Corning, NY - May 27, 2010 - Corning's Gaffer District is pleased to announce the kickoff of its Historic Walking Tour in conjunction with the annual PAN Awards Ceremony.
This year's awards ceremony was held on Thursday, May 27th, 2010 at 12:00pm in Centerway Square. Each year, the awards celebrate May as National Preservation Month and serve as a tribute to the building and business owners in Corning's Gaffer District. Awards are given to Gaffer District building and business owners for excellence in sign design along with building and façade renovations from the previous year. Criteria for awards include aesthetics and design in an effort by Corning's Gaffer District to recognize the importance of design elements to our historic downtown.
The 2010 PAN Award Recipients are:
· Chip Klugo for Excellence in Building Renovation for 91-99 E. Market St.
· Tom and Ginny Coon for Excellence in Façade Redesign for 82 W. Market St.
· Beth Cole of Beth's Bead Shop for Excellence in Sign Design for
103 W. Market St.
This year's PAN Awards Ceremony also marked the kickoff of Corning's Gaffer District's Historic Walking Tour. This 19-stop, self-guided tour allows visitors to learn about the history of several landmark buildings on Historic Market Street. The tour is dedicated in memory of Mary Ann Sprague. Mary Ann and her husband Ted were historic preservation enthusiasts in addition to being instrumental in the restoration of numerous buildings on Market Street.
Local businessman Andy Sprague noted, "Our family is so honored to be a part of this movement to promote the history of our downtown in the memory of our mother. We feel privileged that her legacy will be recognized through the Historic Walking Tour and hope that her passion and commitment to preservation and restoration continues to inspire others for years to come."
For more information on Corning's Gaffer District's Historic Walking Tour including the tour brochure and audio files, please visit
www.gafferdistrict.com/tour.
