Sarasota Alliance for Historic Preservation holds its 2023 Heritage Awards

SARASOTA, Fla. (WWSB) - The Sarasota Alliance for Historic Preservation held its 2023 Heritage Awards on May 6, to honor those who work to research, restore and preserve historical treasures county-wide.

John McCarthy, who serves as the vice president for regional history for Marie Selby Botanical Gardens is well known in the area for his historical tours and programs.

At the event, McCarthy presented Anne Essner, the board president of Architecture Sarasota, the first place award for Adaptive Reuse for The McCulloch Pavilion. The building serves as the headquarters for Architecture Sarasota. Built in 1960 by architects William Rupp and Joseph Farrell, it was originally called the Scott Building. The building had fallen into disrepair when the newly founded Center for Architecture Sarasota approached the county in 2013 with the idea of restoring this important building through adaptive reuse to serve as an exhibition and education center.

Runners up for the Adaptive Reuse award were Sarasota Waterworks (Citation of Merit) and the Caldwell Trust Building at 27 South Orange Avenue (Honorable Mention). David Baber, vice president of the Sarasota Alliance for Historic Preservation, gave a $4,000 check to Pastor Ashley Nicolls of St. Paul Lutheran Church for the restoration of the church’s education building designed by architect Victor Lundy and built in 1962.

The event was presented in collaboration with the History and Preservation Coalition of Sarasota County, which is comprised of over 15 nonprofit and government entities committed to historic preservation and education. Major event sponsors included Hall Darling Design Studio, Sarasota Performing Arts Foundation, SAHP board members, Gulf Coast Community Foundation, and Architecture Sarasota.

Muldowney explains that the Heritage Awards program was developed in 2014 “to recognize individuals and organizations that have made outstanding contributions to the preservation and understanding of Sarasota County’s historical resources. These activities are important to lend public support to governmental and citizen-based efforts that preserve our common past so future generations can enjoy what is so unique and beautiful about Sarasota County.”

This year’s winners represented achievements in the areas of architecture, historic preservation, collections management, archaeological conservancy, and organizational and individual achievement.

The 2023 Heritage Award recipients:

Gregory and Eleana Najmy Hall Adaptive Re-Use

· First Place Winner: The McCulloch Pavilion, Architecture Sarasota, 265 South Orange Avenue, Sarasota.

· Citation of Merit: Sarasota Waterworks, 1005 Orange Avenue North, Sarasota.

· Honorable Mention: Caldwell Trust Building, 27 South Orange Avenue, Sarasota.

Gregory and Eleana Najmy Hall Historic Rehabilitation

· The Eagle House, 2516 Mulberry Terrace, Sarasota, Florida.

Historical Research

· US Modernist (Modernist Archive, Inc.), Durham, North Carolina.

Historic Collections Preservation

· Ana McGrath, MLIS, Jane Bancroft Cook Library, New College, Sarasota.

Lillian Burns Individual Achievement