Congratulations to our 2018 Preservation Award Winners!
Over 150 people joined us on December 2nd at Music Hall’s Corbett hall for the 2018 Cincinnati Preservation Awards.
Cincinnati Sign Garden at The American Sign Museum
Cincinnati Gardens may be no more, but its sign lives on in Camp Washington thanks to the
American Sign Museum and a clever concept. The Sign Museum has saved, re-purposed and rearranged the freestanding lettering that once stood above the Gardens’ entrance to read, “Cincinnati Sign Garden.” CPA thanks the Port and the American Sign Museum for making this save possible.
Honorees: American Sign Museum, Klusty Sign Associates and The Port
City of Cincinnati for Saving “King Records Studio”
King Records was an iconic recording studio that operated out of a warehouse in Evanston. After King closed in 1971, the building gradually deteriorated and faced demolition. The City responded by stepping forward to save it, even declaring it a historic landmark. The building has now been stabilized by the City and plans are moving forward . CPA commends the City for their ongoing support of this Cincinnati landmark.
Honoree: City of Cincinnati
Finding Kenyon Barr: Exploring Photographs of Cincinnati’s Lower West End
In the 1950s, the urban renewal project called Kenyon Barr displaced 25,327 African Americans, leveled 2,000 buildings, and destroyed a neighborhood full of historic architecture and bustling street life. Curated by Anne Delano Steinert of the University of Cincinnati, the black and white photographs of the doomed buildings and soon-to-be-moved-out residents are a poignant testament to the destruction of a West End neighborhood.
Honorees: Anne Delano Steinert, Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile/U.S. Bank Foundation, and Hoffman Suder Foundation
Stewardship Award: OTR ADOPT
Founded by Over-the-Rhine preservationist Danny Klingler 10 years ago as a preservation corporation of last resort, OTR ADOPT is a nonprofit receivership organization that saves forlorn, forgotten, endangered historic buildings. They take title to them, stabilize them, and convey them to new owners who agree to renovate them. They’re also branching out into doing their own renovations for resale. We commend the work of OTR ADOPT with a Stewardship Award.
Honoree: Danny Klingler, OTR ADOPT
Special Merit Award: Flatiron Building Stabilization
Mount Auburn’s beloved Flatiron Building has been saved from demolition and stabilized by a joint effort of the City of Cincinnati and the Hamilton County Land Reutilization Authority (Land Bank). The ambitious project shored up and secured the failing landmark, which is now ready for rehabilitation. A collapsing, non-historic rear addition had been removed by the City previously.
Anchoring the wedge-shaped corner of Auburn and Sycamore since the late 1800s, the building formerly housed a plumbing business and a video store. It sank into dilapidation under successive owners and has been vacant for over twenty years.
Honorees: The City of Cincinnati, Hamilton County Land Reutilization Authority, and Structural Systems Repair Group
1819 Innovation Hub
Built in the 1920s, the Reading Road Sears store landmark faced demolition. Instead, it was renovated by the University of Cincinnati as its new Office for Innovation. The tower was preserved, brick stripped off and reclad, and the Art Deco ornamentation carefully duplicated. A side addition built of glass and steel expanded the building’s footprint. CPA is pleased to present our Adaptive Reuse Award to this renovated and repurposed building standing proudly at the gateway to Avondale.
Honorees: University of Cincinnati, A359 Partners in Architecture, Messer Construction Company, Monarch Construction Company, and J Construction Company
501 East Sixth Street, Newport
Mark Ramler of Mansion Hill Properties, has the distinction of renovating 20 buildings before his 30th birthday. This Rehabilitation Award is for 501 East Sixth Street in the East Row Historic District. The finished home is bright and welcoming, with preserved historic details and cool vintage finds. And he’s not slowing down: his next project is a neighborhood dive bar just up the street. Cheers to you, Mark!
Honoree: Mansion Hill Properties
Film Center @ Findlay Market
A former Warner Brothers film warehouse on Central Parkway has been reborn as urban loft apartments. The nearly $11 million renovation, which used historic tax credits, respected the building’s industrial character, preserving the high ceilings and open spaces and leaving the concrete columns on view. The large, industrial-style metal windows are operable recreations of the originals. Just a block from Findlay Market and the streetcar line, the building’s amenities include a rooftop deck and bike storage and repair space.
Honorees: Urban Sites, City Studios Architecture
Our Lady Queen of Peace Chapel
The Our Lady Queen of Peace Chapel was built in 1938 on the Williams estate in Anderson Township. Connected to their home, the 22-seat limestone chapel designed by Edward Schulte was used for family weddings and baptisms for many years. When the property went up for sale, the building was in danger of demolition. Instead, the family donated it to Xavier University. In December 2017 the chapel was partially dismantled and relocated on a trailer to the Xavier campus. The chapel now bookends the academic mall with Bellarmine Chapel, where it serves as a quiet place for prayer and reflection by students and staff.
Honorees:
Xavier University, MSA Design, Messer Construction Company, Motz Engineering
City Club Apartments
A $67 million renovation has transformed the Union Central Life Insurance Building Annex on Vine Street into City Club Apartments. Developers City Club Apartments LLC used state and federal historic tax credits to renovate the Garber & Woodward-designed landmark building into 294 luxury apartments, Class A office space, street-level retail and restaurants. Features include a magnificent restored lobby and two rooftop terraces with indoor/outdoor pools, offering views of the Cincinnati skyline and Roebling Bridge.
Honorees: City Club Apartments LLC, Brinkman Construction, Damon Faber
Cincinnati Music Hall
In October of last year, Cincinnati’s beloved Music Hall opened its doors to an eager public following a two-year, $143 million renovation and restoration. Highlights of the ambitious project provided much-needed upgrades, reversed insensitive alterations and brought original features back to life. Funding came from a variety of sources including a coveted “catalytic” tax credit.
Seeing the finished project we can only say, Bravo!
Honorees include:
Music Hall Revitalization Company
Society for the Preservation of Music Hall
Perfido Weiskopf Wagstaff + Goettel
Martinez + Johnson Architecture
Messer Construction Company
Cincinnati Center City Development Corporation
Judith B. Williams, Historic Preservation Consultant
