Historic Richmond Foundation and The William Byrd Branch of the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities Announce Merger

Richmond, VA July 06, 2005 Historic Richmond Foundation and The William Byrd Branch of the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities announced today that the two organizations had agreed to merge to form one preservation organization. The surviving entity will conduct business as Historic Richmond Foundation and will come under the APVA Preservation Virginia umbrella.

Historic Richmond Foundation was created out of The William Byrd Branch in 1956. During this 50-year period, Historic Richmond Foundation and The William Byrd Branch have worked together on many preservation projects in Richmond, including the acquisition of the National Theatre to prevent it from being demolished, the successful effort to save the Superior Warehouse and ongoing renovations at Monumental Church.

John Owen Gwathmey, HRF's President, said, "Historic Richmond Foundation is extremely pleased to join forces with The William Byrd Branch. We share a common mission, a common history and common goals. Together, we will create a preservation organization with the funds and resources necessary to protect Richmond's important architectural treasures into the future."

Elizabeth S. Kostelny, Executive Director of APVA Preservation Virginia, agreed, "We are happy to have Historic Richmond Foundation once again become a part of APVA Preservation Virginia. By joining forces, the new entity will have the ability to have a significant impact in the Richmond metropolitan area by ensuring that the economic and educational value of preservation is a consideration in planning and im

Kenneth D. McArthur, Jr., Director of The William Byrd Branch, added, "The reunification of Historic Richmond Foundation and The William Byrd Branch was a no-brainer. The synergism and efficiencies resulting from this combination will allow us to play a bigger role in historic preservation in Greater Richmond and provide a higher level of services to our combined membership than either of us could have independently.

ABOUT HISTORIC RICHMOND FOUNDATION

Founded in 1956, Historic Richmond Foundation remains at the forefront in the preservation of Richmond's unique historic character. Among the architectural sites that HRF has protected are the neighborhood surrounding St. John's Church in Church Hill, Superior Warehouse, Old City Hall and Linden Row. Current projects include Monumental Church, the National Theatre, and the Byrd Park Pump House. HRF's Quoit Club offers exclusive access and tours of Richmond's historic sites not generally open to the public

Website: www.historicrichmond.com

ABOUT APVA PRESERVATION VIRGINIA

In its 116th year, APVA Preservation Virginia is the oldest statewide preservation organization in the United States. With more than 6,000 members worldwide, APVA Preservation Virginia seeks to cultivate an awareness of the importance of the Commonwealth of Virginia's historic and natural resources as educational and economic assets, promote their proper use, and protect them today and for future generations.

When APVA Preservation Virginia was founded in 1889, a branch structure was established that gave the organization a broader base of membership. It also helped the organization to reach out into communities throughout Virginia to identify and save historic landmarks.

Today, APVA Preservation Virginia has twenty-three branches as well as a growing organizational membership, all of which serves as grassroots network for preservation across the Commonwealth. APVA Preservation Virginia provides resources, leadership, expertise, influence, policy, programs and services to the public and these affiliated groups.

ABOUT THE WILLIAM BYRD BRANCH

Each of APVA Preservation Virginia's Branches has its individual area of focus. Since 1935, The William Byrd Branch's primary focus has been on preserving historic properties in and around the City of Richmond through the use of a variety of innovative preservation methods. The William Byrd Branch is credited with pioneering some of the techniques, such as "adaptive reuse," that are commonly employed today by APVA Preservation Virginia and other preservation organizations throughout the Unites States

Website: www.apva.org

Historic Richmond Foundation - The William Byrd Branch of APVA Preservation Virginia