Recap: Phoenix Rising 2024

On behalf of the entire Preservation Maryland team, thank you for making Phoenix Rising 2024 one of our most successful to date! It was a great evening at the Loom in the historic Meadow Mill building celebrating our accomplishments with the broader preservation community.

Congratulations to this year’s Best of Maryland Award winners, detailed below, and our sincere gratitude to our sponsors who helped us put on a lovely evening celebrating preservation.

We hope to see you out in the field before we all gather again in the fall of 2025!

BEST OF MARYLAND AWARDS

The Best of Maryland awards honor the ceaseless work of Maryland’s volunteers, architects, artisans, legislators, and many more individuals who are doing the essential work of protecting the places that make Maryland such a special place to live, work, explore, and celebrate. Here are this year’s winners.

Phoenix Award

Presented to individuals or organizations to recognize projects demonstrating excellence in the revitalization of threatened or abandoned historic resources.

Robert W. Johnson Community Center Pool Restoration

Nearby youth and day campers regularly used this 60-year-old pool each summer for free as part of local programs. Sadly, the pool was closed in 2016, without a path forward to pay for the costly repairs. With the support of local community leaders, in 2019 the Maryland Historic Trust, through the African American Heritage Preservation Program, awarded the Robert W. Johnson Community Center in Hagerstown a $100,000 grant to rehabilitate the historic pool. With additional state support, the renovation is at the finish line and perfectly weaves the past and present together in a way will revitalize, refresh, and enliven many splashing generations to come.

President’s Leadership Award

Presented to individuals to recognize exceptional leadership and commitment to preserving Maryland’s rich and diverse heritage.

Wayne and Harriet McGinnis

Wayne and Harriet have dedicated their lives to the stewardship and conservation of agricultural lands in Baltimore County and beyond. Their efforts have inspired state and nationwide programs for agricultural land preservation, including the Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation, which has preserved over 350,000 acres statewide. [NR2] These cultural landscapes and their historic structures in turn paint a picture of Maryland history that is equally inspiring as it is beautiful.

Their dedication to their farm and community has left a lasting impact on Baltimore County and the entire state. They have put over 1,000 acres of their own farmland into agricultural preservation and led the charge for Baltimore County’s agricultural preservation and strategic RC2 zoning, making it one of the most impressive counties in Maryland for its land stewardship and smart growth efforts. Their children’s involvement in farming and community service ensures that the McGinnis family’s legacy of agricultural excellence and community dedication will continue for generations to come.

Tyler Gearhart Award for Professional Service

Presented to an individual who is employed as a professional by a historic preservation organization, agency, or academic institution and who has demonstrated extraordinary leadership, knowledge, and creativity in the protection and preservation of Maryland’s historic buildings, neighborhoods, landscapes, and archeological sites.

Becky Axilbund, Main Street Middletown

In 2018 Main Street Middletown, Maryland was awarded a $10,000 Heritage Fund grant from Preservation Maryland and MHT in support of their ongoing efforts to purchase and protect two historic buildings in the Middletown Historic District – 19 and 21 West Main Street – both of which are notable for their small size and distinctive features. Without their intervention, most agree the buildings would have been lost.

Under Becky’s leadership the structures were able to be purchased and their future vision as a Welcome Center inched closer to reality.

In August 2024 and Main Street Middletown, Maryland celebrated the rehabilitation of those two structures as it opened its new Welcome Center.

Smart Growth Award

Presented to an organization, individual, or agency that has demonstrated excellence in smart growth design, principles, or projects.

Upton Planning Committee

For well over 50 years Upton Planning Committee has been committed to preserving and revitalizing the historic Upton neighborhoods which serve as a thriving hub of African American culture and commerce in Baltimore. Many area projects were made possible by their continued work and advocacy, including the restoration of the Upton Mansion, which will be the new headquarters for The Afro-American Newspapers, and the (new) Justice Thurgood Marshall Amenity Center, and the former home of Congressman Parren Mitchell which is being rehabilitated into a museum, event center, and executive offices for UPC. By reinvesting in Baltimore – and providing opportunities for a historic neighborhood to flourish, they are helping our region grow smarter and are helping to redefine what it means to be a smart growth organization.

Preservation Champion Award

Presented to elected officials or units of government in Maryland that champion historic preservation policy, programs, and supporting funding, and recognizes the importance of preserving Maryland heritage.

Frederick County Executive Jessica Fitzwater and Frederick County Council President Brad Young (Jessica not in attendance)

Frederick County is committed to identifying and preserving the rich historic and cultural resources that enhance the County’s unique identity. Under the joint leadership of County Executive Jessica Fitzwater and Council President Brad Young, the Frederick County Council adopted Bill No. 24-01 as amended, “Updates and Additions to the Historic Preservation Ordinance.”

In doing this, they have set the new bar and standard for a county-wide historic preservation ordinance. The new ordinance carefully addresses issues as varied as demolition by neglect to archaeological resources in a way that all counties should look to as a model.

Frederick County’s official motto is Rich History; Bright Future and with this ordinance now in place, the county has an opportunity to save even more of that rich history.

Artisan Award

Presented to an individual or group of individuals who have demonstrated excellence in the art and artistry of a craft or trade that is used in the preservation, restoration, or rehabilitation of historic buildings, neighborhoods, landscapes, or archaeological sites in Maryland.

Dwayne Carroll, Durable Restoration

Dwayne is a master mason with two decades of experience who has dedicated himself to the preservation and restoration of historic structures. A respected and compassionate mentor, Dwayne has worked on numerous projects of importance, including here in Maryland the George C. Widrick House (Frederick), Worthington Farm (Monocacy Battlefield), Alexander Randall Double House (Annapolis), and the Edgar Allen Poe House (Baltimore) to name just a few. Without trained hands to do the work of preservation, all we have is good intentions. With Dwayne, we have trained hands and good intentions.

Stewardship Award

Presented to individuals or organizations to recognize exemplary stewardship of Maryland’s historic buildings, collections, landscapes, and archaeological sites.

Penn Station Partners, for the exterior renovation of Penn Station

Penn Station Partners, the team including Cross Street Partners, Amtrak, and Beatty Development that is leading the transformation and renewal of the city’s c. 1911 Pennsylvania Station, revealed the multi-year process of cleaning, repairing, repointing, and relighting the south-facing station exterior in spring of 2024. The team has made a significant commitment to this historic landmark, the Baltimore community, and improving the iconic transit hub.

Congratulations to all of our winners – thank you for your commitment to preserving, championing, and stewarding the many historic gems across Maryland.

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!

Cross Street Partners

Wagner Roofing

Ruff Roofers

Katz Day

Worcester Eisenbrandt

Simpson Gumpertz & Heger

Historic Roofing Company

Brown Advisory

Ziger Snead Architects

Encore Sustainable Architects

History Associates