Montgomery Celebrates May as Historic Preservation Month
Each May, our city celebrates National Historic Preservation Month by acknowledging Montgomery’s rich architectural heritage and our continuing efforts to preserve it. For the third year, Montgomery’s Historic Preservation Commission has accepted nominations for Preservation Awards. The purpose of these awards is to:
- Encourage excellence in the planning, design and execution of projects affecting the city’s historic resources and architectural heritage
- To raise a greater public awareness and understanding of historic preservation and its benefits to the city of Montgomery
Any individual, organization, agency or business that demonstrated an outstanding achievement in historic preservation is eligible for the awards and these nominations are submitted by the general public. The eligible projects are all located within the city of Montgomery and were completed in the 2018 calendar year. This year almost all the residential historic districts are represented with nominations. Every one seems to be figuring out the advantages to living in our historic districts.
The awards for residential projects consider overall restoration, reintroduction of an architectural detail, appropriate paint scheme, reclamation of abandoned property and sensitive new additions to an older building. The nominees for these awards include:
- Deborah & Steven Hottstetter, 1349 South Perry Street, Garden District
- Lynn & Brenda Bryant, 2215 Winona Avenue, Capitol Heights
- Glen & Suzette Riley, 3154 LeBron Road, Cloverdale Idlewild
- Robert & Brandy Price, 740 Felder Avenue, Old Cloverdale
- George Criminale & Sara Wood, 21 Whitman Street, Cottage Hill
- Danton Moses, 1204 South McDonough Street, Garden District
The awards for commercial/adaptive reuse projects also consider overall restoration efforts as well as the best introduction of a storefront and the creative repurposing of a building. The nominees for these awards include:
- Pfeffer Torode Architecture, 1616 Graham Street, Cloverdale Business District
- Foshee Architecture, 21 South Court Street, Dexter Avenue District
- Jerald Labovitz, 25 Dexter Avenue, Dexter Avenue District
- Judkins Blount & Tom Blount, Vintage Cafe, 416 Cloverdale Road, Cloverdale Business District
- Jerome Moore, Bibb Street Pizza/Common Bond, 424 Bibb Street
Other categories recognize unusual preservation efforts that also create awareness in the areas of outstanding craftsmanship, landscape and garden restoration, and heritage education and community outreach. The nominees of these awards include:
- Cindy Clark & Carol Mosely, 109 North Lewis Street, Capitol Heights
- Community Preservation Committee, Landmarks Foundation, Renovators’ Open Houses
- Old House Specialists, Bell Building Window Refurbishment
The winners of Montgomery’s 2019 Historic Preservation Awards will be announced at the Historic Preservation Committee meeting on Tuesday, May 14 at 5:30 in the City Council Auditorium at 103 North Perry Street.
Also at the meeting, the attendees to the first Historic Preservation Leadership Seminar, sponsored by the Historic Preservation Commission, will be awarded their completion certificates. The seven-week program was offered to familiarize the citizens of Montgomery with its history and the importance of preserving the city’s built environment. Each session was led by experts in the field on the history of Montgomery, architectural styles in Montgomery’s historic districts, preservation and the law, and Montgomery’s Architectural Review Board, as well as a field trip to a renovation with code discussion, and a walking tour of Oakwood Cemetery.
Participants met on the historic Huntingdon College campus for the presentations, which included lively discussion and much networking. A great time was had by all. Plan on attending the seminar next spring which will continue the discussion with presentations on other preservation topics and renovation how-tos.
A reception will follow to honor the award winners and the seminar graduates. Plan to attend this new annual event honoring those who are making an effort to create awareness and preserve Montgomery’s rich architectural heritage.
Carole King (not the singer, just the hummer) enjoys midtown living from South Capitol Parkway in Capitol Heights where she has lived for 25+years. Carole has been the historic properties curator for the Landmarks Foundation that manages Old Alabama Town for 28 years and is passionate about neighborhoods, their architectural character, their people, and their preservation!
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