DTH and THL Recognize Local Preservation Efforts
By Lori Henson
Tribune-Star
5/16/2002

Two awards presentations this week are meant to encourage and recognize community leaders who have scrubbed clean the faces of Terre Haute landmarks and shown them off.

The first presentation Wednesday at Arts Illiana was by Downtown Terre Haute Inc., which recognized three revitalization efforts of the past year. Earning Heritage Ambassador Awards were:

* Sunset Harbor received the design award for its four-phase restoration of the 12-story Sycamore Building.

* Stained Glass Sunday organizers won in the promotions category for the event, which was a tour of the stained glass art in nine local houses of worship.

* Terre Haute Urban Enterprise Association won in the economic development category for its facade grant program, which offers matching funds to restore downtown building fronts.

At a ceremony today, Terre Haute Landmarks will recognize two efforts:

* Charlie Williams of WilliamsRandall will be awarded for the facade restoration on the building at 641 Ohio St.

* Friends of Historic Allen Chapel also will be recognized for its ongoing efforts to restore and preserve the chapel at 224 Crawford St.

Today's event also will kick off "Art in Architecture," an art show in the children's gallery at Arts Illiana that will run through the end of the month. The pencil- and ink-on-paper works are the result of an eight-week class conducted by Arts Illiana executive director Sara Laughlin. About 15 children ages 10 to 16 drew the examples of artistic elements in architecture.

Todd Nation, president of Downtown Terre Haute Inc. and vice president of Terre Haute Landmarks, said the awards draw attention to the progress the city is making in recognizing and preserving the historic buildings that give the city character.

"Things change for the better and you've got to stop and recognize that," Nation said.

Of the three projects honored by Downtown Terre Haute Inc., Nation said, the Stained Glass Sunday organizers and church members have committed not only their time, but millions of dollars to preserve the historic stained glass windows in downtown Terre Haute.

"I think a lot of us didn't actually realize how much is being done by members of these churches to preserve what they have," he said. "Some of them are really leading the way."

Nation credited Sunset Harbor, which owns and manages Meadows Manor East, Meadows Manor North, Cannon Inn and Meadows Home Health Care, with its restoration of the Sycamore Building at 19 S. Sixth St. Gloria Jackson, vice president of Sunset, said the company refurbished windows, replaced brick and mended the cornice atop the building.

But the facade grant program may have had the most impact downtown, Nation said, with projects that have improved the overall look of the neighborhood.

"It's having a noticeable impact now," he said.