Press Releases
Doris Duke Preservation Awards Recognize Local Home Owners
August 18, 2008 View more Press Releases
(Newport, RI) - The second annual Doris Duke Historic Preservation Awards will recognize two local home owners for their contributions to preserving the historic nature of Newport's community. Alexandra Allardt was chosen for her thoughtful restoration and rehabilitation project at 73 Division Street, an 18th-century home in the Historic Hill neighborhood, specifically, the preservation of windows as well as the sensitive porch rehabilitation. Carol and Les Ballard were chosen for their large-scale restoration of "Edgehill," located at 31 Beacon Hill Road, in which they restored the exterior to its original appearance and maintained much of the interior as designed by the renowned architects McKim, Mead and White, including the restoration of all existing original windows. Finally, the Fort Adams Trust will be recognized for its rehabilitation of the north and east rampart roofs, the north windows, and east barracks at Fort Adams. This award recognizes the first phase of the preservation plan for Fort Adams, one of Newport's significant historic treasures. A substantial amount of work remains and deserves the support of the community.
The award recipients were chosen by a committee comprising representatives from the City, the Newport Restoration Foundation (NRF), and individuals involved in historic preservation at the local, state and national levels. "We have witnessed many wonderful renovation projects which respected the historic fabric of the house and worked to enhance it. However, there are still many projects to be done. We believe that individuals and organizations like our award recipients help to inspire others in the community by providing a wonderful example," commented Pieter N. Roos, NRF's Executive Director. John Shehan, chairman of Newport's Historic District Commission, noted that, "This year, all three of the award winners demonstrate the importance of windows to the character of a building and to the fact that preserving old wooden sash and original hardware is not only desirable but feasible."
Recipients will be publicly acknowledged on September 10 at City Hall. Award recipients will also be honored in a ceremony and celebration on September 12 at Doris Duke's Rough Point. Each recipient will receive a handcrafted glass sculpture designed and created by Rhode Island artist Steven Easton.
All proceeds from the awards celebration at Rough Point benefit the Doris Duke Fund for Historic Preservation which distributes grants to civic and non-profits organizations within the community. Administered by the NRF, these grants are generally given for bricks-and-mortar projects or project planning. The first round of grants from the Doris Duke Fund benefited the Harbor Center project at the Armory, the International Yacht Restoration School (IYRS), the Newport Historical Society, Seaman's Church Institute and the Stanford White Casino Theater.
Support for the Doris Duke Historic Preservation Awards has been provided by BankNewport, Bowen's Wharf Co., California Paints, DF Dwyer Insurance Agency, Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge LLP, Franklin & Co., Grey Goose, Home & Commercial Security, Inc., Katherine Field and Associates Inc., Lila Delman Real Estate, Lisa S. Lewis, and Slocum, Gordon & Co.
The 2008 Doris Duke Historic Preservation Awards are a joint project of the Newport Restoration Foundation and the City of Newport to celebrate achievements in local historic preservation. For more information on the Doris Duke Historic Preservation Awards, visit www.newportrestoration.org or call (401) 849-7300.
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