Nominate Homes for Historic Preservation Awards

The following announcement was provided by the Somerville Historic Preservation Commission. It provides information about nominating homes for the commission's Preservation Awards. The deadline for nominations is Dec. 9, 2013. Here's the nomination form. It also talks about interviews with award-winning homeowners. We will be posting some of those interviews during the week after Thanksgiving, so stay tuned.

Here's the announcement:

May is Preservation Month in Somerville each year and an opportunity to publicize, and celebrate all of the historic features in our community.  One significant part of this month is the Preservation Awards Program which is uniquely different from other communities’ award program because it involves collaboration with the students and teachers at Somerville High School (SHS).  The owners who win awards from the sponsoring organization, the Somerville Historic Preservation Commission (SHPC), are given a framed drawing of their house, custom made by either the Art or CAD (Computer Assisted Drawing) students at SHS.  The owners also receive special citations from Mayor Curtatone, and Senator Jehlen, on behalf of the Massachusetts State Legislature.  The Program is also generously supported by Stanhope Framers in Union Square and Century Bank, a community bank that was founded by native born, Marshall Sloane, and still family-owned and operated by he and his family. 

The awards are given out each year in an evening ceremony held at the historic Somerville Museum or the Center for the Arts at the Somerville Armory.  The ceremony includes a reception, with food donated by Redbones Barbeque and Peasant Stock catering, and a PowerPoint presentation of the award-winning properties and their owners.  The event can be seen periodically on local cable television, and in part on the website Somerville Historic Preservation Commission  After the ceremony, the winning artwork is displayed in a mobile exhibit that travels around the City for the next year, beginning with the 2nd floor of Somerville City Hall. The exhibit will be moving shortly to Davis Square, to be showcased at Dowd Properties, a real estate office at 407 Highland Avenue.  All are welcome to stop by and check out the artwork..

In addition, each year some of the owners are interviewed about their property – the scope of work, why they undertook the project, and lessons learned from the experience.  For the past three years, freelancer Marian Berkowitz, a Somerville homeowner, parent and educator in a local school, has volunteered her time and interest in preservation planning, to meet with owners and help tell their story.