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 What is American Express Partners in Preservation?
Why is site preservation so important?
How has American Express been involved in preservation previously?
What was involved in the 2006 Partners in Preservation Initiative?
What was involved in the 2007 Partners in Preservation Initiative?
Why was Chicagoland targeted with this initiative?
How were the 25 Chicagoland sites selected?
What is the National Trust for Historic Preservation and how is it connected to American Express?
What is the World Monuments Fund and how is it connected to American Express?
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How were the amounts of the grants decided?
Who provides the grant funding for this initiative?
How many times can I vote and how will my votes impact the project?
How many winners will there be?
When and how will the winners be announced?
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How can I get more involved in preserving historic sites in Chicago?
How can I share my story?
How do I upload photos?
Whom can I contact for help with technical difficulties?
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 What is American Express Partners in Preservation?
American Express Partners in Preservation is a $5 million, five-year commitment to historic preservation that seeks to increase public awareness of the importance of historic preservation in the United States to help save important historic and cultural landmarks, and to strengthen local communities. It is a joint effort between American Express and the National Trust for Historic Preservation in the U.S.
The program is now in its third year focusing on New Orleans. In 2007 the program focused on Chicago and its surrounding counties (the focus of this website). The Partners in Preservation program launched in 2006 with the San Francisco Bay Area.
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Why is site preservation so important?
Preservation connects us to our history and helps us collectively shape the future of America's story by saving the places where great moments from history and the important moments of our everyday lives took place. When historic buildings and neighborhoods are torn down or allowed to deteriorate, a part of our past disappears forever.
When that happens, we lose history that helps us know who we are and we lose opportunities to live and work in a rich architectural environment that layers the past with the present. Preservation helps create lively, vital communities by sparking economic development, and helps save our earth's natural resources by reusing what's already been built.
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How has American Express been involved in preservation previously?
In September 2006, with the National Trust for Historic Preservation, American Express allocated $1 million in preservation grants to the First Church of Christ, Scientist and 13 additional sites in the San Francisco Bay Area. Some of the selected sites have already broken ground, while others are finalizing their planning to assure successful project completion in 2008.
The American Express Partners in Preservation program builds upon the company's decade-long relationship with the World Monuments Fund (WMF) and establishes a partnership with the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The program is dedicated to preserving sites both in the U.S. and around the world.
American Express is the founding sponsor of WMF's World Monuments Watch program, established in 1995 to call international attention to and ensure the preservation of cultural heritage sites around the world that are threatened by neglect, vandalism, armed conflict or natural disaster. Over the past ten years American Express has helped to preserve 126 sites in 62 countries from the World Monuments Watch List of the 100 Most Endangered Sites and other World Monuments Fund programs.
American Express also supports hundreds of nonprofit organizations each year through its foundation and corporate giving activities. Grants are made under the Cultural Heritage, Leadership and Community Service themes that reflect the Company's values and complement its business priorities.
Please visit our website for details.
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What was involved in the 2006 Partners in Preservation Initiative?
In September 2006, American Express allocated $1 million in preservation grants to thirteen sites in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 2006 Bay Area grant recipients continue to make progress in achieving their preservation goals. Some sites have already broken ground, while others are finalizing their planning to assure successful project completion in 2008.
The popular vote winner was Bernard Maybeck's masterpiece First Church of Christ, Scientist in Berkeley and was given a preservation grant. American Express has provided the church with a $118,000 Partners in Preservation grant to fully fund the project to complete seismic upgrading of the Church's Sunday School.
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What was involved in the 2007 Partners in Preservation Initiative?
The focus of the 2007 Partners in Presrvation program in the United States was on Chicago and its surrounding communities. Outside of the US, American Express, through a partnership with the National Trust of Australia, provided grants to help preserve and care for historic sites in the New South Wales council areas of Sydney, Mosman and Waverley.
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Why was Chicagoland targeted with this initiative?
From the bungalow belt to the sweep of skyline along Lake Michigan, Chicagoans take great pride in the architecture around them. Chicago has played a distinct and pivotal role in modern architecture — it's the birthplace of the skyscraper; the setting of two World's Fairs; the home of Burnham & Root, Louis Sullivan and Mies van der Rohe and the place where Frank Lloyd Wright got his start. With all of its contributions to the trends that have shaped American life, it is most appropriate that Chicagoland be included in this important preservation effort.
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How were the 25 Chicagoland sites selected?
