The 2017 National Preservation Awards are being presented throughout this week at PastForward 2017 in Chicago. The awards honor an inspirational set of projects, individuals, and organizations that have demonstrated excellence in the field of preservation.

Richard H. Driehaus Foundation National Preservation Awards

The Richard H. Driehaus Foundation National Preservation Awards recognize projects that show innovation and push the preservation movement forward. Read more about this year’s Driehaus awardees in the fall issue of Preservation magazine.

Hamnett Place Neighborhood | Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania

In the Hamnett Place neighborhood of Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania, the work of the Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation showcases the principles of historic restoration and preservation that are being used to transform a neighborhood, and help renew a community, without displacing residents.

Recipient: Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation

SurveyLA | Los Angeles, California

SurveyLA, the Los Angeles Historic Resources Survey, is the largest and most comprehensive survey initiative ever completed in an American city. It represents a 10-year partnership between the city of Los Angeles and the Getty, which covered an unprecedented area of almost 500 square miles. This massive effort identified approximately 30,000 historic resources—including individual resources, historic districts, and district features—representing a wide range of themes, topics, and property types.

Primary recipients: City of Los Angeles Office of Historic Resources, J. Paul Getty Trust

Co-recipients: Architectural Resources Group; California Office of Historic Preservation; Chattel Architecture; Frank Gilbert; GPA Consulting; Historic Resources Group; ICF International; Ken Breisch; KWH Associates; Lauren Bricker; Linda Dishman; LSA Associates; NorthSouth GIS; Page & Turnbull; Sapphos Environmental, Inc.; Trudi Sandmeier

Washington Hall | Seattle, Washington

Washington Hall has been a welcoming place where people gather, create, and celebrate since it was built in 1908. The hall, which for a long time embodied the soul of Seattle’s Central Area, has housed many communities and art forms. In 2009 Historic Seattle bought the threatened historic building and, after a seven-year campaign, returned the property back to its roots, creating a community center—or a "Hall for All."  This project embodies the best of historic preservation.

Recipient: Historic Seattle

Anchor partners: 206 Zulu, Hidmo, Voices Rising

 Louise du Pont Crowninshield Award

The Louise du Pont Crowninshield Award celebrates a lifetime of achievement in historic preservation.

Robert G. Stanton

Former National Park Service (NPS) director Robert G. Stanton’s many contributions to the American historic preservation movement are celebrated in his nomination for the Louise du Point Crowninshield Award for 2017. No one has done more to champion the NPS’ commitment to diversity and to telling the whole American story than former director Stanton.

American Express Aspire Award

The American Express Aspire Award recognizes an emerging leader in preservation.

Nicole Marrocco

Early in her career and without any advocacy training, Nicole Marrocco contributed significantly to building a statewide coalition of business interests, heritage areas, redevelopment professionals, and preservationists to propose significant changes to the West Virginia state historic tax credit (HTC). Since this video was produced, West Virginia House bill 203 to increase the state HTC to 25 percent passed during a special legislative session in October 2017. 

Trustees’ Award for Organizational Excellence

The Trustees’ Award for Organizational Excellence honors an organization that has demonstrated sustained and superlative achievement in preservation work in their area. The award recipient is a member of the Preservation Partners Network and is selected by a committee of Partners Network members.

Cincinnati Preservation Association | Cincinnati, Ohio

Cincinnati Preservation Association is a nonprofit membership organization advocating for historic preservation through partnerships, education, advocacy, and its own restoration projects. Recent notable efforts include the campaigns to protect Cincinnati icons Music Hall and Union Terminal as well as the revitalization of the Over the Rhine neighborhood.

Trustees Emeritus Award for Historic Site Stewardship

The Trustees Emeritus Award for Historic Site Stewardship honors success and innovation in historic preservation, management, and programming at historic sites.

Cherokee Nation | Tahlequah, Oklahoma

The Cherokee Nation demonstrates an expansive and proactive approach to ensuring that historic sites in Oklahoma remain open, active, and well preserved for the long term. Their careful stewardship of several properties vital to their history, and culture and their contributions to the preservation of state-owned resources within the Nation, set an influential example. 

John H. Chafee Award for Outstanding Achievement in Public Policy

The John H. Chafee Award for Outstanding Achievement in Public Policy recognizes an individual or  group of individuals who have done outstanding work in preservation advocacy.

Heritage Ohio | Columbus, Ohio

An effective advocate for the federal HTC campaign, Heritage Ohio secured 12 out of 16 Ohio congressmen as cosponsors of the Historic Tax Credit Improvement Act and vigorously protected the Ohio state tax credit, one of the largest in the country. They have also expanded their federal advocacy efforts to address the deferred maintenance needs of historic structures in national parks. 

Congratulations to all!

Know a project, individual, or organization that deserves recognition? Be sure to submit a nomination for the 2018 National Preservation Awards. Nominations will open in winter 2018. Sign up for updates.

Rebecca Bice is the associate manager for Forum member engagement at the National Trust for Historic Preservation and manages the National Preservation Awards program.