ZELIENOPLE — Another step was taken for the historical society’s building preservation project.

The borough voted unanimously Monday to provide a letter of support to the Zelienople Historical Society for a $25,000 preservation grant from the Pennsylvania Historic and Museum Commission.

The grant money would go toward consulting fees for the historic preservation action plan, which is to be incorporated into the borough’s comprehensive plan.

The borough has to match the 50/50 grant with $12,500.

Borough code enforcement officer Shelly Kaltenbaugh said an anonymous donor will cover the matching cost.

Borough manager Don Pepe said the inclusion of the action plan into the comprehensive plan made sense.

“As much as they were enthused, they really didn’t know which direction to go to make this the most effective. I think we’re all on the same page now,” Pepe said of the historical society’s efforts on this project.

“The only problem was they (historical society) only gave Shelly about four days to put in this grant application.”

The borough would have two years to spend the grant money.

Kaltenbaugh said the historical society had four houses at one point that could have been nominated for the National Registry of Historic Places.

“That never happened, so that qualification lapsed,” she said. “This (grant) might get it to where we can get those back on again.”

The historical society surveyed more than 600 borough buildings and homes in a study to document buildings’ historical value. About 300 buildings were found to be more than 100 years old.

Society members said they wish to have the buildings protected.

The study began last year after Brianna Regester, a 2011 Seneca Valley High School graduate and an Ursuline College graduate student, expressed interest in studying the borough’s history.

Regester is working on her master’s degree in historical preservation.

New housing is not included in the study.

The oldest buildings in the borough are the Buhl House and Passavant House, built in 1805 and 1808, respectively.

“We have a good chance,” Pepe said about receiving grant money. “There is a lot of competition, but there is a good chance. We’re in a pretty good position.”