The Preservation Alliance of West Virginia has unveiled a new loan program to provide capital, technical assistance, and development expertise to property owners who are renovating historic buildings in West Virginia.
The Historic Preservation Microloan will help property owners save endangered historic properties and develop commercial properties to create or retain jobs, housing, or heritage-related commercial activity in downtown commercial districts.
“The microloan focuses principally on construction costs, though borrowers may also use it to apply for acquisition and predevelopment costs, as well as grant funding match,” said Danielle Parker, executive director for the alliance.
“We hope to assist small borrowers, including nonprofit organizations and local residents who lack access to the credit available to large borrowers but feel passionately about saving and repurposing historic buildings.
"We also hope this loan program can be used to respond to emergency situations quickly.”
Made possible with a grant from the 1772 Foundation, the microloan is available to individuals, business owners, nonprofit organizations, municipalities, and religious organizations, Parker said.
Loan amounts of $2,500 to $10,000 are available and are repayable over a two-year term with a two-percent fixed interest rate.
Applicants will also receive technical assistance from the alliance, and nonprofit organizations may also be eligible for volunteer support through the alliance's Preserve WV AmeriCorps program.
West Virginia developers benefit from some of the nation's best preservation-financing programs, including a 45-percent historic-rehabilitation tax credit established by the W.Va. Legislature through the efforts of the alliance and other economic development partners.
The state also provides matching development grants for the rehabilitation of historic properties to cover 50 percent of the cost of many such projects.
Anyone interested in applying for loans using the Historic Preservation Microloan Fund should contact Danielle Parker at info@pawv.org or by calling 304-345-6005.
The Preservation Alliance of West Virginia is the statewide nonprofit organization dedicated to historic preservation. It also administers the Preserve WV AmeriCorps program, the West Virginia Historic Theatre Trail, and the West Virginia Historic Preservation Conference, among other initiatives. Learn more at PAWV.org.
