Having stabilized the crumbling walls of the Frank Duveneck House, Covington is now turning its attention to what comes next: figuring out exactly what it will take to finish the job. Architects and engineers are drafting plans meant to spell out the work still needed before any construction crews move in at the historic property on Greenup Street.
According to WKRC, the city is moving into this next phase of work after securing the structure itself. Once those plans are finalized, Covington will submit its full scope of work to the National Park Service for approval, a step the station reports is expected to happen early next year.
A Nearly $92,000 Design Contract
The design work now underway traces back to a Covington Board of Commissioners vote in late September. At its Sept. 22 meeting, the board approved a roughly $92,000 proposal from architecture firm Merriman Anderson/Architects, according to LINK nky. The outlet reported that the firm's work would focus largely on producing design and construction documents, building on an earlier phase of the project that centered mostly on shoring up the building's structural integrity.
That shift from stabilization to design documentation marks a turning point for a preservation effort that has unfolded in distinct stages. The first phase kept the house standing; this one is meant to chart precisely how it gets restored and reused.
Plans Call for Studio, Gallery and Artist Apartment
LINK nky's reporting also laid out the kind of future envisioned for the property, describing a first-floor gallery and event space alongside a restored working art studio. The second floor and attic, per that report, would become an apartment unit for an artist in residence.
The house itself was built in 1861 by Frank Duveneck's stepfather, and it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2015, according to the NKyTribune. Duveneck, born in Covington in 1848, is tied to one of America's most influential artists of his era, and the home where he grew up still stands in the heart of the city.
Federal Grant Helped Launch the Effort
Money from Washington has already played a role in getting the project this far. The NKyTribune reported that Covington secured a $300,000 Save America's Treasures grant for rehabilitation of the Frank Duveneck House and Studio at 1226 Greenup Street. The outlet also noted that the Northern Kentucky Area Development District committed matching funds that would double that federal investment.
For now, the house's long-term future still hinges on paperwork moving through two levels of government. Covington's architects are finishing the plans that will shape what gets built, and the National Park Service still has to sign off on the scope of work before the next chapter of construction can begin.
