North Kentucky News

For years, the boyhood home of one of Covington’s most celebrated sons – the internationally known painter, sculptor, and art instructor Frank Duveneck – has been gradually falling apart and fading into oblivion.

But now, after a fight that has stretched on for about eight years, a Kenton Circuit judge has given the City of Covington the legal authority to move in and stabilize the building and in so doing preserve a piece of history important not only to Covington but to the world.

The ruling by Judge Kate Molloy appoints the City as the building’s “conservator,” using a 2-year-old state law called the Abandoned and Blighted Property Conservatorship Act. It gives the City temporary control of the property at 1226 Greenup St. in hopes that it can be saved before it collapses.

“We have all the powers, duties, and rights of an owner to possess, control, rehabilitate, and maintain the property, but we’re not the owner,” said acting City Solicitor Frank Schultz.

The building – a privately owned structure listed on the National Register of Historic Places – is vacant and in danger of collapse after years of neglect. Among other things, a wide and widening hole in the foundation has eroded dirt underneath and allowed access to water, animals, and transients; parts of the building are open to the elements; and the south side of the 2½-story structure shows a significant bulge.

“When you’re inside, you can look out and see daylight everywhere,” said Brandon Holmes Covington’s Neighborhood Services Director. “Our sole focus is to save the building and its history before it’s lost forever. Hopefully we have enough time to accomplish that.”

Already, the City has worked to secure the building by boarding up one massive hole at ground level and changing locks. An engineer who conducted an initial inspection concluded that supports and bracing needed to be erected immediately to keep it from collapsing. That includes both foundation work and external wall replacement.

Once complete, workers will clean up animal and human feces along with other debris and health hazards. The City will then hire an architect or structural engineer to draw up plans for fixing its foundation, framework, roof, and exterior. Based on those plans, a request for proposals will be issued for construction work.

Holmes noted that $175,000 in federal grant funds had been set aside for this project in Covington's 2024-25 budget but expected costs would exceed this amount. The City is pursuing additional historic grants.

The Conservatorship Act requires periodic progress reports to be issued to court. It also allows recouping expenses later; however Holmes emphasized immediate action: “Right now our focus is simply to act – now that we finally can – before it’s too late.”

The Duveneck House & Studio were listed on National Register of Historic Places on Sept. 29 2015 according Kentucky Heritage Council. The main part described as 2½-story Italianate wood frame with single-story rear wing attached studio built around 1900 where Duveneck painted during long visits while teaching Europe eventually returning live full-time until his death 1919.

Duveneck’s former home has been long vacant with no effective steps taken by owners despite conversations citations related increasing violations ongoing inspections showing broken foundation trash debris non-working missing gutters downspouts broken windows unsafe chimney dilapidated electrical equipment animals transients making home ongoing basis repeated notices violations fines associated costs totaling more than $16k unsafe conditions not fixed nor fines paid

After fruitless negotiations city filed petition Jan 25 seeking named conservator calling state deplorable dangerous After April hearing Judge Molloy found enough evidence justify appointment gave Center last chance until July final hearing Sept appointed city conservator believed first time law used Kentucky least size

Frank Duveneck renowned artist sculptor teacher widely considered celebrated American artists late early century painted style Realism work seen places like Metropolitan Museum Art NYC National Gallery Washington DC Smithsonian American Art Museum Museum Fine Arts Boston Cincinnati Art Museum often called father American painting famous works include Whistling Boy Cobbler’s Apprentice Portrait Woman Black Hat Lady Fan acclaimed sculpture funereal effigy wife Elizabeth Boott Duveneck More read Frank Duveneck American Master book found Cincinnati Art Museum shop