2012 Preservation Awards Event
Saturday, May 5, 2012
The Eureka Heritage Society held its
2012 Historic Preservation Awards at
the Eureka Woman’s Club, 1531 J Street.
Three historical properties and a local window company are this year’s recipients of the Eureka Heritage Society’s annual preservation awards.
For a Photo Gallery of the Awards Ceremony, click here:
Preservationist of the Year: Robin Kuhnle, president of her family’s 61-year-old local business, K&M Glass Co. Kuhnle recently developed custom wood storm windows that can be tailored to match or enhance any existing window. The effort, she said, was done in response to the wishes of growing numbers of owners of historical properties who do not want to replace their building’s beautiful original windows but still want optimum energy savings. The cost of K&M’s new wood storm windows, Kuhnle added, can be comparable with that of replacement vinyl windows.
The Adaptive Reuse Award was presented for the stylish Speakeasy Bar that was developed by Karina Estrada last year at 411 Opera Alley in Old Town. Located in the back section of Estrada’s 1874 commercial building at 416 Second St., the space was being used for storage when she bought the structure in 2009. A subsequent trip to New Orleans, convinced her that a New Orleans-style bar would complement Eureka’s Old Town atmosphere. Indeed, she reports the enterprise has been a success from day one.
The Commercial Preservation Award honors the 1902 Loheide Building, the Classical Revival wooden structure at 109 Fifth St. that is being faithfully restored by owner Dave Mulhern. This double-building boasts fluted, ionic pilasters that separate tall, arched windows, paired square bay windows, fanlights, and a highly decorative cornice under the peaked parapet. Built for businessman W. Loheide, its first floor has always been retail space, while the second floor was used as a dance hall into the 1930s. It then became a meeting place for various clubs before being used as commercial space in recent years.
The Residential Award lauds the Howatt family home at 1922 F St. Built in 1921 for Gilbert and Una Howatt, the house has been lived in by three generations of this family. It is currently the home of the Howatts’ grandson Brent and his wife. The meticulously maintained English Cottage Revival house was designed by noted local architect F.T. It was among a series of “Period Revival” styles that were popular in America during the 1920s, when architects strove to capture the flavor of medieval England and Europe.
For a Photo Gallery of the Awards Ceremony, click here:
“The Preservation Awards,” explains EHS Past-President Ron Kuhnel, “are an incentive to building owners to restore and maintain the buildings that are Eureka’s important heritage.”
Preservation Awards Events of the Past can always be found in the
