Virginia Historic Preservation Awards Winners

Each year since 1971, APVA Preservation Virginia has presented historic preservation awards to those individuals, groups and organizations that have made the most significant contributions to preserving the Commonwealth's built and natural resources. Our organization is proud to recognize these important efforts again this year with eight awards. The Frederick Doveton Nichols Award is presented for the best domestic architectural restoration project in Virginia. The award was established in 1995 by former students of renowned University of Virginia professor of Architecture, Frederick Doveton Nichols. Locust Hill in Madison County Mike and Betty Long, owners of Locust Hill, are presented with the 2006 Frederick Doveton Nichols Award by Preston Bryant, Virginia Secretary of Natural Resources Locust Hill Winner of the 2006 Frederick Doveton Nichols Award This year's Frederick Doveton Nichols Award goes to Mike and Betty Long for their careful restoration of Locust Hill in Madison County. The Longs, working with DASA Architects, sought to return the old farmstead to its former glory and restore this well-preserved Federal-Greek Revival residence in a manner that was both consistent with the history of the property and respectful of their family ties to the property while providing for modern amenities needed for today's residential living. The basement of the house was returned to its original kitchen and dining room configuration and modern conveniences carefully incorporated into the restoration. Original walls, floors, ceilings, and trim were painstakingly conserved and restored. The landscaping was returned to its early 1900's appearance. This year, the awards committee determined five nominees worthy of receiving the Gabriella Page Historic Preservation Award. Each year these awards are presented for outstanding preservation efforts on the part of businesses or civic organizations, individuals, or governmental agencies. The awards honor the memory of Gabriella Page, who served as President of APVA Preservation Virginia from 1944 to 1947. Lynchburg Court House Museum Doug Harvey, the new Museum Director for the Lynchburg Museum System and Thomas Ledford, Lynchburg's first museum system administrator, are presented with a 2006 Gabriella Page Historic Preservation Award by Preston Bryant, Virginia Secretary of Natural Resources. Lynchburg Court House Museum Winner of a 2006 Gabriella Page Historic Preservation Award Long recognized as Lynchburg's best known building, the 1855 Greek Revival courthouse was originally constructed for approximately $22,000. In 1976, the Lynchburg City Council approved the establishment of the Lynchburg Museum System within the Court House building. The renovation was opened to the public in 1980. In July of 2000, cracks appeared in the ceiling of the second floor gallery. The cracks gave way to the collapse of the ceiling and supporting structural members. A historic structure report was compiled for the entire building and it indicated extensive damage including the separation of the exterior wall from joist ends, structural trusses violated by ductwork and conduit, water infiltration through basement walls, portico columns out of plumb, exterior steps that had settled and were no longer watertight and extensive deterioration of the cupola and bell tower which warranted immediate removal. The Lynchburg City Council supported the renovation of the building in Nov. 2001 and Lynchburg Landmark Partners, LP was formed with the Lynchburg Industrial Development Authority as the general partner and City staff as the manager. State Historic Tax Credits and Enterprise Zone Real Property Improvement Grants were used to supplement the funding available from the City. Work was carried out in 2004/2005. In August 2005 Thomas Ledford, Lynchburg's first museum system administrator retired from the City after seeing the 1855 Court House restored to its original splendor. APVA Preservation Virginia is pleased to present the Lynchburg Court House Museum with a Gabriella Page award. Accepting the award were Tom Ledford and Doug Harvey, the new Museum Director for the Lynchburg Museum System. Roanoke Valley Visitors Center and O. Winston Link Museum David Bandy, principal of Spectrum Design, accepts a 2006 Gabriella Page Historic Preservation Award from Preston Bryant, Virginia Secretary of Natural Resources. Roanoke Valley Visitors Center and O. Winston Link Museum Winner of a 2006 Gabriella Page Historic Preservation Award Built in 1905, the Roanoke Passenger Station is located across from the Hotel Roanoke and Conference Center. In 1946, Norfolk and Western Railway decided to remodel and modernize the structure. Raymond Loewy, a leader in industrial design, was selected to redesign the passenger station. In the 1970s, passenger rail service was discontinued in the Roanoke Valley and the building was subdivided into office cubicles. The facility was later abandoned and stood empty. In 2000, the Center