Properties that exemplify the City’s significant historical and cultural heritage are now being sought for the City of New Rochelle’s 2012 Heritage Awards. Nominations may be submitted by individuals, organizations, businesses or municipal representatives of properties for one or more of the following categories:
· Residences older than 50 years
· Stellar restoration, residence
· Stellar restoration, adaptive reuse
· Home of nationally prominent individual
· Significant architect or architectural style
· Landscape or landscape feature (eg. cemeteries, stone walls, signs; excepting gardens)
· Public or quasi-public structures (eg. house of worship, home of an organization, etc. ) that are significant to New Rochelle’s history
“By raising public awareness about our past, we help ensure that historic charm remains a vital part of our future,” noted Mayor Noam Bramson. “The Heritage Awards assist in accomplishing this goal by celebrating distinctive properties that reflect New Rochelle’s rich architectural history.”
Guidelines and nomination forms are available on the City’s website www.newrochelleny.com/heritageawards or at the mayor’s office in City Hall. The deadline for nominations is January 10, 2012.
To date, a total of 25 distinctive historic properties located throughout the City of New Rochelle have been recognized by the Heritage Award program. These gems relating New Rochelle’s remarkable past are residential, quasi-public and public buildings contributing to the continued preservation of the city’s historical and cultural heritage—the key factor in the City’s Heritage Award program initiated by the Heritage Task Force.
The Heritage Task Force was organized by Mayor Bramson in 2007 to help initiate projects that would increase awareness and appreciation of the community’s vast historical treasures. Comprised of residents qualified in historic preservation, local history and landscape design, the committee developed the Heritage Award program to recognize the scores of New Rochelle properties that are important to the community’s extraordinary 300+ year history.