Each year the Preservation League of New York State honors notable achievements in retaining, promoting and reusing New York’s historic resources.
 

As concern about the economy and the environment, about jobs and sustainability continues to grow, historic preservation is more relevant now than ever. In New York State, preservation and reuse of our historic buildings is fundamental to the economic revitalization of our cities, towns, and villages. The restoration of our historic neighborhoods, Main Streets, and underutilized buildings creates jobs, provides housing, promotes tourism, stimulates private investment, and conserves energy, resources, and open space. Our annual Awards program allows us to share preservation success stories that may one day serve as inspiration to others.
We invite you to participate in celebrating the preservation of New York State’s heritage by submitting a nomination. Self-nominations are allowed and encouraged. There is no entrance fee.

The League especially encourages nominations that may provide case studies or models incorporating energy efficiency, adaptive reuse, or New York’s Historic Homeownership Rehabilitation Tax Credit program.

read the news release

Download 2012 Nomination ForM

award categories
 

Projects
Applauds outstanding preservation, restoration or rehabilitation projects completed by architects, landscape architects, engineers, planners, developers, preservationists or property owners. Self-nominations are permitted. Nominated projects may include but need not be limited to landscapes, buildings, Main Streets, rural resources and private residences. Preservation work should provide properties with greater utility while maintaining as many elements that illustrate historic architectural and cultural significance as possible. Restoration projects should accurately recover the form and detail of the properties during their relevant periods of significance.
  
Organizations and Communities
Honors municipalities, community groups, nonprofit organizations and neighborhood associations whose advocacy, public awareness, publications, legal battles and other preservation efforts have demonstrated heroic dedication to New York’s historic resources.
 
Individuals
Recognizes creative, inspirational leaders whose efforts have encouraged the protection of historic resources, and strengthened the historic preservation movement in New York State. The Individual Award celebrates government officials, community leaders, local business owners, journalists and other dedicated individuals who have succeeded in protecting New York’s heritage.
 
Publications
Acknowledges exceptional published surveys, historic structure or landscape reports, histories, brochures, technical briefs or other preservation publications that have been instrumental in successful preservation projects and goals.
 
The Excellence in Historic Preservation Awards Jury reserves the right not to make an award in any particular category.
 
criteria
 
Selection of Award winners will be guided by the following general criteria, which may not apply equally to each category:
 
- degree of difficulty of problems or threats faced and the creativity and appropriateness of the solutions applied.
 
- impact of leader, program, organization or project on the community, region or state.

- degree of imaginative and resourceful collaborative efforts among individuals, communities, organizations, project leaders and consultants.
 
- project design sensitivity to the historic character and fabric of the property, and degree of preservation or restoration achieved.
 
- project execution representing the best preservation practice and use of appropriate techniques.
 
nomination process
 
Nominations must be postmarked by February 16, 2012, and must include the nomination form and all of the supporting materials as specified. The Preservation League regrets that it cannot return submitted materials. Eligible nominations will be evaluated by the Excellence in Historic Preservation Awards Jury, which is appointed by the Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Preservation League. All nominators will be notified of the status of their nomination by April 1, 2012. The awards will be presented on May 16, 2012 at the New York Yacht Club in New York City.
 
eligibility
 
All nominations must have been executed in New York State, and must have been completed between January 1, 2009 and January 1, 2012.  Historic resources need not be listed in the State or National Registers of Historic Places, but resources must have demonstrated historic or architectural significance.
 
Postmark Deadline for nominations is on or before February 16, 2012
 
Mail to:
Awards Committee
Preservation League of New York State
44 Central Avenue
Albany, NY 12206
 
 
For further information, contact Colleen Ryan at 518-462-5658 ext.17 or by email
 
 
The Excellence in Historic Preservation Awards Program of the Preservation League of New York State is funded by a generous grant from the Arthur F. and Alice E. Adams Foundation of Miami, Florida.