Albemarle Opera House getting $1,500 nat’l grant

The Albemarle Downtown Development Corporation has won a $1,500 grant from the National Trust for Historic Preservation for preservation of the Albemarle Opera House.

The grant, according to U.S. Rep. Bill Hefner's (D-NC) office, will help finance a feasibility study for adaptive use of the opera house, which was originally built in 1907.

The Albemarle Downtown Development Corporation hopes to restore the opera house as a children's cultural arts facility initially, and later into a center to serve adults as well. This is the first outside grant the ADDC has received.

Hefner, whose office was notified of the award recently, said he is very pleased the National Trust has agreed to help support the preservation of this important landmark.

“The National Trust has helped communities all across the country preserve and protect their local histories, and I am pleased that they are lending their support to such an important and worthwhile project in our area,” Hefner said.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation is a nonprofit membership organization chartered by Congress to encourage public participation in all aspects of historic preservation.

Small grants for local projects, ranging from $500 to $5000, are dispensed to nonprofit groups and public agencies as a competitive basis and must be matched with public or private funds. The funding is made possible through annual appropriations by Congress to Historic Preservation Fund.

Hefner said that his office alerted the Albemarle Downtown Development Corporation of the grant award.

“I know this award comes as very welcome news to all those who have been working so diligently on this project, and I certainly congratulate them on this important success,” Hefner said.

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