Heritage Trail workshop set at silk mill

Provided as a community service by the Cumberland Times-News, Cumberland, Maryland, United States of America Quick Links: [ Regional News Index ] [ CTN Home Page ] [ Contacting Us ] Tuesday, May 30, 2000Heritage Trail workshop set at silk mill LAURA H. VOGELTimes-News Staff Writer LONACONING -- Mike Lewis, the most recent patron saint of the Lonaconing Silk Mill, is taking another step toward his vision of a heritage Mecca anchored in Lonaconing. He has planned a two-day conference Friday and Saturday, called Coal Heritage Trail Community Workshop, designed to bring together key players from the local, state and national levels for the purposes of pooling resources and discussing the multifaceted future of the mill. Lewis, a member of the Georges Creek Promotion Council, believes that the silk mill will one day serve as the focal point for the Route 36 corridor. "We have such a strong national history here," he said. "We want to develop that. The Coal Heritage Trail is just the first leg of that initiative." The Coal Heritage Trail is a proposed scenic corridor that would incorporate much of the history of Western Maryland, focusing on Route 36. "People tend to forget that we were the westward expansion," said Lewis. He said that when immigrants came over to Ellis Island they were told to go to Lonaconing for work. "As far as I know, what I've been told, is that we have the last remaining intact silk mill in the world," he said. "We have national and international history right here in our own back yard." The workshop will take place in Lonaconing. There will be visits to the silk mill as well as the armory and Dan's Mountain State Park. ewis hopes to create an umbrella organization of networking to pull from when it is time to leverage resources. With all of the past efforts of preserving the silk mill, he said, this one has the most promise for a future. "We have been preparing for years how to couch the silk mill in this broader context," he said. "Other efforts have focused entirely on the silk mill itself, but I truly believe that it is just a platform to develop the Coal Heritage Trail. We have got a lot of support for the next three to five years to make this happen, from people who have made this happen in other areas." The weekend workshop will be kicked off with words from Speaker of the House Casper Taylor Jr. and close with a public presentation called "Achieving our Goals" which will outline the work that will be done in the break-out sessions as well as solidifying an action plan. The keynote speaker of the weekend is Doug Faris, superintendent of the C&O Canal. "I truly believe that in five years people will travel to Mountain Maryland and ask us 'How did you do that? How did you become this successful?' " said Lewis. "All things are possible, but first you have to dream them." Lewis invites all historical groups along the proposed corridor from both Garrett and Allegany counties to attend. Anyone interested in attending the conference, acquiring an agenda or learning more about Lewis' objectives can call Lewis at (301) 463-6772. Quick Links: [ Regional News Index ] [ CTN Home Page ] [ Contacting Us ] [ Top ] Copyright © 2000 Cumberland Times-News

Lonaconing Silk Mill Adaptive Reuse Feasibility Study

Silk Mill Adaptive Reuse Feasibility Study

Project Description

Project Name: Lonaconing Silk Mill Adaptive Reuse Feasibility Study

Project Location: East Railroad Street, Town of Lonaconing, Allegany County, Maryland

Project Description: Allegany County will, in collaboration with its project partners, enter into a professional services agreement with a consulting firm, certified private non-profit organization or team experienced in restoration of historical buildings for commercial, educational or industrial reuse for the production of an adaptive reuse feasibility study to determine the most viable approach to adaptively reuse the former Klotz Throwing Mill, now know as the Lonaconing Silk Mill.  

Background: In 1999 the Maryland Department of Planning and the Appalachian Regional Commission provided funds to the Friends of the Potomac to sponsor two “Community Partner Workshops” to help carry out the Potomac American Heritage River Initiative in Maryland.  One of these workshops was the “Coal Heritage Trail Workshop” held in Lonaconing on June 2-3, 2000.

The Coal Heritage Trail Workshop included a work session on “preservation and adaptive reuse strategies for silk mills and other historic buildings” that was followed by a facilitated discussion of options for the preservation of the Lonaconing Silk Mill.  In this session, local leaders worked with historic preservation, adaptive reuse, and sustainability experts from the four-state region as a first step in preparing a community-based strategy for the future of the Mill.

