In this presentation, Chris Black discusses the background of historic preservation in Paducah and its role in community development.
Black is a construction professional with over 40 years’ experience, much of it spent specializing in healthcare construction as well as historic rehabilitation and restoration.
He has served as a member of the Kentucky Heritage Council, the State Historic Preservation Office. Mr. Black has served as Chairman of the Kentucky Heritage Council as well as the Paducah Main Street board. He has been instrumental in the development of several public/private partnerships for the redevelopment of historic properties in downtown Paducah.
He and his firm have been recipients of the Commonwealth of Kentucky’s Ida Lee Willis Award for service to preservation.
Ray Black & Son projects have been featured in programs and publications by the Association for Preservation Technology and HGTV Restore America. One project, the stabilization and seismic reinforcing of Grace Episcopal Church’s 1873 bell tower, was the first of its kind completed in the United States.