Incomparable projects, indefatigable people to be celebrated June 7th at Vie
Philadelphia (March 2017) – The Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia is pleased to announce the winners of the 2017 Preservation Achievement Awards, including individuals, organizations, structures, and spaces that determine the region’s unique character. The 24th annual Awards will be presented on the evening of June 7th at Vie on North Broad Street in Philadelphia.
“We charged up the Awards program this year,” said Paul Steinke, Alliance Executive Director. “We have an amazing new venue, dynamic video presentations and inclusive pricing for students and young friends.”
The 2017 Preservation Achievement Awards will be presented in two categories: Grand Jury Awards for historic building projects that have been restored or renovated in an exemplary way; and Special Recognition Awards for people and organizations that champion preservation. The highest Special Recognition honor is the James Biddle Award for lifetime achievement.
Special Recognition Awards
“This year’s James Biddle Award goes to Frank Matero, professor of architecture and historic preservation, and director of the Architectural Conservation Laboratory at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Design,” reported Steinke. “Frank is historic preservation’s Indiana Jones. In 37 years of teaching and practice, he has aided the conservation of archaeological sites in the Middle East, South America, and North America; led building teams in the restoration of the Guggenheim Museum, Lincoln Memorial, Jefferson Memorial, and Ellis Island; and inspired hundreds of students at PennDesign to go forth and conserve.”
In addition to the Biddle, Special Recognition Awards will be presented to longtime preservation activist and architect Kathy Dowdell; the Chestnut Hill Conservancy, currently celebrating its 50th anniversary; and the Powelton Village Civic Association, among others. The Young Friends Award will go to the Community Futures Lab, a gallery, resource and zine library, workshop space, recording booth, and time capsule capturing oral histories in the Sharswood neighborhood of North Philly. See the complete list here. The Special Recognition Award winners are selected by a group of esteemed preservationists from the Philadelphia region.
Grand Jury Awards
Twenty-three exemplary projects will be honored this year, including the restoration or renovation of seven apartments, five bridges, three academic buildings, three cultural centers, two commercial buildings, two private homes and a boathouse.
Among the most prominent winners are PlayArts, an energy-efficient, children’s enrichment center in Fishtown, built in 1907 as a public bath house; 841 North American Street, a post-war, International-style bottling plant in Northern Liberties, now the offices of renowned architecture firm KieranTimberlake; and the University of Pennsylvania’s Pennovation Center, originally a cube-shaped paint factory, now a business incubator with break-out architecture. See the complete list here. The Grand Jury Award winners are selected by a panel of preservation architects and historians from Baltimore, Maryland.
Awards Event
The 24th Annual Preservation Achievement Awards will take place on Wednesday June 7th, from 5 p.m. – 8 p.m. The location this year is Vie at 600 N. Broad Street, the “hottest event space in Philadelphia,” and well-known for signature cocktails; abundant seafood; antipasti, ravioli and Asian hors d’oeuvre stations; ending sweetly with boutique desserts. Free valet parking will be available and Vie is two blocks from the Spring Garden Street Station of the Broad Street line.
The annual Achievement Awards celebration is the largest gathering of preservationists in the region, with more than 500 guests expected.
Event information:
What: 2017 Preservation Achievement Awards
Where: Vie, 600 N. Broad Street, Philadelphia 19130
When: Wednesday, June 7th, 5 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Tickets: Member of Preservation Alliance – $135, Non-member – $150. Buy tickets at www.preservationalliance.com. Young Friends of the Preservation Alliance and students with valid ID – Buy-one-get-one free (contact susan@preservationalliance.com)
The Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia actively promotes the appreciation, protection, and revitalization of the Philadelphia region’s historic buildings, communities, and landscapes. A 501c3 non-profit membership organization, the Alliance leads in setting the agenda for preservation issues of regional importance and advocates strong public preservation policies. Visit www.preservationalliance.com.
