Preservation Buffalo Niagara is recognizing outstanding preservation projects and those contributing to preservation efforts at its annual awards ceremony May 30, 11:30 AM in the Statler’s Golden Ballroom. Award categories were established to acknowledge distinguished contributions to our community through preservation activity. Recipients will be recognized in several areas including: preservation craft; rehabilitation/adaptive use; stewardship; neighborhood conservation; planning/reconstruction; and preservation journalism. Buffalo Rising will profile this year’s winners leading up to the event at the end of the month.
The Buffalo News’ Mark Sommer is being recognized in the ‘Preservation Journalism category.
Mark Sommer, journalist at The Buffalo News, has been a champion of historic preservation and the role it plays in the revitalization of the Buffalo Niagara region. He pursues topics that highlight preservation successes and opportunities. By doing so Mark reaches a wide audience, not just the preservation audience.
During the National Preservation Conference Mark worked long hours to provide coverage. Many will recall that Mark seemed to be at every venue. Conference attendees remarked about the terrific coverage and it was part of the wonderful welcome. The coverage included articles that were published late at night and live conversations that started early in the morning, including:
Nine articles during conference week, one every day from Saturday, October 15th through Sunday, October 23rd.
•Breathing life into old buildings – Saturday, October 15, 2011
•Masters of our cityscape – Sunday, October 16, 2011
•Tours to showcase neighborhoods’ revitalization – Monday, October 17, 2011
•Buffalo’s heritage takes center stage – Tuesday, October 18, 2011
•Giving our warmest welcome – Wednesday, October 19, 2011
•From far and wide, building praise – Thursday, October 20, 2011
•Preservationism gets eerie – Friday, October 21, 2011
•Revelations of the grain elevators – Saturday, October 22, 2011
•New for Buffalo: A superiority complex – Sunday, October 23, 2011
Five live conversations for broadcast on The Buffalo News website:
•Ed Healy, Visit Buffalo Niagara – Friday, October 14, 2011
•Tim Tielman, Campaign for Greater Buffalo History, Architecture & Culture – Monday, October 17, 2011
•Statler Towers owner Mark Croce – Tuesday, October 18, 2011
•Donn Esmonde, Buffalo News columnist – Wednesday, October 19, 2011
•Monica Pellegrino Faix, Richardson Olmsted Complex – Thursday, October 20, 2011
•Lauren Belfer, author of “City of Light: and “A Fierce Radiance” – Friday, October 21, 2011
Additionally, during conference week 25 of Mark’s previous articles were re-issued, on topics such as, Shea’s Performing Arts Center, Guaranty Building, Kleinhans Music Hall, Terra Cotta, Plastering, Central Terminal, Ellicott Square Building, Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site, Albright Knox Art Gallery, Darwin Martin House, and the Richardson Olmsted Complex.