Twenty-five historic sites in Chicagoland were identified for the 2007 Partners in Preservation program. They were identified using the following criteria:
Historic significance:Sites must be either listed on or eligible for the National Register of Historic Places and must reflect the rich heritage of the Chicagoland Area.
Project Plan:There must be a clearly articulated project plan for the preservation of the site that stipulates how the goal will be realized.
Organizational excellence: The site must demonstrate organizational excellence, to take the project from concept to completion within a set budget and time frame.
Community impact:There must be evidence that restoring the site would positively contribute to the overall health of the immediate, surrounding community.
Completion Date: Restoration of the site must be completed by June 2009.
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What is the National Trust for Historic Preservation and how is it connected to American Express?
The National Trust for Historic Preservation is a non-profit membership organization bringing people together to protect, enhance and enjoy the places that matter to them. By saving the places where great moments from history , and the important moments of everyday life , took place, the National Trust for Historic Preservation helps revitalize neighborhoods and communities, spark economic development and promote environmental sustainability. With headquarters in Washington, DC, 9 regional and field offices, 29 historic sites, and partner organizations in all 50 states, the National Trust for Historic Preservation provides leadership, education, advocacy and resources to a national network of people, organizations and local communities committed to saving places, connecting us to our history and collectively shaping the future of America's stories. For more information, visit www.PreservationNation.org.
The partnership of American Express with the National Trust for Historic Preservation seeks to increase public awareness of the importance of historic and environmental conservation in the United States, preserve American historic and cultural landmarks, and strengthen local communities through preservation efforts. For over ten years, American Express has supported National Trust for Historic Preservation initiatives, including its Save America's Treasures and Heritage Tourism programs.
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What is the World Monuments Fund and how is it connected to American Express?
The World Monuments Fund is the foremost private non-profit organization dedicated to saving the world's cultural and architectural heritage.
Over the past 10 years American Express has helped to preserve 126 sites in 62 countries from the World Monuments Watch List of the 100 Most Endangered Sites and other World Monuments Fund programs.
American Express/ World Monuments Fund Sustainable Tourism Grants Program
Recognizing both the benefits and the pressures of tourism on cultural heritage sites around the world, American Express and World Monuments Fund (WMF) are building on the Partners in Preservation initiative by creating a global grants program focusing on the sustainable tourism aspect of historic sites.
The program will reward and encourage responsible stewardship of historic sites in an urban context that integrates historic preservation, sustainable tourism management, and visitor education into efforts to protect and preserve cultural heritage sites around the world.
The grants will recognize significant historic sites that:
- respect, protect and conserve the built and living cultural heritage and traditional values of host communities, and contribute to inter-cultural understanding
- use innovative approaches to conservation and sustainable tourism management that have potential for wider application to other sites
- ensure a meaningful and satisfying experience for tourists by raising awareness about sustainability issues and encouraging responsible and sustainable tourism practices
The first sustainable tourism grants will be announced in late 2007.
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How were the amounts of the grants decided?
As the site with the most votes, The On Leong Merchant Association Building/ Pui-Tak Center is guaranteed funding from the $1 million Partners in Preservation Chicagloand program.
American Express, the National Trust for Historic Preservation and a special Advisory Committee made up of local preservation, business and civic leaders review the public's votes along with each site's monetary needs to determine how exactly $1 million in preservation grants will be awarded.
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Who provides the grant funding for this initiative?
Through the Partners in Preservation program, American Express is giving $5 million to the National Trust for Historic Preservation. This year, $1 million will be allocated in grants toward the restoration of historic sites around Chicagoland.
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How many times can I vote and how will my votes impact the project?
The voting period ended on October 10th 2007. From September 6th through to October 10th, registered voters had the opportunity to cast one vote each day for their favorite sites. Voters had the option to vote for the same site every day, or vote for a different site each day.
The site with the most votes, the On Leong Merchant Association Building/ Pui-Tak Center, will automatically receive a preservation grant. Other select sites will be awarded funding after evaluation by the Partners in Preservation Advisory Committee.
Grants were calculated according to the financial support required to fulfill preservation and restoration projects at the chosen sites. Not all sites received funding.
The final list of sites awarded grants was announced in Chicago and on this website on November 13th 2007.
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How many winners will there be?
As the winner of the public vote, the On Leong Merchant Association Building/ Pui-Tak Center is guaranteed a preservation grant.
