2011 Governor's Awards for Historic Preservation Presented at State Capitol

LANSING, Mich., May 4, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Gary Heidel, executive director of the Michigan State Housing Development Authority, and State Historic Preservation Officer Brian Conway presented 20 recipients with 2011 Governor's Awards for Historic Preservation.

"May is National Historic Preservation Month, so today was the perfect opportunity to celebrate the great work taking place in Michigan," said Heidel. "The Governor's Awards for Historic Preservation give us an opportunity to recognize some of the people behind the projects that are making a difference in Michigan."

The 2011 recipients are:

• Chris and Abbey Green for the rehabilitation of 811 Portland, Calumet
• The Traverse City Community, the City of Traverse City, the Charter Township of Garfield, Grand Traverse County, and the Minervini Group for the preservation of the Northern Michigan Asylum (Traverse City Regional Psychiatric Hospital), Traverse City
• Dixie and Charley Riley and the Museum of Paleontology - University of Michigan for the excavation and study of the Riley Mammoth Site
• Christman Capital Development Company, Accident Fund Holdings, Inc., HOK, and Quinn Evans Architects for the rehabilitation of the Ottawa Street Power Station
• The Woda Group, LLC, PCI Design Group, Inc. and Cornerstone Architects for the rehabilitation of Durand High School, Durand
• Richard Karp, Kevin Prater, and Kraemer Design Group, PLC for the rehabilitation of the Durant Hotel, Flint

The State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) initiated the award program in 2003 to recognize outstanding historic preservation achievements reflecting a commitment to the preservation of Michigan's unique character and the many cultural resources that document Michigan's past. Previous recipients include private property owners who used historic preservation tax credits to rehabilitate their homes; Michigan State University for the Saint's Rest Archaeological Project; the City of Kalamazoo and the Michigan Historic Preservation Network for their Window Rehabilitation Workshops; the Fort Shelby Hotel in Detroit; the City of Calumet for its facade rehabilitation program; and the Friends of Point Betsie Lighthouse in Frankfort.

"The individuals and organizations we recognized today transformed communities, and the archaeological excavation has furthered our understanding of Michigan's earliest inhabitants," said Conway. "These projects represent the collaboration, creativity, investment, and commitment taking place throughout Michigan in the name of historic preservation."

To learn about previous Governor's Award projects, go to: www.michigan.gov/shpo.

The State Historic Preservation Office is financed in part with federal funds from the National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. The office receives federal financial assistance for identification and protection of historic properties. The State Historic Preservation Office is part of the Michigan State Housing Development Authority. The Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) provides financial and technical assistance through public and private partnerships to create and preserve decent, affordable housing for low- and moderate-income residents and to engage in community economic development activities to revitalize urban and rural communities.*

*MSHDA's loans and operating expenses are financed through the sale of tax-exempt and taxable bonds as well as notes to private investors, not from state tax revenues. Proceeds are loaned at below-market interest rates to developers of rental housing, and help fund mortgages and home improvement loans. MSHDA also administers several federal housing programs. For more information, visit www.michigan.gov/mshda.

SOURCE Michigan State Housing Development Authority