Maryland Preservation Awards

Preservation Partnership Awards

Preservation Partnership awards are presented annually to individuals, organizations, agencies, or institutions in recognition of meaningful collaborations, partnerships, and relationships developed between governments, nonprofit organizations, and/or the private sector during the course of a project’s planning, development, and/or execution.   The intent of this award is to acknowledge and honor the unique and mutually beneficial relationships that are often vital to a preservation project’s successful implementation. 

The Board of Trustees created this Award Category in 2009.

2011

Proctor House

54 E. Gordon St., Bel Air, Harford County

Remaining vacant thereafter, the house continued to deteriorate from neglect. Harford County approached the Town of Bel Air to determine what might be the best way to preserve the Proctor House and allow this significant structure to serve a functional role within the Town. The Town agreed to seek a buyer for the property who would be interested in rehabilitating the structure, but the real estate downturn in 2008-2009 made the prospect daunting.  The Kelly Financial Group, an adjacent property owner, purchased the property in 2009 and undertook a $500,000 rehabilitation project to expand their financial services business.  The project owners were awarded $100,000 from the Heritage Structure Rehabilitation Tax Credit program, Federal Rehabilitation Tax Credits and property tax credits from the Town and County.  Work on the project began in the spring of 2010, and Kelly Financial Group employees moved into the renovated Proctor House in January, 2011.

The efforts and cooperation of local, county and state staff plus the willingness of a local business to invest in their community made it possible to save and renovate an important historical structure located in the Town of Bel Air. The project also turned a property that had formerly been a drain on public resources into a privately-owned, property that is back on the tax rolls and contributing to the Town’s economy.

2010

Miller's Court

Baltimore

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the renovation of this brownfield site has followed the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation, while also conforming to the requirements for LEED-NC Gold Certification on a construction budget of $10,300,000 (Total project costs of $21,000,000). The rehabilitation of this four-story structure has spurred the revitalization of the surrounding community, creating a sense of stability and long-term commitment in this transitional urban neighborhood.

Effective collaboration between the developers, design team, contractors, tenants and the community was critical to delivering such an innovative project within an aggressive development and construction schedule (less than two years from start to finish) and limited budget ($10.3 million for all construction and tenant fit out costs). 

2009

Jerusalem-Mt. Pleasant United Methodist Church, Ross Development, and Rockville Historic District Commission

Rehabilitation of Jerusalem-Mt. Pleasant United Methodist Church Parsonage
Rockville, Montgomery County

Jerusalem-Mt. Pleasant United Methodist Church is located in the oldest section of Rockville and is Rockville’s oldest African-American church.   It is locally designated and also listed in the National Register of Historic Places as part of the West Montgomery Avenue Historic District.  The property includes the 1858 Church, the 1912 parsonage, a garage, and the 1947 house used for church administration. It represents the important role that the church and minister played in the social and educational life of African-Americans in Rockville. 

The parsonage was built by the congregation in 1912, to provide a home for their minister.  Stylistically, the parsonage is a simple two-story sidehall/parlor residence with a shed roof and a stucco finish to match the church. In 1999, the building served as a women’s shelter, when one of the occupants set fire to it.  The February fire damaged the front wall and roof of the building, while water damage contributed to ruination throughout the building.  The money provided from fire insurance was insufficient to cover the rehabilitation costs and the Church applied for permission to demolish the structure. 

Since 1999, there have been numerous hearings, meetings, applications, and discussions to decide the future of Cordelia House.  The Church was unable to move forward with rehabilitation as they lacked sufficient funds.  The City was reluctant to agree to demolition of the historic structure because of its significance to the City’s heritage.

In 2007 Michael Schwartzman, of Ross Development & Investments, was involved with the Rockville Town Center development, which has created a vibrant downtown once again for the City of Rockville.  He passed the parsonage building on a daily basis, and felt that something should be done about this “eyesore.”  He approached Pastor Wood as a neighbor to see if Cordelia House could be repaired.  Working together, they were able to collect the necessary funds to support the rehabilitation project.  The congregation now uses the building for small meetings and for an office for their Pastor. 

Pictured above are Nettie Clark, Michael Schwartzman, Rev. Jane Wood, and Max van Balgooy.