Home » Ida Lee Willis Memorial Foundation Historic Preservation Awards winners announced

Ida Lee Willis Memorial Foundation Historic Preservation Awards winners announced

K. Norman Berry to receive 2015 Memorial Award

FRANKFORT, Ky. (May 22, 2015) — K. Norman Berry, of Louisville, will be honored with the 2015 Memorial Award during the 37th annual presentation of the Ida Lee Willis Memorial Foundation Historic Preservation Awards at 2 p.m. on May 27 at the Governor’s Mansion. The awards are presented in partnership with the Kentucky Heritage Council/State Historic Preservation Office.

K. Norman Berry
K. Norman Berry

Berry’s career has centered around historic preservation. He located his firm, K. Norman Berry Associates Architects, along West Main Street in the early 1970s, before it became a preservation district, and since then he and his firm have served as architects for more than 20 significant building preservation projects along this street. His firm was also awarded commissions to serve as architect for three of Kentucky’s most significant historic structures — the Kentucky State Capitol and Governor’s Mansion in Frankfort, and Federal Hill in Bardstown. He is a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects, designating those who have achieved a standard of excellence in their profession and made a significant contribution to architecture and society on a national level.

The awards are presented each May during National Historic Preservation Month and are named for the late Ida Lee Willis, Kentucky’s first state historic preservation officer and wife of the late former Gov. Simeon Willis. The Memorial Award is the highest honor bestowed.

Preservation Projects awards:

  • The Fulton Conway Building, 850 W. Main St., Louisville, and the owner, National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution, for careful rehabilitation of this former tobacco warehouse through developing design concepts to preserve the historic integrity of this circa 1890 building
  • The V.A. Kaltenbrun Building, 329-335 St. Clair St., Frankfort, in recognition of efforts by owners John and Martha Gray to restore this 19th century commercial structure following a devastating fire
  • Shotgun Row, 315-327 Orchard St., Covington, and the Center for Great Neighborhoods, for rehabilitating a row of historic frame shotgun houses in the Lee-Holman Historic District into affordable live/work spaces for artists

Service to Preservation Awards:

  • Friends of Eastern Cemetery, a volunteer, nonprofit organization, for their work cleaning up and carefully restoring one of Louisville’s oldest public cemeteries and reacquainting the public with the historic legacy of those interred there
  • The Living Archaeology Weekend Steering Committee, which for more than 25 years has planned and presented this annual two-day event focusing on past technologies of Kentucky’s Native and pioneer peoples, reaching more than 35,000 fifth graders and visitors
  • James and Maxine Cass, for their leadership in helping acquire and preserve Camp Wildcat Civil War Battlefield in Laurel County and establishing the nonprofit Camp Wildcat Preservation Foundation

Grassroots Preservation Awards:

  • Meridzo Center Ministries, for Lamp House Coffee on Main Street in Lynch, an iconic 1921 building associated with coal mining that has been rehabilitated into a community coffee shop as part of its local ministry
  • Snivley Chapel Restoration Project, for volunteer efforts to save and preserve this circa 1853 frame church in Pike County, one of the oldest recorded original chapel buildings in Eastern Kentucky