NEWPORT, RI –The Newport Restoration Foundation (NRF) and the City of Newport are thrilled to announce the recipients of the annual Doris Duke Historic Preservation Awards for exemplary projects of historic preservation in Newport.
The Doris Duke Historic Preservation Awards are a collaboration of the Newport Restoration Foundation and the City of Newport. Award winners are recognized at the Doris Duke Historic Preservation Awards ceremony, a signature celebration taking place on Friday, September 5, 2025, at Rough Point in Newport.
Jill Chin, Preservation Planner for the City of Newport, states, “The Doris Duke Preservation Awards celebrate dedicated homeowners and organizations that exemplify what it means to be a steward, inspiring others to follow suit. We are looking forward to further collaborations with NRF to support and advocate for historic preservation projects throughout the City that help make Newport such a special place to live, work, and visit.”
The 2025 Doris Duke Historic Preservation Awards highlight preservation excellence and meeting community needs, including an emphasis on craftsmanship, attention to resiliency and energy efficiency, community impact and engagement, and adaptive reuse.
“We are excited to announce a wide-ranging group of awardees this year championing preservation best-practice in Newport,” says NRF’s Director of Preservation, Alyssa Lozupone. “There were a record number of nominations this year; encouraging us with clear evidence that preservation projects are vital to our community.”
This year’s awards recognize the following outstanding projects:
Hope Street Barn (1901), Newport, RI – Award for Restoration with Adaptive Reuse
Awarded for the detailed restoration of the 7 Hope Street Barn. The project championed historic preservation by uncovering and preserving character-defining features while also sensitively adding elements such as skylights to accommodate a new, modern use that would make the property viable into the future.
Project team: Laura and Wayne Glazier (owners); Mohamad Farzan of NewPort Architecture, LLC (architect); Damon Company, Newport (contractor).
Honeysuckle Carriage House (1886), Newport, RI –Award for Excellence in Craftsmanship
Awarded for the restoration of the 1886 Peabody & Stearns designed Honeysuckle Lodge carriage house to its historic appearance and utility in the Ochre-Point National Register District. The project is a high-quality example of a secondary structure complimenting its greater site that was executed with precision, superb craftsmanship, and sensitivity to detail.
Project team: Bernard Chiu (owner); Kirby Construction (contractor).
Ochre Court Cignaroli Ceiling Painting (ca.1735), Newport, RI— Award for Restoration and Engagement
Awarded for the discovery, research, and restoration of the Giambettino Cignaroli ceiling mural within Ochre Court. The mural’s meticulous restoration is a valuable contribution to art history and cultural heritage preservation while supporting student and community engagement.
Project team: Salve Regina University (owner); Michael Semenza, emeritus staff, Salve Regina University (project co-director); Jared Coleman, director of facilities, Salve Regina University (project co-director); Paul Miller, Director, Cloud Hill Museum (project lead).
OVERLAP Gallery (ca. 1930), Newport, RI— Adaptive Reuse and Community Impact Award
Awarded for the adaptive reuse of a former 1930s automotive service station into a vibrant community art gallery. This excellent example of adaptive reuse preserves the signature 20th -century appearance and scale of the surrounding streetscape while enhancing the character, vitality, and community of this historic, mixed-use residential neighborhood.
Project team: Suzie Matthews (owner); ETT Architects (architect); Joseph Scotti Construction (contractor); Martha Moore Landscape Architect (landscape architect).
The Doris Duke Historic Preservation Awards help sustain NRF’s work supporting our local communities through preservation initiatives that address the impact of climate change on architectural and cultural heritage, make intangible cultural heritage accessible through more expansive storytelling, and invest in the historic preservation trades and preservation skills-building.
Sponsorship opportunities are now available for individuals and organizations to support and align themselves with historic preservation through this event, which is NRF’s largest annual fundraiser. Each level of support includes exclusive opportunities and perks like event tickets with VIP access, special recognition, and more. Visit newportrestoration.org/DDPA to learn more about sponsorships and how to join the celebration on Friday, September 5.
###
About the Newport Restoration Foundation
The Newport Restoration Foundation is a non-profit organization established by philanthropist Doris Duke in 1968 to preserve the architectural and cultural heritage of 18th and 19th century Newport. NRF promotes economic and community restoration through historic preservation initiatives like Keeping History Above Water, which advocates for resiliency and the protection of cultural resources in the wake of climate change, the Historic Trades Initiative, which trains the next generation of preservation tradespeople in vital skills, and Telling Stories, which shares the stories of people connected to the places NRF cares for and helps ensure their preservation. In addition to a portfolio of more than 70 historic houses rented in an unique Tenant Stewardship program, NRF operates properties that are open to the public including Rough Point, the Newport home of Doris Duke, and the 300+ year-old Vernon House, a site of expansive storytelling, contemporary dialogue, and preservation trades skill-building. For more information, please visit www.NewportRestoration.org.
NRF is on Facebook /NPTRestoration and Instagram @NPTRestoration
