Historic preservation is gaining momentum in Santa Monica, and, as a result, the Santa Monica Conservancy announced, January 14, that it is giving out a record number of awards to local individuals, organizations and businesses for a host of projects ranging from the city’s Land Use and Circulation Element (LUCE) to single family homes.

“We have some wonderful historic preservation efforts taking place in Santa Monica.” said Carol Lemlein, President of the Board of the Conservancy. “By presenting these awards, the Santa Monica Conservancy applauds and encourages those who embrace historic preservation which, in turn, contributes to making Santa Monica a more attractive place to live, work and visit.”

The awards will be presented at the Conservancy’s Annual Meeting in the historic Miles Playhouse in Christine Reed Park on Saturday, January 23, 2010.

The Conservancy’s David Cameron Award will be given to Eileen Fogarty, Director, and the City of Santa Monica Planning and Community Development Department. Fogarty led the way in formulating the November 2009 Draft Land Use and Circulation Element which recognizes historic preservation as a core community value, promotes historic preservation incentives, and integrates historic reservation into the planning process. This particular award is presented to individuals or organizations in recognition of their outstanding accomplishments in preserving Santa Monica's unique heritage, and for promoting the value of historic preservation in the city.

The President's Award will go to the Pier Restoration Corporation for the 2009 Pier Centennial celebration commemorating the history of our iconic landmark Pier, with entertaining and educational children’s programs that promoted understanding of the Pier’s history.

The Restoration Award will be presented to Scott Lander for his ambitious restoration of Richard Neutra’s 1937 Barsha House at 302 Mesa Road. After years of neglect following its 1950s relocation from North Hollywood to Santa Monica Canyon, it is now a premier example of Neutra’s innovative modernism.

The owner of a historic John Byers house at 2101 La Mesa, Cameron Strang, will receive the Rehabilitation Award for restoring the original adobe façade and for renovations that respect the original spirit of Byers’ Spanish Colonial Revival architecture. Strang has retained the original scale and architectural features while updating the home for contemporary use.

The Renovation Award goes to Joy Jones, owner of 404 Georgina, an important early (1920) John Byers adobe. Jones rescued the house from demolition and spearheaded a creative renovation that respects its original architectural character.

The Adaptive Reuse Award (Residential) recognizes the creative achievement of Stephen Chao, owner of 211 Alta (formerly the La Palama Bungalow Court ), for converting a multi-unit Craftsman bungalow courtyard complex into a single family home, preserving its exterior architecture and streetscape presence.

For adaptive reuse of a commercial property, Red Bull North America, Inc., at 1740 Stewart Street, will receive an award for transforming a vintage industrial building, originally used for manufacturing, into a unique and imaginative corporate headquarters. This project demonstrates a dynamic collaboration between architect, structural engineer and client.

The Stewardship Award will be presented to Michele Nasatir, owner of the Embassy Hotel Apartments at 1001 3rd Street, for outstanding dedication to preserving the magnificent Spanish Colonial Revival architecture and decorative enrichment of this landmark building.

In addition to the Preservation Awards, the Santa Monica Conservancy will recognize two individuals for their exemplary volunteer efforts. For Outstanding Service, attorney Ken Kutcher of the Santa Monica law firm of Harding Larmore Kutcher & Kozal, LLP, will be recognized for his pro-bono work on the Shotgun House lease negotiations and also for initiating zoning changes providing incentives to facilitate new development on large lots with small landmark structures.

The Volunteer Service Award will go to Kay Pattison for her many contributions to the Conservancy’s popular Downtown Walking Tour and the Annenberg Community Beach House docent program. Kay, who began as a downtown tour docent, now manages the program. She volunteered for the Beach House program, independently undertook significant research into the histories of its original owners Hearst and Davies, and served as a speaker for the training program.

The annual meeting is open to members of the Santa Monica Conservancy and their guests. For more information, see www.smconservancy.org or call 310-496-3146.

Founded in 2002, the Santa Monica Conservancy is a nonprofit organization, dedicated to celebrating Santa Monica's architectural and cultural heritage.