Preserve Rhode Island celebrated the 2024 Rhody Awards for Historic Preservation on Sunday at Rosecliff in Newport, recognizing outstanding achievements in historic preservation across the state. Among the honorees, three Newport-based projects stood out for their significant contributions to the city’s rich architectural heritage.
The Rosecliff mansion, a Newport icon, received a Preservation Project Award for its extensive $7.4 million restoration. The Preservation Society of Newport County undertook one of the most complex projects in its 78-year history, focusing on both interior and exterior elements of the Gilded Age landmark.
“The scope included replicating the original 3,200-square-foot Ballroom oak floor to full window restoration,” said Valerie Talmage, Executive Director of Preserve RI. The project’s scale and attention to detail highlight the commitment to preserving Newport’s architectural treasures.
In the Point neighborhood, homeowners Kenneth and Deborah McDonald earned the Homeowner Award for their transformation of a small, historic cottage. The McDonalds successfully modernized the 850-square-foot home while maintaining its historic character.
The project also addressed climate concerns, with the house being raised proactively to increase resilience against flooding. This adaptive approach demonstrates how historic preservation can align with contemporary challenges.
The Belmont Chapel Foundation received a Preservation Project Award for their restoration of the Belmont Chapel in Island Cemetery. Once abandoned and hidden from view, the chapel has been meticulously restored to match the high standards set by its original architects, George Champlin Mason and Sons, and Richard Morris Hunt.
“The Rhody Awards celebrates ordinary people taking extraordinary actions to make our world better–place by place, project by project,” Talmage said. “It truly is wonderful to find heroes here close to home.”
These Newport projects were among 10 finalists selected by an independent jury of historians, architects, developers, community leaders, and preservationists. The awards span a range of efforts, from protecting iconic landmarks to converting abandoned mill buildings into housing and community spaces.
Preserve RI, the only statewide non-profit focused on historic preservation, uses the Rhody Awards to highlight the importance of preservation efforts across Rhode Island. The organization works to support historic preservation through advocacy for sensible zoning laws, incentives like the State Historic Tax Credit, and programs that advise, train, and provide funding for owners of historic properties.
The public can view videos of each winner on the Preserve RI website and vote for their favorite project to determine the recipient of the Audience Award. Voting remains open until Oct. 25 at noon.
Other notable awardees include the Wanskuck Mill Complex in Providence, which brought critical housing to an underserved area, and the Arctic Mills in West Warwick, which created 136 residential units, including 31 workforce housing units.
The awards also recognized individual contributions to preservation efforts. Cornelis J. de Boer received the Antoinette Downing Volunteer Award for his 35-year tenure on the Providence Historic District Commission. Wendy Nicholas Dorsey was honored with the Frederick C. Williamson Professional Award for her 43-year career in preservation, including roles at the Providence Preservation Society and the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Northeast Regional Office.
Visit www.preserveri.org to learn more.