On Tuesday, August 9, two chipper youths and their advisor arrived to the Sidney Lanier Cottage with a large check in tow from the Watson-Brown Foundation. The Watson-Brown Foundation Junior Board of Trustees awarded Historic Macon a $10,000 grant to help fund the listing of Napier Heights as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.
Historic Macon applied for the grant from the Watson-Brown Foundation in March of 2016 to list the area commonly known as Napier Heights in the National Register. Napier Heights is roughly bounded by Interstate 75, Montpelier Avenue, Pio Nono Avenue, and Roff Avenue, though the exact boundaries of a National Register district are determined after research is complete. The area's wonderful building stock and the neighborhood’s excellent location between Mercer University, the Vineville Historic District, and the Cherokee Heights Historic District make it an excellent candidate not only for National Register listing, but also for revitalization.
Historic Macon staffers took the Junior Board of Trustees on a tour of the proposed district in early spring. The trustees asked many questions about the project and were intrigued by Historic Macon's commitment to revitalizing our community through historic preservation. The trustees saw the merit in listing Napier Heights as a historic district and awarded Historic Macon with $10,000 to get the job done.
Historic Macon will use the funds to conduct the extensive research required for the district proposal. The listing of the economically depressed neighborhood of Napier Heights in the National Register of Historic Places allows Historic Macon to employ its proven block-by-block, street-by-street revitalization approach to the neighborhood. Historic Macon anticipates a time in the near future when our neighborhood revitalization work in the Beall's Hill neighborhood will be complete. Napier Heights is be the ideal area to extend Historic Macon's nationally recognized real estate and preservation tactics, creating a more vibrant neighborhood for long-term residents.
Historic Macon appreciates the recognition and trust of the Watson Brown Foundation Junior Board of Trustees in this project. Continue to follow our blog for updates on the Napier Heights listing and our many other projects.