Mayor Gray Announces Winners of Historic Preservation Awards

620 T Street, NW

Full disclosure – I was on the panel that recommended the winners.

Here’s how the Howard Theatre looked in 1994:

Photo by PoPville flickr user sssdc1

From a press release:

On Monday, May 6th, Mayor Vincent C. Gray and the D.C. Office of Planning’s (OP) Historic Preservation Office presented the winners of the 10th Annual Awards for Excellence in Historic Preservation at the National Academy of Sciences. OP partnered with the D.C. Preservation League on this event.

“We are honoring the return to glory of some of our most cherished neighborhood landmarks and institutions,” said Mayor Gray. “Historic Preservation is a driving force in the development and growth of the District of Columbia as more and more people are drawn to the vibrant historic neighborhoods of our beautiful city.”

Since 2003, the District government has honored over 125 outstanding projects, programs and individuals for exemplary work and commitment to historic preservation in Washington, D.C. This year’s awards recognized 50 individuals, businesses, District agencies and local organizations.

Awardees include the restoration of the historic Howard Theater; the return to production of Rock Creek’s Peirce Mill; the reconstruction of long-neglected Georgetown cobblestone streets; and the transformation of a nationally-recognized science organization’s headquarters facing the National Mall. The award-winning projects represent an investment of $152.5 million in historic districts and landmarks in the District.

Highlighting the event was Mayor Gray’s presentation of the Individual Lifetime Achievement Award to Ann Hughes Hargrove, longtime resident of the Washington Heights Historic District. Hargrove, active in the establishment of two historic districts, is a preservationist and veteran community zoning advocate who was also a driving force in efforts to curb billboards in the District’s commercial historic districts.

“We are excited to honor a number of stellar projects, individuals and education efforts that demonstrate how historic preservation can revive landmark structures and highlight community heritage that enhance the unique character of Washington,” said Harriet Tregoning, Director of the Office of Planning.

Complete List of 2013 Awards for Excellence in Historic Preservation Winners after the jump.

ARCHAEOLOGY

War of 1812 Archaeology Projects: Two archaeological projects straddling the District/Maryland Line, one led by the Benjamin Harrison Society (U.S. Reservation 520) and the other by the Maryland State Highway Administration (Eastern Avenue Extended), to expand our knowledge of the War of 1812.

U.S. Reservation 520: Benjamin Harrison Society, Acqunetta Anderson, Lead Historian; Smithsonian Institution, Dr. Noel Broadbent; National Park Service; U.S. Department of Agriculture
Eastern Avenue Extended: Smithsonian Institution, Dr. Noel Broadbent; Maryland State Highway Administration, Richard Ervin; National Park Service, American Battlefield Protection Program

VOLUNTEERISM AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

John Bellingham, FRICS, FCIOB, FAIC, CEnv: Nonprofit partner DC Preservation League honors its past president for years of volunteer efforts promoting historic preservation in the District of Columbia and the region.

EDUCATION

Annual Conference on DC Historical Studies: This volunteer-led professional conference is honored on its 40th anniversary year. Conference Committee

STEWARDSHIP

The Clara, 301 M Street and 1202 3rd Street, NW: The Meehan family has returned a bright shine to a rundown corner in the Mount Vernon Square Historic District creating historic and vibrant living spaces for their tenants. Bob and Susan Meehan

Meridian International Center, 1630 Crescent Place, NW: The long term dedication to the preservation of the Meridian Center’s historic campus was put to the test as a result of the August 2011 earthquake. Meridian International Center; Archetype; KEG, LLC; Clayborne Decorators, Inc.; Solid Rock Company; The Conway Corporation

DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION

Brownley Building, 1309 F Street, NW: Recreation of the first story façade returns this downtown building to its intended beauty as one of DC’s best examples of Art Deco architecture.

Shalom Baranes Associates, PC; Douglas Development Corporation; EHT Traceries, Inc.

Mount Vernon Place United Methodist Church/901 K Street, NW, 900 Massachusetts Avenue and 901 K Street, NW: An urban congregation teams up with a private developer to renovate an historic church and construct an ajoining compatible commercial building. SmithGroupJJR; Mount Vernon Place United Methodist Church; Carr Properties

Embassy of the Republic of Argentina,1600 New Hampshire Avenue, NW: Internal mechanical upgrades and restoration of the internal and external finishes makes this South American embassy shine. Morrison Architects; The Republic of Argentina; Monarc Construction, Inc.

O and P Streets Rehabilitation Project, at Wisconsin Avenue, Georgetown: Exemplary restoration of a long-neglected cobblestone street containing the single remaining example of streetcar “conduit track system” in the United States. DC Division, Federal Highway Administration; District of Columbia Department of Transportation; The Temple Group, Inc.; Capitol Paving of D.C., Inc.; Bullock Construction, Inc.

Peirce Mill, 2401 Tilden Street, NW: Coordinated teamwork between the nonprofit Friends of Peirce Mill and the National Park Service returns the only remaining historic Rock Creek grist mill to production. Friends of Peirce Mill; National Park Service, Rock Creek Park; Gus Kiorpes; John O’Rourke; Stephen Ortado

State Historic Preservation Officer AWARD

National Academy of Sciences, 2101 Constitution Avenue, NW: A remarkable transformation of this nationally recognized science organization’s headquarters coincides with the group’s 150th anniversary. Quinn Evans Architects; National Academy of Sciences; The Christman Company; Gilbane Building Company; Robert Silman Associates; Mueller Associates

HPRB CHAIRPERSON’s AWARD

The Howard Theatre, 620 T Street NW: Efforts culminating in the resurrection of one of the crown jewels of Washington’s Black Broadway are recognized and celebrated. Marshall Moya Design; Martinez+Johnson Architecture PC; Ellis Development Group; Howard Theatre Restoration, Inc.; EHT Traceries, Inc.

INDIVIDUAL LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Ann Hughes Hargrove: Active in the establishment of two historic districts, this preservationist and veteran community zoning advocate was also a driving force in efforts to curb billboards in the District’s commercial historic districts.