Then and now: The Morrill Bank building, on the corner of First and Gowe, in 1924, left, and today. COURTESY PHOTOS

Then and now: The Morrill Bank building, on the corner of First and Gowe, in 1924, left, and today. COURTESY PHOTOS

Thanks to all who supported pursuit of restoration grant for historic building

Kent Downtown Partnership would like to thank everybody who voted for the Morrill Bank Building in downtown Kent in the contest to try to win $150,000 to help us restore the façade of Titusville Station to its 1924 colonial look. Unfortunately, we finished 16th out of 20 in the national contest. Only the top 10 won the $150,000 grants.

Special thanks to Kent Reporter for the press coverage; ILoveKent for the video; Sweet Themes Bakery for the cupcake contest; the accesso ShoWare Center for promotion on the marquis; Seattle Thunderbirds for showing the video on the Jumbotron and for putting 8,000 seat stuffers at some of your games; city of Kent government and Mayor Dana Ralph for your video and support; Bill Ellis for your vision; Michelle Wilmot for your coaching with the marketing plan; Kent Station and Carpinito Brothers for allowing us to have tables at your great events; the Greater Kent Historical Society and Museum for your support of Kent history; Washington Main Street and Breanne Durham for your support of downtown Kent; Washington Trust for Historic Preservation for your support; 4Culture for your grants; Multi-Service Center (the owner of the building) for letting us pursue this dream; Kent Morrill for your family’s heritage; and, of course, Barb Smith and Jodi Thormahlen and the Kent Downtown Partnership for all your work to have us in the contest.

We may not have won the $150,000 grant, but we got the word out about this beautiful building that is hiding beneath a boring layer of stucco. I will continue to work at raising money to make this happen and welcome any support on this project. I believe one change like this could be the catalyst to transform downtown Kent.

– Greg Haffner of Curran Law Firm, Morrill Bank restoration project chair


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