Award Nomination Deadline Extended Until Friday, February 13

You now have until Friday, February 13 to submit your nomination for the 2015 Annual Preservation Awards! The Cleveland Restoration Society and AIA Cleveland will once again hold a Celebration of Preservation during historic preservation month of May 2014. These preservation awards are bestowed upon individuals and organizations whose contributions demonstrate excellence and outstanding commitment. Only a select number of recipients are chosen through a jury process, ensuring the best show of amazing transformations each year. The nomination form is available here. If you have a question about the award program or a nomination, contact Michael Fleenor, CRS's director of preservation services.

National Trust Designates Chautauqua Institution Amphitheater a  

"National Treasure"

The open air amphitheater at Chautauqua Institution has been selected by the National Trust for Historic Preservation as a "National Treasure."  This designation means that the National Trust will mobilize its resources to advocate for the preservation of the building.  The Trust's announcement comes days after the Chautauqua Institution decided to put on hold its plans to rebuild or replace the 1893 amphitheater until after August 2015.  "There are many significant cultural historic sites in America, but there is only one original Chautauqua Amphitheater," said Stephanie Meeks, president and CEO of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The National Trust is encouraging the Institution to work closely and openly with local and statewide preservationists who have offered their assistance to come up with an alternative plan that respects the key historic features of the Amp while accommodating necessary and needed improvements. The National Trust is partnering with Preservation Buffalo Niagara, the Preservation League of New York State, the Committee to Preserve the Historic Chautauqua Amphitheater, and many others, in this effort. For more information, click here.

Call for Conference Session Proposals

Heritage Ohio is currently planning for its annual conference, to be held in Columbus October 5-7, 2015. If you have a session that might be interesting to the conference audience of revitalization and preservation advocates and professionals, consider submitting a proposal to present at the conference. Click here for the proposal guidelines. Submissions will be accepted through February 28.

Your Ohio Tax Return can  

Make History!

It's easy to make a tax-deductible donation to Ohio History!  Look for "Ohio Historical Society" on your Ohio tax return and designate a dollar amount. Your tax-deductible donation goes to support history projects in local Ohio communities. In its first two years, the History Fund has created grants that help support local history and preservation-related projects all across Ohio. "Last year, Ohio taxpayers helped repair leaking roofs across the state, conserve rare Wright Brothers photos in Dayton and preserve Slavic heritage in Cleveland," says Andy Verhoff, History Fund grants manager.  To learn more about the program, click here.

Shaker Heights Photo Contest

The Shaker Heights Landmark Commission invites submissions based on what photographers love about Shaker Heights in the third annual Preservation Month Photo Contest. The City looks for striking images that preserve the best of Shaker Heights. The Commission wants to see images of what makes the city special and beautiful to the community. One or more winners will be selected in the categories of Architecture/building; Landscape/nature; and Community (event, street/sidewalk scene, etc.). Submissions will be accepted online February 1 through March 31, and winners will be announced May 1, at the start of National Preservation Month. Winners will be recognized across the spectrum of City media, such as press releases, website, Facebook, etc. The contest is free and open to all. View past winners and the complete Call for Entries here. Contact Ann Klavora for more information.

Best Wishes to Rich Stanovich

The board and staff extends best wishes to Rich Stanovich on his retirement. Rich has been with CRS since 1999 and is well known in the neighborhoods in which our programs are active. For sixteen years, he has provided reliable technical assistance to homeowners, diagnosed building maintenance problems, and written bid specifications for projects. He has also been responsible for much of the care of the Sarah Benedict House. Thank you, Rich, for your years of service!  

News From the Sarah Benedict House 

Please join CRS in welcoming new staff member Jim Blocksidge. Jim joins the staff as our Preservation Construction Specialist and will be conducting site visits with homeowners to identify needed repairs and help prioritize projects to maintain, renovate and improve older homes in the Heritage Home Program's participating communities. Jim formerly owned a general contracting business and most recently served as Program Coordinator in the City of Lakewood's Division of Community Development.   

Workshop Update 

Thank you to everyone who has registered for our February 14 Windows Workshop Presentation! This event is now at capacity and registration has been closed. Stay tuned for additional presentations on window repair and landscaping, later this spring.  We will announce dates and times as they become available.

Where's Benedict?

Welcome to the first installment of our new contest!  All year long, Benedict will be traveling around to visit interesting landmarks. If you are the tenth reader to respond and correctly tell us "Where's Benedict?", you'll win a complimentary twelve-month membership to the Cleveland Restoration Society! Do you know where our feathery friend has landed this month? What are you waiting for? Send in your guess right now!