Federal and state money adding up for Old State Bank restoration

Jul. 16—The city is still short of the estimated $3 million that Mayor Tab Bowling said it needs to repair the Old State Bank building, but it's getting closer.

Bowling said Monday the estimate "is a big number" for the necessary repairs to one of the city's most iconic landmarks.

"I know it's important to take care of the bank, and I think the council knows as well," he said.

Lord Aeck Sargent, an Atlanta-based architecture firm with a history of working with historic buildings, did the structural report with Bennett Engineering, a South Carolina company, examining the antebellum load-bearing walls.

In March, Caroline Swope, the city's historic preservation specialist, said the building exam revealed the need to remove a tree growing into the foundation of the building, reinforce the joists, do structural work in the basement, tie down the roof and north wall and, one of the most pressing issues, stabilize the outside stairs.

Community Development Manager Allen Stover said Monday the $3 million estimate is a "rough ballpark" on what they might need for the renovations, based on the structural report.

He said they're still setting priorities on what they need to do in the renovations, and "we're not anywhere close (in funding) to what we will need."

The City Council voted Monday morning to accept a $575,000 state appropriation for the 141-year-old bank.

Lisa D. Jones, executive director of the Alabama Historical Commission, notified the city of the funding in a June 10 letter. Bowling said state Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, included the latest appropriation in the fiscal 2024 budget.

"Sen. Orr is constantly doing this to help our city," Bowling said. "We're thankful he works so hard in Montgomery to bring funds here, especially for the Old State Bank."

This is the third state grant designed to help the city with the Old State Bank. The city received a $12,000 grant that it matched with $43,000 to pay for the structural report.

Last year, the city received a $482,357 grant from the state Historical Commission for the project.

Bowling, Councilman Carlton McMasters and Chief Financial Officer Kyle Demeester met with Alabama's congressional delegation and staff last week. The mayor said they brought up the Old State Bank during these meetings.

"We told them we were looking for some assistance (for the bank project)," Bowling said.

McMasters said the delegation was already aware of the need. They put a $500,000 appropriation for the bank in the proposed fiscal 2025 budget, he said.

Bowling said he is "hopeful" that the appropriation will make it through the congressional budget process.

The Old State Bank opened its doors July 29, 1833. It was one of three branches of the Bank of the State of Alabama.

The Union Army used the bank building as a hospital during the Civil War. It was one of four buildings to survive the destruction of Decatur during the war. Only three buildings built before the war remain.

The last major renovation of the Old State Bank occurred in the late 1970s. Before that, the bank underwent a restoration in the 1930s.

— bayne.hughes@decaturdaily.com or 256-340-2432