American Express, the National Trust for Historic Preservation and a special Advisory Committee made up of local preservation, business and civic leaders will review the public's votes along with each site's monetary needs to determine how the $1 million in preservation grants will be awarded.
Grants will be calculated according to the financial support required to fulfill preservation and restoration projects at the chosen sites. Not all sites will receive funding.
The final list of sites to be awarded grants will be announced in Chicago and on this website on November 13th 2007.
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When and how will the winners be announced?
The winners were announced in Chicago in November 2007.
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How can I get more involved in preserving historic sites in Chicago?
The National Trust for Historic Preservation champions preservation by providing leadership, education, advocacy, and resources to people working to preserve, improve, and enjoy the places that matter to them. Join the National Trust for Historic Preservation and help save the neighborhoods and historic places that matter to you.
National Trust for Historic Preservation
Midwest Office
53 W. Jackson Blvd., Suite 350
Chicago, IL 60604
TEL: 312-939-5547
FAX: 312-939-5651
www.preservationnation.org
There are many other organizations that help preserve historic sites in the Chicago area:
Landmarks Illinois
53 W. Jackson Blvd., Suite 1315
Chicago, IL 60604
TEL: 312-92201742
FAX: 312-922-8112
www.landmarks.org
Canal Corridor Association
200 W. 8th Street
Lockport, IL 60441
TEL: 815-588-1100
FAX: 815-588-1101
www.canalcor.org
Preservation Chicago
1016 North Oakley Boulevard
Chicago, Illinois 60622
TEL: 773-489-0300
FAX: 773-489-0876
www.preservationchicago.org
Chicago Architecture Foundation
224 S. Michigan Ave.
Chicago, IL 60604
TEL: 312-922-3432
FAX: 312-922-0481
www.architecture.org
Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy
53 West Jackson Blvd.
Suite 1120
Chicago, IL 60604
TEL: 312-663-5500
FAX: 312-663-5505
www.savewright.org
Commission on Chicago Landmarks
33 N. LaSalle St.
Suite 1600
Chicago, IL 60602
TEL: 312-744-3200
FAX: 312-744-9140
www.ci.chi.il.us/Landmarks
Illinois State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO)
1 Old State Capitol Plaza
Springfield, IL 62701-1512
TEL: 217-782-4836
FAX: 217-524-7525
www.state.il.us/hpa/ps
Illinois Main Street Program
Office of the Lieutenant Governor
414 Stratton Springfield, IL 62706
TEL: 217-782-5990
FAX: 217-782-9879
www.state.il.us/ltgov
National Park Service Regional Office
Midwest Regional Office
1709 Jackson Street Omaha, NE 68102
TEL: 402-221-3431
www.nps.gov/state/il
There are also a large number of Main Street communities in Chicagoland. To obtain a list of local Main Street organizations in your area click on the Illinois Main Street website.
Further details on all of the Partners in Preservation Sites can be found on their official websites:
Bohemian National Cemetery
Chicago Cultural Center
Grand Army of the Republic Memorial Hall
Fountain of Time Sculpture
Great Lakes Naval Station, Building 42, Hostess House
Grosse Point Lighthouse
Holy Trinity Russian Orthodox Cathedral
Humboldt Park Stables and Receptory
Independence Park Bungalow
International Museum of Surgical Science
Jane Addams Homes , Animal Court Sculptures
On Leong Merchant Association Building/ Pui-Tak Center
Peabody Estate at Mayslake
Petersen Historic Farmstead
Pleasant Home
Quinn Chapel A.M.E. Church
Robie House
Roger Brown Study Collection
Sears/Homan Square Power Plant
South Side Community Art Center
Spring Grove Fish Hatchery
Unity Temple
Viking Ship
Von Steuben High School
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How can I share my story?
Go to the Explore Page and click on any of the historic sites in the List of Locations. The map will zoom into your chosen location and allow you to further expand your knowledge. Clicking on the 'Learn More' button brings you to your chosen site's unique Explore Page, where on clicking the 'submit your story' button you can add your own personal story.
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How do I upload photos?
Go to the Explore Page and click on any of the historic sites in the List of Locations. The map will zoom into your chosen location and allow you to further expand your knowledge. Clicking on the 'Learn More' button brings you to your chosen site's unique Explore Page, where on clicking the 'add your story' button you can add your own personal photo.
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Whom can I contact for help with technical difficulties?
Please fill out the form below.
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