The Preservation Resource Committee of Galveston Historical Foundation (GHF) is calling for nominations for its annual Preservation Awards and Heritage at Risk list. The awards and list will be announced in May in observance of National Historic Preservation Month.
“Galveston is home to one of the strongest preservation ethics in the country,” said GHF executive director Dwayne Jones. “As more and more property owners rehabilitate their buildings, it is important that we stop and recognize good work.
“At the same time, the risk to the heritage embodied in buildings and places is always present,” said Jones. “Preservationists around the world use endangered properties lists as a powerful tool to call attention to urgent cases and inspire action in their defense.” Best known of these lists is “America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places” list, compiled annually by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, of which GHF is an official partner.
Nominations for preservation awards for buildings that have been successfully renovated in the past two years, as well as for buildings and sites that could benefit from increased awareness of their endangerment, should be submitted by Friday, April 18, and will be reviewed by a panel familiar with the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation.
In selecting its annual Preservation Award recipients, GHF’s Preservation Resource Committee is guided by the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation. These are best practices when attempting a good historic preservation project. According to these standards, a successful restoration must:
1. Be true to the building’s historic form and use
2. Preserve the elements that define the building’s historic character
3. Not create a false sense of history
4. Protect and preserve important additions or modifications
5. Highlight unique craftsmanship and materials
6. Repair damaged elements when possible, and, where replacement is necessary, match the original in material, texture, color and design
7. Proceed cautiously and gently when cleaning historic finishes and materials
8. Protect buried historic records and artifacts;
9. Insure that modifications and additions are compatible with the historic fabric of the neighborhood, but remain identifiable as new
10. Make additions to a structure such that they may be removed at a later date while still keeping the character of the historic building or place.
Please send us your nominations today.
