Nancy Finegood, executive director of the MHPN said, “This program is designed to align with and support other more comprehensive efforts to rehabilitate historic buildings and add to the economic vitality in the local community.” O’Dell believes these funds will be an important stop-gap measure in helping to save the historic automotive plant on Hupp Avenue in Jackson. The 14,000-square-foot building served four now defunct, early car manufacturers including makers of the Standard Electric, Briscoe, Argo and Hackett Automobiles.
“Simply put - this place matters!” said O’Dell, the entrepreneur behind the $1.4 million dollar rehabilitation project. The museum’s mission is to be a permanent home for the preservation of Jacksonmade automobiles and will be opening to the public early in 2019.
In related news:
- The Hackett Auto Museum will receive $50,000 in loan funding for predevelopment expenses from the MHPN. The MHPN Predevelopment Loan Fund program provides funding to non-profit organizations focused on rehabilitating historic buildings in Michigan; the funds cover reasonable third-party costs that occur in the early stages of preservation.
- The Hackett Auto Museum is receiving a $3,700 grant from the MotorCities National Heritage Area – an affiliate of the U.S. Park Service. O’Dell said, "With these funds, we will promote preservation efforts, educational opportunities and historic preservation as it relates to Jackson’s early automotive heritage.”