Lt. Governor Brian Calley Presents 2012 Governor's Awards for Historic Preservation at Michigan State Capitol

LANSING, Mich., May 2, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Lt. Governor Brian Calley, Gary Heidel, executive director of the Michigan State Housing Development Authority, and State Historic Preservation Officer Brian Conway presented 17 recipients with 2012 Governor's Awards for Historic Preservation today in the state capitol.

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"May is National Historic Preservation Month, and we choose this time of year to recognize the great work taking place in Michigan to preserve our historic places," 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."

According to Lt. Governor Calley, Michigan's historic and cultural sites are assets that should be considered when looking at community revitalization efforts. "Michigan's architecture and archaeological sites are important because of what they tell us about the past and because they create opportunities for the future by drawing tourists as well as people to live and work in Michigan. These sites define our communities and our state and should be preserved."

The 2012 recipients are:

• Keweenaw National Historical Park, Quinn Evans Architects, Yalmer Matilla Contracting, Inc., and the Keweenaw National Historical Park Advisory Commission, for the rehabilitation of the Union Building, Calumet
• Swanee, Incorporated and Barry Polzin Architects for the rehabilitation of the Richter Brewery, Escanaba
• G. A. Haan Development, U.P. Engineers and Architects, and Oakwood Construction for the rehabilitation of the Adams and Masonic Temple Buildings, Sault Ste. Marie
• City of Boyne City, C2AE , Richard Neumann Architect, and Graham Construction for the rehabilitation of the Boyne City Water Works Building, Boyne City
• Eastside Armory LLC, Studio Intrigue Architects and Kincaid Henry Building Group for the rehabilitation of the Lansing Artillery National Guard Armory, Lansing
• Michigan State Medical Society for stewardship of the Michigan Medical Society Building, East Lansing

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; the General Motors Corporation for the rehabilitation of the General Motors Technical Center in Warren; Dixie and Charley Riley and the Museum of Paleontology - University of Michigan for the excavation and study of the Riley Mammoth Site; and the Friends of Point Betsie Lighthouse in Frankfort.

"The individuals and organizations we recognized today value the character of their communities and believe that their investment of time, money, energy, and talents make a difference," said Conway. "We agree. Their investment makes a substantial difference to Michigan."

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

The State Historic Preservation Office is part of the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) , which 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

The State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) is financed in part by a grant from the National Park Service, Department of Interior. The opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of the Department of the Interior. The Department of the Interior prohibits discrimination on its federally funded assistance programs.  If you believe you've been discriminated against please contact the Office of Equal Opportunity, National Park Service, 1849 C. St. NW, Washington DC 20240.

SOURCE Michigan State Housing Development Authority