Future of Wright brothers factory site could hinge on appropriations bill in Congress
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The Wright brothers factory site, heavily damaged by fire in March, could depend on whether Congress will do what U.S. Rep. Mike Turner is asking the body to do -- renew the Historic Preservation Fund for 10 years.
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The Wright Company, the 54-acre site where the brothers created the first mass production of airplanes, is located off West Third Street near Abbey.
The Dayton City Commission in late April approved a $280,000 contract with a Springboro development contractor to help come up with redevelopment plans for the factory site. The Department of Planning, Neighborhoods & Development has requested the commission to approve the spending for professional real estate development consulting services with Dillin Property Group at the site.
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“So far, we’re hearing fairly good news, that there is enough of the building left to restore it,” Turner told News Center 7 on Thursday afternoon.
“Hopefully, giving us an opportunity to continue telling that story, the work the Wright brothers did for First Flight.”
The Historic Preservation Fund has had bipartisan support in the past. Turner said he hopes that will be the case this time.
The National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 set the federal vision for historic preservation in the United States. To support the vision and framework laid out in this act, the HPF was established in 1977 to provide financial assistance to, originally, states, to carry out activities related to preservation.
Funding is provided from Outer Continental Shelf oil and gas lease revenues, not tax dollars, and an amount is appropriated annually by Congress.
Awards from the HPF are made to states, tribes, territories, local governments, and non-profits. The National Park Service’s State, Tribal, Local, Plans & Grants Division manages the programs and grant awards funded by the HPF.
The current federal funding available for projects such as the Wright Company expires in September.
