Heritage Conservation Council seeks to hire consultant for barn assessments

Douglas County is soliciting formal proposals from qualified individuals to complete structural assessments of five or six barns that have been identified as eligible for the National Register of Historic Places.

The consultant will check the adequacy, structural integrity and soundness of structures and their components and will prioritize recommended repairs. Completion of the assessments will aid the barn owners in preservation efforts and assist Douglas County in preserving the rural character of the county that reflects its natural and cultural history.

The Douglas County Heritage Conservation Council will oversee the project. The deadline to apply is June 20.

Project background:

The Douglas County Heritage Conservation Council and the Kansas Barn Alliance are partnering for the 2020 Let’s Get Started Barn Assessment Grant Program. Costs for the project will be shared by the Douglas County Heritage Conservation Council, the Kansas Barn Alliance, and barn owners. It is hoped that this pilot program will be used as a model in other counties across Kansas in the future.

The Heritage Conservation Council Program Coordinator contacted over 200 barn owners (identified through the historic resource survey process) by letter with information on the 2020 pilot program. Six barn owners responded. Members of the HCC have reviewed the grant applications and will be conducting initial site visits.