Every other year, the San Antonio Conservation Society’s Awards For The Built Environment honor individuals and groups whose work embodies, supports, or encourages historic preservation in an effort to educate the public about Texas history.
The organization is currently accepting nominations for residential and non-residential restoration and rehabilitation projects that were completed between Nov. 3, 2014 and Nov. 3, 2017.
For award criteria and printable nomination forms, click here. For a list of qualifying project types, click here.
“We really try to keep an eye on different buildings around town that have been rehabilitated,” said Conservation Society President Susan Beavin.
Entries to the Built Environment awards can range from small buildings to large downtown structures that exhibit recognition of and respect for the original design intent of the project, according to nomination documents.
Restoration and rehabilitation projects include adaptive use projects where a building is returned to a state of utility while maintaining its historic character; an addition to a building that retains the character of the original building; restoring the interior of a historic space that is made regularly available to the public; and rehabilitation, improvement, or restoration of historic or natural resources such as engineering works or landscapes, according to nomination criteria sent to the Rivard Report.
“Its our opportunity to thank people for what they do,” Beavin said. “The plaques are great. For people who know anything about the Conservation Society … [it communicates that] they’ve done something worthwhile.”
The Conservation Society was founded in 1924 and is “one of the oldest and most active community preservation groups in the United States,” according to its website. Its mission is to maintain and encourage the preservation of historic buildings, objects, places, and customs in Texas. The organization also offers grants for community preservation projects, manages two historic house museums and a research library, teaches school children about historic sites in Texas, and honors authors and publishers of outstanding books on Texas history, among other initiatives.
Nine awards will be given to rehabilitation projects located in Bexar or its contiguous counties. One out of town award may be given to a participant as far as 60 miles outside of San Antonio, so long as they are situated inside one of the counties neighboring Bexar County.
Applications must be delivered to the San Antonio Conservation Society headquarters at 107 King William St. by 4:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 3, 2017.
The winners will be selected and honored with their awards in March 2018.
