson Co. Survey Plan, Hist Survey, Pres Plan Conduct county-wide historic survey $249,913
Bellville Austin Austin County Courthouse Repair/replace roof penthouse $124,186
Multiple Multiple Texas Dance Halls Survey and Disaster Planning Assess weather risk and damage, id resilience needs $225,400
Victoria Victoria First Church of Christ, Scientist Replace roof $224,329
Baytown Harris Congregation K'Nesseth Israel Repair windows, walls, floors, repoint $145,307
Beaumont Jefferson Jefferson Theater Repoint, repair organ $169,679
Galveston Galveston Congregation Beth Jacob Repair roof, finishes, electrical $111,660
Port Arthur Jefferson Sabine Pass Battleground State Historic Site Structural assessment of seawall, design work $249,000
Galveston Galveston Rosewood Cemetery Engineering analysis, drainage $250,000
Multiple Multiple Building Sacred Places Resiliency roadmap for houses of worship $247,700
Rosanky Bastrop Jeddo School Site/structural evaluation/stabilization $200,000
Houston Harris Houston Light Guard Armory (Buffalo Soldier Museum) Repair upper parapets, windows, doors, drainage, cast stone and brick $250,000
Hallettsville Lavaca Lavaca County Courthouse Refinishing 3rd floor offices $63,184
Bayside Refugio Wood Mansion Straighten, repair, weathertight $250,000
Total funds recommended: $8,373,401

 

Alternate Projects:

City County Project Name Project Description
Houston Harris Fire Station #3 Replace roof, 2nd floor restoration
Corpus Christi Nueces Ritz Theater Repair roof, condition assessment, restoration plan
Refugio Refugio Anaqua Home Porch repair to storm standards
Galveston Galveston Scottish Rite Temple Repair roof, walls, windows
Houston Harris Sociedad Mutualista Obrera Mexicana (SMOM) Repair roof, structural damage
Beaumont Jefferson Caroline Gilbert Hinchee House Temporary roof, weatherization, stabilization drainage
Brookshire Waller Waller County Museum (Donigan House) Flood assessment and mitigation, structural work
Multiple Multiple Freedom Colonies strategic & tech plan Plan and test methodology for integrated engagement and survey

For more information, call the THC’s Division of Architecture at 512-463-6000, or email program coordinator, Lisa Hart