2014 Governor's Awards for Historic Preservation Announced

LANSING, Mich., March 13, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Gov. Rick Snyder and Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) Executive Director Scott Woosley today announced the selection of the 2014 Governor's Awards for Historic Preservation.

"These awards recognize the outstanding work going on throughout the state to preserve Michigan's historic and cultural sites," Snyder said. "These unique assets help to define the identities of our wonderful communities and are vital to Michigan's future. I am pleased that we can honor those who protect these sites through innovation and hard work."      

The State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) at MSHDA initiated the award program in 2003 to recognize outstanding historic preservation achievements that reflect a commitment to the preservation of Michigan's unique character and the many archaeological sites and historic structures that document Michigan's past. Previous recipient projects include the rehabilitation of private residences in Ann Arbor, Calumet, Detroit and Kalamazoo whose owners used state historic preservation tax credits; the rehabilitation of furniture factories in Grand Rapids; the excavation and study of the Riley Mammoth Site in Ionia County by the University of Michigan; the preservation of the Northern Michigan Asylum for the Insane in Traverse City; the restoration of the DeTour Reef Lighthouse; and the rehabilitation of the General Motors Technical Center in Warren.

"This year's award winners have shown that they value Michigan's diverse history and resources and have put a priority on preserving both," Woosley said. "We applaud their dedication to this difficult and important work and their commitment to doing the job right."

The 2014 recipients are:

• The Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget, Cornerstone Architects, and BCI Construction for the rehabilitation of the Lake Michigan Beach House, Ludington State Park
• Dr. John Hand and the late Nancy Hand for their stewardship of the Frederick Kennedy Jr. Farm, Hanover Township, and the Hugh Richard House, Jackson
• Michigan State Trust for Railway Preservation, Inc., for the restoration of Pere Marquette Railway Steam Locomotive No. 1225, Owosso
• Lafayette Place Lofts, LLC., West Construction Services, and TDG Architects for the rehabilitation of the H. V. Mutter Building, Pontiac
• Wayne State University, Quinn Evans Architects and McCarthy & Smith Inc. for the restoration of the McGregor Pond & Sculpture Garden

"Our historic buildings and archaeological sites define who we are as a state," State Historic Preservation Officer Brian Conway said. "We learn about previous generations by studying these historic places, and by preserving them we connect with people who came before us for the people who will come after."

The awards will be presented at a public ceremony in the Michigan State Capitol Rotunda at 9 a.m. May 7.

To learn more about previous Governor's Awards recipients, go to Michigan.gov/shpo, click on Special Projects and Governor's Awards.

The State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) is financed in part by a grant from the National Park Service, Department of Interior. The opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of the Department of the Interior. The Department of the Interior prohibits discrimination on its federally funded assistance programs.  If you believe you've been discriminated against please contact the Office of Equal Opportunity, National Park Service, 1849 C. St. NW, Washington DC 20240.

The State Historic Preservation Office is part of the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA), which provides financial and technical assistance through public and private partnerships to create and preserve decent, affordable housing for low- and moderate-income residents and to engage in community economic development activities to revitalize urban and rural communities.*

*MSHDA's loans and operating expenses are financed through the sale of tax-exempt and taxable bonds as well as notes to private investors, not from state tax revenues. Proceeds are loaned at below-market interest rates to developers of rental housing, and help fund mortgages and home improvement loans. MSHDA also administers several federal housing programs. For more information, visit www.michigan.gov/mshda.

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SOURCE Michigan State Housing Development Authority