11 mile section of Blue Ridge Parkway reopens near Asheville
November 6, 2024
November 15, 2018
The rehabilitation effort at Moses H. Cone Memorial Park is in for a big boost. The Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation and National Park Service are pleased to announce that three projects focused on repairs to Flat Top Manor, milepost 294, have been selected to receive Centennial Challenge grants awarded by Congress.
The grants total $722,976. The Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation is required to raise matching funds to secure the government allocation. The Centennial Challenge program was launched in 2015 to create public-private partnerships to address the deferred maintenance backlog in national parks.
Each donor gift to the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation will be matched almost dollar for dollar to:
- Replace Flat Top Manor shake roof and rehabilitate dormers
- Preserve exterior components of Flat Top Manor
- Rehab Flat Top Manor’s second floor exterior
Thanks to your support, the Foundation is closing in on a three-year goal to raise more than $3 million to address crucial repairs and maintenance for this treasured country estate listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
“With every gift, we’re making strides toward a secure future for Moses H. Cone Memorial Park,” said Willa Mays, Chief Development Officer for the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation. “We still have $680,000 to raise and feel confident that those who love and appreciate the estate will pitch in to make it happen.”
The newly awarded grants are a chance to build upon the Foundation’s past success in meeting Centennial Challenge fundraising goals, which has leveraged more than $1 million in government funding for the estate.
“We are pleased to be able to leverage these federal dollars with a strong partner match from the Foundation and its donors,” said J.D. Lee, Superintendent of the Blue Ridge Parkway. “This partnership makes the Blue Ridge Parkway stronger now and in the future. These investments ensure resources like Flat Top Manor will be available to park visitors for many years to come.”