WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities (PCAH) and the National Park Service (NPS), jointly announced the awarding of $9.5 million in federal competitive Save America’s Treasures (SAT) grants.
Frank Lloyd Wright Wisconsin is honored to be among the 41 organizations and agencies who will use the grants to conserve significant U.S. cultural and historic treasures, which illustrate, interpret and are associated with the great events, ideas, and individuals that contribute to our nation’s history and culture. 402 applications were submitted.
“Save America's Treasures invests in our nation's irreplaceable legacy of buildings, documents, collections and artistic works," said First Lady Michelle Obama, Honorary Chairman of the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities. “These awards empower communities all over the country to rescue and restore this priceless heritage, and ensure that future generations continue to learn from the voices, ideas, events and people represented by these projects.”
Frank Lloyd Wright Wisconsin’s grant award in the amount of $393,762 will be used to restore the Frank Lloyd Wright designed American System-Built Home, Model Flat C at 2732-34 West Burnham, Milwaukee, WI. This award is a dollar for dollar matching grant.
“Frank Lloyd Wright was a Wisconsin born original. He was a different thinker who set out to develop a uniquely American architecture. No other architect so intuitively designed to human scale,” said Mike Lilek, who oversaw the restoration of Model B1 for the Frank Lloyd Wright Wisconsin Program. “It is so important for the soul of the community to have works of art like the Wright buildings on Burnham. People who visit gain an understanding of architecture, what Wright was about, what he contributed uniquely to this country. Although we are not officially open yet we have already had visitors from 8 countries and most states. The homes on Burnham join more than twenty Wright homes open to the public that today draw more than one million visitors per year.”
“The National Trust for Historic Preservation is proud to join the National Park Service and other federal agencies in what I consider to be one of the most ambitious and successful preservation efforts in the last 50 years," said Richard Moe, President of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. “We have been honored to work with three administrations to help ensure the preservation and good stewardship of the places that tell America's story.” (Richard Moe and members of the National Trust visited the newly restored Model B1 in September 2009)