in the Square, the History Museum, and the Historical society of Western Virginia determined that the structure should be reopened as a welcome center for the Roanoke Valley and should house O. Winston Link's famed photographic work of the history of the steam engines built and used by Norfolk Southern Railroad in Southwest Virginia before their extinction. This renovation, lead by the design team of Spectrum Design architects/engineers and Hill Studio, landscape architects, included much research and architectural and engineering programming to establish a design that would capture the Roanoke Valley and feature the work of Mr. Link while ensuring the project would receive historic tax credits. The intent was to keep the Loewy interiors intact wherever possible and restore them if damaged and at the same time satisfy the new purposes for the station. APVA Preservation Virginia is pleased to present a 2006 Gabriella Page Award to the Roanoke Valley Visitor Center and O. Winston Link Museum. Accepting the award was David Bandy, principal of Spectrum Design. Camp Pickett Officers' Club Chairman of the Board of the Nottoway County Board of Supervisors, Sidney Locke, is presented a 2006 Gabriella Page Historic Preservation Award by Preston Bryant, Virginia Secretary of Natural Resources. Camp Pickett Officers' Club Winner of a 2006 Gabriella Page Historic Preservation Award The third 2006 Gabriella Page award was presented to the Nottoway County Board of Supervisors for the historic rehabilitation of the Camp Pickett Officers' Club. The historic rehabilitation accomplishes two important objectives, the first being the interpretation of an important and vanishing vestige of our Nation's impressive effort to prepare our men and women for World War II. The Camp Pickett Officers' Club is one on the few remaining World War II era service clubs in the United States. Built in the 1942 to facilitate a rapid build up to war, the structure was designed to accomplish its purpose and then be removed. Instead of being demolished in 1950, the building was remodeled and reused several times over the decades. As a result of the Base Closure and Realignment Act of 1995 and the resulting downsizing of defense facilities, the Officers' Club was transferred to Nottoway County from the Department of Defense. The second objective realized by the rehabilitation of the structure was the creation of a community center for the county which includes a day care center and a place for the community to gather for cultural and family events. A distant learning center is planned for the future. DASA Architects on behalf of Nottoway County sought to create an accurate interpretation of the facility, to familiarize the visitor, whether a WWII veteran who once used the post or a citizen using the facility to celebrate a special event today, with the colors, textures and visual mood of the facility in its earliest years. Camp Pickett Officers' Club, truly a cooperative effort on the part of the Board of Supervisors and Ronald Roark, County Administrator for Nottoway County and a number of government entities in Virginia, received a 2006 Gabriella Page Award. Accepting the award on behalf of the Nottoway County Board of Supervisors was chairman of the Board, Sidney Locke. St. John's Church Visitor Center Walter Craigie of the St. John's Church Foundation accepts a Gabriella Page Historic Preservation Award from Preston Bryant, Virginia Secretary of Natural Resources. St. John's Church Foundation Winner of a 2006 Gabriella Page Historic Preservation Award The fourth Gabriella Page Award went to St. John's Church Foundation for the renovation and adaptive reuse of an antebellum brick schoolhouse located on the church grounds. The 1835 structure has been renovated for use as the visitor center for Richmond's historic St. John's Church, site of Patrick Henry's "Give me liberty or give me death" speech. In 2004, the St. John's Church Foundation began the project to renovate the building which had served as the Good Shepherd Mission School for African-American children in the 1880s. A new roof was installed, the brick repointed, the original flooring refinished, the foundation of the building strengthened, the floor leveled and an HVAC system added. The project under the direction of Commonwealth Architects was completed in July 2005. We are pleased to present a Gabriella Page Award to the St. John's Church Foundation. Accepting this award was Walter Craigie. Virginia Center for Architecture John W. Braymer, President of the Virginia Center for Architecture, and Stephan F. Andrews, Chairman of the Virginia Center for Architecture Board of Trustees, accepts a Gabriella Page Historic Preservation Award from Preston Bryant, Virginia Secretary of Natural Resources. Virginia Center for Architecture Winner of a 2006 Gabriella Page Historic Preservation Award The final Gabriella Page Award was presented to the Virginia Center for Architecture in Richmond. Opened to the public in April 2005, the Center offers