Paul Heberling, center, accepts the F. Otto Haas Award from John A. Martine, right, and Peter Benton. Top right, Mayor Salvatore Panto, Bottom right, The Society to Preserve the Millvale Murals of Maxo Vanka
Each year, Preservation Pennsylvania presents the Pennsylvania Historic Preservation Awards as a way to honor individuals and organizations that exhibit excellence in the field of historic preservation. The 2014 award recipients exemplify some of the core values of historic preservation, such as a community pulling together to save a building from demolition or the revitalization of an urban neighborhood thanks to rehabilitation – not razing — of an aging school.
“Partnerships, cooperation, and taking the long-term view are themes that run through many of this year’s projects,” said Mindy Crawford, Executive Director of Preservation Pennsylvania, the statewide historic preservation nonprofit. “Whether at the local, state or federal level, this year’s award recipients demonstrate how people working together can create positive change.”
Eighteen awards were presented this year at a luncheon at Juniata College in Huntingdon. Archaeologist Paul Heberling was honored with the F. Otto Haas Award in recognition of outstanding contributions and consistent achievement above the standards of the profession. Mr. Heberling founded the anthropology department at Juniata College nearly sixty years ago, has led field schools at archaeological sites, and performed extensive archaeological surveys, recording many of the area sites now in the Pennsylvania Archaeological Site Survey files.
The Honorable Salvatore J. Panto, Jr., Mayor of Easton, received the Henry A. Jordan Award in recognition of outstanding historic preservation efforts at the local/regional level. His economic development focus on the city’s historic assets has created hundreds of jobs and generated investments of more than $400 million.
In recognition of demonstrated leadership in historic preservation, The Society to Preserve the Millvale Murals of Maxo Vanka received the Chairman’s Award from John A. Martine, AIA, Chairman of Preservation Pennsylvania’s Board of Directors. The group has conserved eight of twenty-two murals painted by artist Maxo Vanka from 1937-1941 at the St. Nicholas Croatian Church outside Pittsburgh.
These additional projects were honored.
SPECIAL FOCUS AWARDS
RALPH MODJESKI AWARD for excellence in transportation design, preservation and archaeology – The Great Allegheny Passage (Allegheny, Westmoreland, Fayette, Somerset)
SUSTAINABILITY IN HISTORIC PRESERVATION AWARD – Ambler Boiler House, Ambler (Montgomery County)
PRESERVATION PLANNING – Eagles Mere Historic District, Eagles Mere (Sullivan)
GRASSROOTS ADVOCACY AWARD – Cresson Tuberculosis Sanatorium, Cresson (Cambria)
LEADERSHIP IN STATE GOVERNMENT AND STATES ISSUES AWARD – Pennsylvania Growing Greener Coalition (Dauphin)
CONSTRUCTION PROJECT AWARDS
RESIDENTIAL
- Nugent Home for Baptists, Philadelphia (Philadelphia)
- Ruth L. Bennett Home for Women and Girls & the Wilson Memorial Nursery, Chester (Delaware)
COMMERCIAL – The Lincoln Ballroom at the Union League of Philadelphia, Philadelphia (Philadelphia)
PUBLIC & INSTITUTIONAL
- Amanda E. Stout Elementary School & Benners Court, Reading (Berks)
- Schmucker Hall, Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg, Gettysburg (Adams)
- The Philadelphia Zoo (KidZooU), Philadelphia (Philadelphia)
INITIATIVE AWARDS
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
- Kemmerer Park Carriage House, Jim Thorpe (Carbon)
- Rittenhouse Square Centennial Restoration Project, Philadelphia (Philadelphia)
COMMUNICATIONS – Perkasie Historical Society Walking Tour Mobile Device & Website, Perkasie (Bucks)
EDUCATION – Little Antietam Creek, Inc., Waynesboro (Franklin)
Sabra Smith is the Special Projects Manager at Preservation Pennsylvania, a statewide voice for historic preservation helping people protect and preserve the places that matter to them.
