Heritage Homes of Petaluma, a committee of the Petaluma Museum Association, was originally a nonprofit founded over 50 years ago with the goal of raising awareness of Petaluma’s fabulous architectural heritage and encouraging the preservation of these treasures.
Recently Heritage Homes added “Landmarks” to its title (HH&L) because Petaluma has so many commercial and civic buildings worthy of preservation.
To encourage responsible preservation, HH&L periodically recognizes and confers awards to building owners who have made thoughtful improvements and restoration of their historic properties.
This year’s awards reflect work done over the last three years.
HH&L extends gratitude to the three judges who made these winning selections from a number of fine nominations: architect Daniel Backman, preservationist/craftsman Christopher Stevick and architect Bill Wolpert.
And Heritage Homes thanks all the nominees for caring about their historic properties enough to put so much time, effort and money into restoring these priceless vintage buildings. The comments below are from the judges’ report:
Renovation of an Existing Residence
After & Before — Award of Great Merit: 520 Kent Street
Homeowners: Alan Good & Karen Brown
“Immense thought and care went into the rehabilitation and creative re-imagination of this previously distressed and overlooked property. What impresses us the most about this project is the owner’s restraint. The exterior design of the home was kept very minimal, from the simple exterior details to the white paint without accents. The project respected the original building footprints: locating the addition on the site of a long-gone outbuilding. The addition was clearly delineated with different materials that reference the area’s agricultural heritage. One can clearly see how this property must have appeared when it was originally built, yet it exemplifies a modern aesthetic.”
Award of Merit: 501 Keller Street
Homeowners: Edwin Hamilton & Tammara Norman
“Second-story additions are difficult to design and execute; rarely do they look like they were built as part of the original house. This project excels with a second-story design that looks like it has always been there. The addition captured the essence of the original one story, and took it to new heights. The detailing of the roof line is excellent. The home is welcoming and approachable, and has succeeded in adding area and height while maintaining a sense of scale and proportion appropriate for its context.”
Honorable Mention: 847 B Street
Homeowner: Paul Petersen
“This homeowner has taken great care to preserve the significant architectural details and improve the home while keeping within the architectural context of the neighborhood.”
Honorable Mention: 215 Fifth Street
Homeowner: Suzanne Clarke
“The front porch remodel added a much nicer entry walkway from the sidewalk and kept to the historic details inherent to the original house. The added fence and garden are a wonderful amenity.”
Construction of an New Residence
Honorable Mention: 314 Erwin Street
Homeowner: James Meyer
“While being the only entry within the New Residence category, it nonetheless exemplifies an appropriate design that maintains the scale and contextual details of the surrounding of what originally was a thriving working-class neighborhood.”
Renovation of an Existing Commercial Business
After and Before — Award of Great Merit: Linch Jewelry Neon Sign at 10 Western Avenue
Owner: Garth Bixler
“The restoration of the Linch Jewelry Building was an exemplary at the time it was completed and was granted Historic Tax credits for the owner. The only thing not completed was the neon signage. We are aware of the great lengths the owner went through to permit the signage and assure that the sign would be restored and not simply replaced. We are also pleased that this award recognizes the contribution of the Barber Sign Company. This project put the finishing touches on a perfect building restoration.”
Award of Merit: The Silk Mill, 450 Jefferson Street
Owner: Hampton Inn
“This former factory on the National Register of Historic Places has spent many years in the hands of various developers all wanting it to be something different. Now it is finally complete and functioning again, now as a hotel. Care was taken to preserve the significant architectural elements, including outbuildings.”
Outstanding Talent in the Construction Business
Award of Great Merit: MAD Architecture
“Mary Dooley and Chris Lynch have been working to produce excellent architecture in Petaluma for over 20 years. They have produced exemplary projects in residential development, modest remodels, historic rehabilitation, and commercial and civic projects. For a small office, they produce an abundance of high-quality work.”
For more information, contact heritagepetaluma@gmail.com.
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