On Tuesday night (September 9) the Preservation Alliance hosted its Annual Meeting and Awards Ceremony at the Old State House. The room was filled with greater than 150 people all of whom came together to celebrate historic preservation in Hartford. Let’s face it an evening of food, drinks and people getting awards might be reason enough to join the party however the vibe was far greater than a decent chardonnay and bruschetta. People really care about the rich historic fabric of this city and truly want to celebrate when buildings are revitalized and neighborhoods improve. Psychologically the renovation of a vacant and abandoned building is vastly better than creating a parking lot where once stood a building which witnessed many events in this city founded in 1637!
Mayor’s Award Recipient Helen Higgins
Laura Knott-Twine Award Recipient Melissa Thom
Two award recipients need to have special mention: Melissa Thom and Helen Higgins. Melissa teaches at the Renzulli Academy in the Blue Hills Neighborhood. She engages her class to “adopt” an historic building and asks the students to make the building live. Often her students produce a movie where the narrator is the building so it can give witness to what it has seen during its lifetime. Way cool. And Helen Higgins, the longtime director of the CT Trust for Historic Preservation, was given the Mayor’s Award for outstanding contribution to preservation in Hartford. Helen’s work on behalf of State Historic Tax Credits and the Community Investment Fund are without parallel. She is a leader who makes so much happen in Hartford and throughout Connecticut.
Do continue to follow us on Facebook and on our website to conspire with the Preservation Alliance as we make preservation matter in Hartford. And come out next year to celebrate with us, everyone is most cordially invited.