a new and exciting architecture museum, one of only a few such institutions in the nation, within the fully renovated John Kerr Branch house designed by John Russell Pope. With the professional guidance of Hanbury Evans Wright Vlattas and Company, improvements were made to the 1918 Tudor-revival mansion resulting in the preservation and adaptive reuse of a residential structure to the benefit of the visiting public and the citizens of Virginia. Designers were careful to respect the integrity of the landmark structure for which the Virginia Department of Historic Resources maintains an easement. Three first floor rooms were converted to gallery spaces and a fourth into the Museum Shop. The ceilings in these spaces defied typical lighting interventions so track lighting from a suspended grid, surface-mounted track lighting, a custom wagon-wheel fixture and indirect lighting were used. A panel system was utilized for mounting exhibition components thereby eliminating continual damage to original surfaces. Window restoration is ongoing with period glass being used to replace single panes with multiple breaks. Issues of accessibility were addressed by replacing the existing elevator with a new cab which can be operated by those in wheelchairs. The exhibition level is accessed via an aluminum ramp that wraps the west side of the building. In addition, accessible restrooms were placed on the ground floor. APVA Preservation Virginia is pleased to present a Gabriella Page Award to the Virginia Center for Architecture which was accepted this evening by John W. Braymer, President of the Virginia Center for Architecture. Monticello and surrounding land Kat Imhoff, Chief Operating Officer for the Thomas Jefferson Foundation, accepts the Mary Mason Anderson Williams Award from Preston Bryant, Virginia Secretary of Natural Resources. Thomas Jefferson Foundation Winner of the 2006 Mary Mason Anderson Williams Award Each year, the Mary Mason Anderson Williams Award is presented to a business or organization, individual or governmental agency for its ongoing and outstanding efforts in preservation. APVA Preservation Virginia is proud to present this year's award to the Thomas Jefferson Foundation for their stewardship of thousands of acres of land once owned by Thomas Jefferson. The mission of the Foundation is education and the preservation of Monticello and its environs. As such, the Foundation has acted to preserve in perpetuity approximately 1,275 acres that were once part of Thomas Jefferson's plantation and the site of his birth, by placing the acreage under easement. This decision demonstrates the Foundation's passionate commitment to the preservation of the Jefferson legacy. By perpetually protecting Jefferson's plantation holdings as well as Shadwell, the birth site, the continued integrity of Monticello's landscape is ensured and the scenic, cultural, and historic value of the site secured for generations to come. Accepting the award on behalf of the Thomas Jefferson Foundation is Kat Imhoff, Chief Operating Officer for the Thomas Jefferson Foundation. The final award presented was the Founders Award. The Founders Award was created last year to recognize the project, individual or organization that best represents the ideals of preservation, the ideals on which APVA Preservation Virginia was founded in 1889. Eastern Shore of Virginia Barrier Islands Center Laura Vaughan of the Eastern Shore of Virginia Barrier Islands Center is presented the 2006 Founders Award by Preston Bryant, Virginia Secretary of Natural Resources. Senator Nick Rerras and Secretary of Agriculture Robert Bloxom, both of the Eastern Shore, are also pictured. Eastern Shore of Virginia Barrier Islands Center Winner of the 2006 Founders Award We are pleased to announce that the recipient for the 2006 Founders Award is the Eastern Shore of Virginia Barrier Islands Center. Dedicated to preserving and perpetuating the culture and history of Virginia's barrier islands through education, the Center accomplishes its mission by collecting, preserving and interpreting the artifacts that represent the coastal life of the Barrier Islands. The Barrier Islands Center's almshouse farm is a three building complex nestled in a flat oasis of large ash trees and broad lawns. The Poor House Farm site, approximately 18 acres, has a long history dating back to a land patent from the King of England to William Stone in 1634. In 1803 the court decided that the first house for the poor whites would be built on this site. The two story clapboard main building at the almshouse farm was built around 1840. The simple vernacular Greek Revival structure is a rare, surviving institutional dwelling. The Quarter Kitchen, a colonial farmhouse structure was built circa 1725 before the almshouse occupation. The third building making up the complex is a single story clapboard structure built in 1910. It was constructed for the African American poor and is representative of the racial segregation of the period in which it was built.