|
Discover Portsmouth Launches Capital Campaign |
|
HISTORY NEWS
In four short years the Portsmouth Historical Society transformed the empty former public library into a gateway to the Seacoast’s art, culture and history sites and resources, creating the Discover Portsmouth Center at the intersection of Middle and Islington Streets – exactly where the city’s Master Plan had foreseen such a resource. With $900,000 in hand of the $1 million it took for the energy retrofit to make the DPC a viable year-round asset for City visitors and residents, the Society has launched a capital campaign to secure public support for the effort. $100,000 in donations to create a viable year-round asset for City visitors and residents. An energy retrofit project has been underway since October that replaces old air handlers, boilers, ductwork and ceilings with energy-efficient, made-in-America, new systems and lighting. (Continued below)
.
Maryellen Burke, Executive Director for the Portsmouth Historical Society announced a 2012 capital campaign challenge by saying that two donors have stepped forward with large gifts of operating support. “In exchange,” she said, “We are challenged to raise the last 10% of this building campaign. For 2012 we have $100,000 granted to us jointly by Tom Haas and an anonymous donor if we can raise an additional $100,000 in capital funds by March 2012. The Society has raised $900,000 in support from generous donors, and municipal, state, and federal grants. We thank all the donors who have been so helpful early on for this project. Now we need to finish this phase of preserving and restoring these wonderful buildings.”
Read about the TWO BUILDINGS that make up DPC
Since opening its doors the Society has welcomed 45,000 visitors to the Discover Portsmouth Center, introducing them to the city’s art, culture, history partners and sites.
Sources to fund the $1million energy retrofit included a $162,000 federal grant through the City of Portsmouth, $160,000 in state tax credits and challenge grants from several individual donors. The work, including replacement of the furnace and more efficient ventilation allows Discover Portsmouth to operate with greater energy efficiency -- resulting in cost savings and lower environmental impact.
Discover Portsmouth has proven itself a vital element in the downtown mix of meeting and gathering spaces, particularly for non-profit organizations. The grand scale of the Academy galleries, renovated to reveal the architectural detail, wood floors and natural lighting of the 19thcentury building combined with the lighting and HVAC upgrades make Discover Portsmouth a worthy backdrop for high quality art and an inspiring space for both corporate and nonprofit events of all kinds. “Nowhere else in Portsmouth is there this blend of the city’s historical treasures and modern convenience,” said Burke. ”The Society invites the public to help complete the goal with a relatively small investment in the building for the huge return in community benefit. Gifts of any amount are welcomed gratefully.”
The Portsmouth Historical Society is a 501c3 non-profit organization. All donations to the Discover Portsmouth Center campaign are deductible to the full extent of current IRS regulations. For more information, please contact Executive Director Maryellen Burke at 603-436-8433
