At the May 17 heritage preservation awards ceremonies in Minneapolis and
St. Paul, honors went to various endeavors, ranging from a
sunroom to an apartment building, in which pains were taken to respect the
past.
Minneapolis sponsors of the longstanding awards include
Preserve Minneapolis,
Minneapolis Heritage Preservation Commission and the
Minneapolis Chapter of the American Institute of Architects, while separately in St. Paul, the
Saint Paul Heritage Preservation Commission
and Saint Paul Chapter of the American Institute of Architects are
behind the awards, according to information from both cities.
Tammy
Lindberg, a spokesperson for Preserve Minneapolis, explains that when
sifting through the submissions, the jury looks for "What best
exemplifies really great work" that's "improving the heritage and
culture of Minneapolis.
Criteria included quality of design,
architecture, workmanship, and materials as well as the positive impact
on the surrounding neighborhood and community, according to a prepared
statement from the city of Minneapolis.
One example that stood
out for the Minneapolis jury was the restoration of a sunroom at a
single-family home at 2720 Ewing Avenue South. "The homeowner took the
time to find the [home's] original drawings to understand how the
sunroom was once," working to closely match that design while making it
functional for the family.
Restoration of the distinctive fence
at Pioneers and Soldiers Memorial Cemetery at 2945 Cedar Ave. S. has
been sensitive to its past, while Hangar, Ackerman Hall at 110 Union
Street S.E. is a "great reuse project," she says.
In a different
kind of project, the community came together, with the help of the Old
Highland Neighborhood Association in Near North, to update a self-guided
walking tour of an area that has nearly 100 significant properties.
In
St. Paul, the Saint Paul Union Depot, the James J. Hill House, and the
Minnesota Building, among others, received similar awards.
Overall,
she says, "These projects go above and beyond, with careful details
that are sympathetic to the original building and landscape."
Source: Tammy Lindberg, events coordinator, Preserve Minneapolis
Writer: Anna Pratt