Newport, RI, July14, 2026– 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 County and the annual President’s Award for lifetime achievement of excellence in historic preservation. Awardees are recognized at the Doris Duke Historic Preservation Awards ceremony, a signature celebration taking place on Friday, September 11, 2026, at Rough Point in Newport.
“For 20 years, the Doris Duke Historic Preservation Awards have celebrated exemplary historic preservation across our community that advance the extraordinary vision of our founder, Doris Duke,” stated Hilary Fagan, Executive Director of the Newport Restoration Foundation. “By recognizing exceptional stewardship, the Awards champion the historic places that help shape Newport’s identity and create the sense of place that makes our City so distinctive.”
Jill Chin, Preservation Planner for the City of Newport, stated, “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.”
This year’s President’s Award honors Tom Perkins for his lifetime of excellence in historic preservation and for exemplifying Doris Duke’s vision of preserving and restoring the community’s architectural heritage and character.
This year’s awards recognize the following outstanding projects:
Miramar (1912), Newport, RI – The Excellence in Historic Preservation Award, for the Meticulous Restoration and Stewardship of the 1912 Horace Trumbauer-designed Miramar. The project championed historic preservation by exemplifying the highest standards of preservation practice. Guided by meticulous historical research, exceptional craftsmanship, and a commitment to retaining the estate’s original historic fabric, the project brought together master artisans from the United States and France to preserve one of Newport’s most significant Gilded Age landmarks in the Bellevue Avenue Historic District, a National Historic Landmark.
Project team: Stephen and Christine Schwarzman (owners); Lamia Bensouda (project director); Nigel McKenna (executive estate manager); Madison Worth Architecture (design architect); Achkar Charrière (interior decorator), Hina de Laubrière (interior decorator); Charlotte Vignon & Margot Bernstein (Curator/Art Historian); Madison Cox & Garden 26 (landscape designer); Kirby Perkins Construction (general contractor); Hull Cove (architect of record); Whitmores Landscaping (landscaping); QMW Masonry (masonry); Atelier Mériguet-Carrère (special finishes – painting, gilding); Blackburn Building Conservation, (interior stucco and plasterwork); Asselin (wood paneling and flooring restoration); Atelier de la Boiserie (interior millwork carpenters); Jouffre (custom upholstery/curtains).
The Spouting Rock Beach Association Historic Clubhouse (ca. 1939), Newport, RI – The Resiliency Award, for the Visionary Floodproofing and Preservation of the Spouting Rock Beach Association Historic Clubhouse. The project, a collaboration of the Spouting Rock Beach Association Board of Trustees and the Spouting Rock Beach Association Foundation, helped advance resiliency work in the City of Newport through the Association’s innovative leadership in protecting this national historic landmark from the growing impacts of sea level rise. The thoughtful integration of a state-of-the-art dry flood-proofing system safeguards the property’s historic fabric from sea level rise, hurricanes, and coastal flooding while preserving the building’s architectural integrity and its prominent setting within the Bellevue Avenue Historic District.
Project team: Leslie Grosvenor (SRBA Board of Governors, Secretary and SRBA Historic Building and Environmental Preservation Foundation, President); Daniel Paquette (project lead); Russ Ellington; Flood Proofing, Inc. (floodproofing design); Garrett Behan, Behan Brothers, Inc. (contractor).
Since 2006, The Doris Duke Historic Preservation Awards has helped to sustain NRF’s work supporting our 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 11.
