MVHS Announces Historic Preservation Awards

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – The Mahoning Valley Historical Society has selected four renovation projects across the community as recipients of the organization’s 2018 Historic Preservation Awards.

The awards are given each year to recognize those in Mahoning and Trumbull counties who take an active role in preserving landmark buildings, sites, and districts.

The honorees will be recognized at MVHS’ 143rd annual meeting June 19 at the Tyler Mahoning Valley History Center.

This year, the following projects will be recognized:

• Community Revitalization Award – Mahoning County Courthouse Statues, Youngstown. Three statues were removed from the top of the Mahoning County Courthouse in 2010 after the base had collapsed. The statues were taken out of storage and restored at the McKay Lodge and Fine Arts Conservatory Laboratory Inc. in Oberlin. The designer on the $70,000 project was Elizabeth Murphy of Chambers, Murphy and Burge and nominated by Paul Ricciuti.
• Community Revitalization Award – The Manchester Room  in the Central Branch of the Youngstown YMCA. The Manchester Room is characterized by its Italian Renaissance design and includes antique tile, a heavy beamed ceiling and a large wood-burning fireplace. Used as a reading room between 1915 and 1972, the area was once repurposed as a cardio center with large exercise equipment. It was recently restored to its original glory under the project’s director, Strollo Architects, Youngstown. Al Lenhart of the Youngstown YMCA nominated the project.
• Community Revitalization Award – Jones Hall, Youngstown State University. The $930,000 replacement of the roof of Jones Hall restores the building’s original look with its original materials. The existing slate roof and rotted substructure were removed and replaced, new copper gutters, downspouts and flashings were installed, and some of the buildings’ exterior stones were reset and pointed. The project was nominated by Paul McFadden and Ellen Tressel.
• MVHS Directors Award of Achievement — J.R. Cumpston and 1229 Elm St., Youngstown. The house at 1229 Elm St. was built in 1902 and is located in the Wick Park Historic District. It was purchased by architect J.R. Cumpston of Olsavsky Jaminet Architects in 2011 and has been restored to a single family home. The project was nominated by Phil Kidd.

A collection of before and after images is available at MahoningHistory.org.

Pictured: The Mahoning County Courthouse Statues in Youngstown.

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