Eventually, a workgroup formed after the Coal Heritage Trail Workshop developed an action strategy that described:

• the values of the Mill;
• community issues and concerns;
• possible future uses of the Mill;
• private and public sources of funding assistance; and
• next steps.

One of the key recommendations in the action strategy called for an economic feasibility study with adaptive reuse options for the Silk Mill.

Process: The Scope of Services for the proposed adaptive reuse feasibility study will focus on a) a determination as to the percentage of the building that must be dedicated to commercial, educational, industrial or other economic uses in order to make preservation and conservation feasible; b) a determination of specific commercial, educational, industrial or other economic uses that would be supported by local, regional, or tourist-generated market demand; c) an analysis of improvements that must be funded to maintain the integrity of the building and allow for reuse; and d) the identification of a public or private owner/developer for the property.

Project partners consist of the National Park Service, National Capital Region; the Town of Lonaconing; the George’s Creek Promotion Council; and Heritage Conservancy.  This group will provide representatives to a Project Advisory Committee (PAC) that will help select the consultant and work with the consultant’s staff to facilitate the project.  This group would also work to coordinate implementation of the recommendations of the study.

Project Cost: ARC $10,000

Local Cash: $15,000

In Kind Services: $  5,000

TOTAL: $30,000 

Schedule: Project Approved 10/01/01

Solicit Proposals 10/15/01

Contract Award 12/01/01

Start-Up Meeting 12/15/01

Preliminary Draft Meeting 04/26/02

Final Draft Meeting 06/28/02

Final Report 08/01/02

Scope of Work:

Statement of Intent: The County intends to procure an adaptive reuse feasibility study for the former Klotz Throwing Mill in Lonaconing, MD, which is intended to determine the most economically feasible and historically sensitive method of maintaining the integrity of the structure and site, including project planning, property improvements, property ownership, marketing, and management.  

Task 1.0 Project Planning

1. County develops a Request For Proposal (RFP) for the project.
2. County and Project Advisory Committee (PAC) select and hire a professional services firm to undertake the economic feasibility study.
3. Start-up meeting between Consultant and PAC to clarify objectives and processes.

Task 2.0 Development of Information

1. Consultant communicates with selected local leaders.
2. Consultant identifies community, building and site assets, including natural, cultural, and historical considerations.
3. Consultant assesses relationship of site and building to heritage projects in the County and in the region.
4. Consultant reviews existing documents relating to potential for redevelopment of the Mill from previous efforts.
5. Consultant evaluates information assembled.

Task 3.0 Identification of Limitations and Challenges

1. Consultant identifies potential impediments to adaptive reuse of the building and the site, including accessibility, infrastructure, zoning, fire safety and code compliance, site constraints, environmental requirements, etc.
2. Consultant analyzes relevant trends in economic and heritage-based development.
3. Consultant identifies community concerns and potential local impacts of adaptive reuse.
4. Consultant evaluates and summarizes limitations and challenges.

Task 4.0 Economic Data

1. Consultant develops recommendations, and a capital budget, for common area and building system improvements required for basic marketability.
2. Consultant develops a recommendation on the mix of specific commercial and non-commercial spaces that would allow for feasible redevelopment.
3. Consultant develops a pro forma operating budget based on assumptions of redevelopment and mixed use occupancy.
4. Consultant develops assumptions for sale proceeds or rent payments needed to sustain operations of the property.

Task 5.0 Action Strategy

1. Consultant prepares draft report on findings, including preliminary recommendations for reuse, associated budgets, and necessary next steps.
2. Consultant attends preliminary draft meeting to present draft report to the PAC and to discuss goals for an action strategy to be included in the final report.
3. Consultant prepares an action strategy consisting of a description of financial packaging goals, including grants, loans, donations, tax credits, and other incentives, plus a listing of specific public or private sources of financial assistance.

Task 6.0 Final Product

1. Ten (10) copies of a draft final report, including updated reuse recommendations and the action strategy, will be presented to the PAC for review and comment.
2. Consultant attends final draft meeting with the PAC to solicit final input.
3. Five (5) copies of the final report, Lonaconing Silk Mill Adaptive Reuse Feasibility Study, will be presented to the County, including a version in reproducible computer disk format, including all narratives and supporting materials required to meet the intent of the Scope of Services.

END