Chris Treadway: Honors for Richmond historic buildings

By Chris Treadway
Contra Costa Times
Posted: 02/10/2011 04:18:49 PM PST
Updated: 02/10/2011 06:04:23 PM PST

Pictured: Emma Desjardins and Brandon Collwes of Merce Cunningham Dance Company perform in...

Some long overdue attention to its historic buildings is getting Richmond some attention -- and honors.
A new honor was accorded the rejuvenated Ford Assembly Building, which was selected last week for the Institute Honor Award for Excellence in Architecture.
The Ford Point Building was chosen by the American Institute of Architects for the profession's highest honor out of projects from around the world, according to an announcement from Marcy Wong Donn Logan Architects of Berkeley, the firm that did the design on the project for developer Orton Development.
The honor will be presented at the national AIA convention in New Orleans and is one of a string of awards for the Ford Point project since 2008.
The city's Recreation Department, meanwhile, is being honored by the California Park & Recreation Society for renovation of the Richmond Plunge and will accept the award at the society's recognition banquet in Sacramento next month.
Those accolades are in addition to awards presented for the renovation of the historic Civic Center, and it's all a lead-up to the annual appeal for nominations for the city's Historic Preservation Awards, intended to "increase public awareness of Richmond's heritage by recognizing individuals, organizations, businesses and agencies whose contributions demonstrate outstanding commitment to excellence in historic preservation, local history or promotion of the city's heritage." The nomination form can be downloaded from the city's website at http://bit.ly/gLonbU and you have until March 31 to submit suggestions.
The awards will be presented during National Preservation Month in May. Nominees can be individuals, businesses, community organizations or official agencies and preservation projects could include media, publications, presentations and exhibits, parks, burial grounds, public art, oral history, theater productions, events and video presentations, along with public and private buildings.