Walk around Covington, and you’ll see hundreds of historic homes, many of them in need of repair. But restoration is a specialized skill. There are a limited number of people who can do it and it can be expensive.
Armed with a couple of grants and matching funds, the city has a plan to create a workforce trained in restoring buildings.
“We’re going to skill up people so we’re creating a Covington Restoration Trades School to help give folks the skills that they need to fix masonry, repair windows, address box gutters, plaster work, all of those trades,” says the city’s Christopher Myers, who oversees historic preservation.
Covington is partnering with the Building Industry Association of Northern Kentucky and has hired two consultants. One of them is Bob Yapp, founder of the Belvedere School for Hands-on Preservation in Hannibal, Missouri. He’s charged with identifying teachers, assessing equipment, and writing the curriculum.
PlaceEconomics will study successful restoration trades programs in other states.
Where will it be?
Students will study at the Enzweiler Building Institute’s laboratory space in Erlanger and then get hands-on practice at the old Colonial Inn at 1515 Madison Avenue.
“This building (1515 Madison), if you name a trade, it needs it," Myers says. "So, it’s the perfect kind of practice space for that hands-on real-world experience that we want to give students coming through the Covington Restoration Trades School. So, piece by piece, room by room, we’re going to take it apart, put it back together, fix it up and restore it.”
For further practice, Covington is also working to identify people who need home repairs but can’t afford them.
What kind of students is the school targeting?
Women of color, people of color, veterans, and high school graduates are the people Myers is hoping to get. You don’t have to live in Covington. The program is working to get childcare, transportation, and translation services for those interested.
The school is expected to start in May 2022.
Those interested in more information can contact Myers at cmyers@covingtonky.gov
