Pictured from left, Renata Robinson, MMS executive director; award recipients and town council members: Chris Garber, Jim Smith, Laura Rager, Dan Hannaford, Dave Schoeff; Debbie Chinworth, MMS P&A chair.

By RENATA ROBINSON
Executive Director, Manchester Main Street

In recognition of National Historic Preservation Month, the Manchester Main Street Historic Preservation & Design  committee presented its first annual Preservation Awards May 19 during the “Celebrate Preservation” program at the North Manchester Center for History.

A collaborative partnership between the Historic Homes Preservation Group, a sub-committee of the North Manchester Historical Society, and MMS’ HP&D committee, the event highlighted the numerous historic restoration projects that have taken place over the last several years, an investment of hundreds of thousands of public and private dollars in the downtown North Manchester Historic District.

Commercial winners Brian and Jennifer Pattison

The MMS annual Preservation Awards are given to individuals or entities to recognize exemplary restoration efforts to make North Manchester a more beautiful place to live. The awards are intended to celebrate past work and encourage future projects promoting historic preservation. “In a town like ours, with so many beautiful historic homes and structures,” said Debbie Chinworth, MMS HP&D chair, “there are countless owners that could be honored. In our inaugural year, we are recognizing these three projects.”

The 2015 winners included: James Wehner for the restoration of his Pennsylvania style residential brick home at 202 E. 3rd St., built in 1863; Brian and Jennifer Pattisons’ rehabilitation of their historic landmark commercial property, the Sheller Hotel at 202 N. Walnut St.; and the town of North Manchester received the Project Excellence award for the amazing transformation of the downtown historic district through the streetscape and facade programs.

“The town is appreciative that MMS has acknowledged the years of work that went into the process, not only of the facade program but the entire streetscape project,” said Laura Rager, town council member. “The unsung heroes in this process have been the building owners.

Over the last 10 to 15 years they have stayed the course and often had to recommit through contracts, have multiple meetings with designers and engineers, and attended numerous public hearings. They had faith in our plan and stayed committed to the dream.”

Residential winner pictured from left, Renata Robinson, MMS executive director); James Wehner, award recipient; and  Debbie Chinworth. MMS P&A chair.