Ames 2025 Historic Preservation Award Nominations Now Open
AMES, Iowa - The Ames Historic Preservation Commission is seeking nominations for the 2025 Preservation Awards Program. This program recognizes a variety of historic preservation activities, including work on building exteriors, site work, and other notable contributions to preservation in Ames.
The historic resources that are nominated must be located within the city limits of Ames, have undergone historic rehabilitation, restoration, or historic preservation, and be at least 50 years old. Additionally, architecturally compatible structures may be nominated. The structural work or other notable contributions for which an award is given must have been completed within the last three years. Projects that are substantially complete may also be recognized if completion is scheduled to occur by May 2025.
To make a nomination, applications are available from the Department of Planning and Housing in City Hall, 515 Clark Ave. Applications can also be found on the City’s website: www.CityOfAmes.org under “What’s New” on the Planning Division page.
Nominations are due by 5 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 27, to the City of Ames, Department of Planning and Housing, 515 Clark Ave., Ames, IA, 50010, or by email to ray.anderson@cityofames.org. Honorees will be selected by the Historic Preservation Commission in March and will be recognized by the City Council in late April, or early May, as part of the local observance of National Historic Preservation Month.
Nominations may be made for Building Awards or Special Awards in the following categories:
Building Awards
- Renewing the Past Award (Rehabilitation). Rehabilitation acknowledges the need to alter or add to a historic property to meet continuing or changing uses while preserving those portions or features which convey a building’s historical, cultural, or architectural values. Rehabilitation encourages the continued use of a building for its original purpose or its adaptive reuse to accommodate a new function.
- Crown Jewel of Ames Award (Restoration). Restoration accurately depicts the form, features, and character of a property at a particular period of time in its history, while removing evidence of other periods and reconstruction of missing features. This award is reserved for substantial projects with significant visual impacts.
- Keeping the Past Alive Award (Preservation). Preservation focuses on the maintenance and repair of existing historic materials and retention of a property’s form as it has evolved over time. Keeping a historic building – one that has survived without detrimental changes or deterioration – in good condition by sustaining the existing form, integrity, and materials of an historic property.
- Architecturally Compatible New Additions or Structures. Recognizing new construction that is architecturally compatible with, and sympathetic to, historic structures in the vicinity. This includes sensitive new infill within historic districts.
Special Awards
- Historic Landscapes, Sites, or Site Features. Recognizing any historic resource not encompassed by the structural award categories (e.g., designed landscapes, landmarks, monuments, bridges, planned developments or streetscapes, etc.) that has undergone historic rehabilitation, restoration, or historic preservation similar to that described in the structural award criteria above.
- Significant Achievement in Historic Preservation. Recognizing significant individual or organizational achievements in historic preservation, including but not limited to advocacy, planning, development, education, community leadership, and promoting public awareness.
PHOTO CAPTION: This building, located at 501 Main St., received a Historic Preservation Award in 2024. The award acknowledges that the building has survived without detrimental changes or deterioration, and the maintenance and repair of the building has sustained the existing form, integrity, and materials of the historic property. The photos show before and after work was performed.
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Before repairs and ivy removal from the exterior walls:
After repairs and ivy removal;
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