 Good evening. On behalf of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, I welcome you to the 2021 National Preservation Awards. I'm Bob Vila, and today I have the privilege of speaking with you from New York City inside one of my favorite historic places, the Hispanic Society Museum and Library. Founded in 1904 by philanthropist and scholar Archer Milton Huntington, the Hispanic Society is a free public museum and reference library for the study of the art, culture, and history of the countries where Spanish and Portuguese are or have been the predominant spoken languages. The Hispanic Society is committed to giving more voice and room to Spanish and Portuguese-speaking cultures and communities. In the spirit of telling the full American story, I want to start by acknowledging that this museum sits on the traditional land of the Lenape people, past and present. As we gather to honor the people who have made tremendous contributions to the field of historic preservation, we commit to continuing to learn how to be better stewards of the land we inhabit. In tonight's ceremony, we will honor change makers and transformational preservation projects across the country. People that preserved in spite of tremendous challenges. Above all, each of these honorees shows a deep commitment to their home communities, and the ripple effects of their work will be felt for years to come. And now let the ceremony begin. For our first award, the National Trust will honor a preservation organization that has demonstrated an outstanding and continued achievement in historic preservation. This year's honoree uses the undeniable power of storytelling to identify and promote the preservation of African American historic sites, lifeways, and culture in South Carolina. It's with great honor that I present the Wigoja Foundation with this year's Trustees Award for Organizational Excellence. The name Wigoja comes from the fusion of several words from the Gullah, Wolof, and Yoruba languages associated with people of African descent unwillingly brought to South Carolina as a result of the transatlantic slave trade. Formerly known as the South Carolina African American Heritage Foundation, Wigoja Foundation is one of the first nonprofits dedicated to preserving sites associated with African American history. Their long track record of success includes identifying African American historic sites to preserve and document, and educating the general public about the rich history and culture of African Americans in the palm of the state. Armed with a passionate roster of volunteers, extensive local knowledge, and a strong desire to share their stories, Wigoja has fiercely advocated for increasing the number of African American historic sites recognized with historical markers or listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Wigoja Foundation has developed essential publications and resources, including a teacher's guide for K-12 students, a guide for African American entrepreneurs working to preserve rural heritage and culture, and most notably the Green Book of South Carolina. This homage to the original Green Book is a digital mobile guide to African American historical sites and cultural attractions across South Carolina. Throughout 2020, the Foundation was part of an innovative oral history initiative, capturing the African American experience during the ongoing COVID-19 health crisis, culminating in Black Carolinian Speak, portraits of a pandemic. Wigoja has been a model organization that has offered leadership and inspiration far beyond the borders of South Carolina. Their exemplary work has had ripple effects, encouraging similar educational efforts of other state governments and nonprofits across the nation. Hello, I'm Janie Heria, and I am the Chairperson of the South Carolina African American Heritage Commission. We are honored that the National Trust of Historic Preservation's trustees have provided this tremendous and prestigious award for the work that we do in South Carolina. We do this work because it is important to tell the stories of all the citizens of South Carolina. We do it through teacher education, providing artists in residence sessions for students in school, encouraging listing on the National Register of Historic Places, and for installing historical markers, promoting cultural tourism, and helping others recognize the importance of their culture, their sites, and their communities. Thank you to the National Trust and thank you to all of our partners and supporters. We could not do this work without you. Thank you, Janie, and the Wigoja Foundation. Each year, the National Trust recognizes success and innovation at a historic site. Today, we present an honoree that has fought for decades to preserve a crucial site of Asian American history in California. Their thoughtful stewardship continues today after an unexpected tragedy took place early this year. I'm pleased to present this year's Trustees Emeritus Award for Historic Site Stewardship to the China Alley Preservation Society. When Chinese immigrants arrived in 1877 to the newly established town of Hanford, California, they found themselves in an unfamiliar place with no reminders of home, facing cultural barriers and often outright racism. Despite segregation and oppression, the Chinese community in Hanford flourished and developed a vibrant Chinatown known as China Alley. The densely lined street was a vital hub of immigrant life, boasting restaurants, herb stores, laundries, gambling houses, grocers, and a Taoist temple. The buildings were all constructed of local California redwood and brick fired on site and many remain largely visually unaltered from their original construction. In the 1970s, the all-volunteer non-profit organization China Alley Preservation Society completed a stunning restoration of the Taoist temple, bringing it back to its 19th century origins. Over almost five decades, they have maintained and preserved this temple through its sustained use as a museum, tourism site, and place of worship. The restoration of the Taoist temple catalyzed advocacy efforts by the Preservation Society to preserve the rest of China Alley. Since then, the organization has acquired most of the other buildings in China Alley and continues to be the leading steward of the community. Sadly, this may a fire broke out in the front staircase of the Taoist temple, the anchor of the China Alley community. The devastating blaze caused severe heat and smoke damage to the temple room and its artifacts on the second floor. Just weeks before the fire, the Preservation Society had given a tour of the temple to Hanford firefighters, so when the fire department received the call, crews were already familiar with the layout of the building and the precious items inside. Crews were careful with their use of water to contain the blaze, saving much of the historic fabric of the building and avoiding structural damage. Thanks to China Alley Preservation Society's dedicated and proactive stewardship, the structures and cultural heritage of China Alley have been cared for and preserved for almost 50 years. Their care and vision continues to drive the revitalization and restoration of this important part of Chinese-American history. We are so excited. It is such an honor for the China Alley Preservation Society to receive this award. We have been a non-profit, all-volunteer organization since 1973. Our historic Taoist temple museum was fully restored and opened to the public in 1980. In 2011, China Alley was selected as one of America's 11 most endangered historic places. Since then, we have acquired most of the other buildings in China Alley. For over 40 years, our annual Moon Festival draws thousands of people from our community and beyond to visit a thriving China Alley. On the night of May 12, 2021, our museum was heavily damaged by arson. While the building is stable, the fire caused severe damage to the second story. Many artifacts require significant cleanup and conservation. We are grateful and proud of our fire departments for their quick response and tenacity. My great-grandfather opened a noodle shop on China Alley in 1883. He named it Mei Zhenlao, which is translated as beautiful and precious. And that's how we feel about Hanford's China Alley. Thank you, National Trust for historic preservation. Thank you, Ariane, and the China Alley Preservation Society. The John H. Chaffee Trustees Award for Outstanding Achievement in Public Policy highlights excellent work in preservation advocacy. This year, we are recognizing a leader who has made monumental contributions to the preservation of our nation's history through his decades of service to his community and to this country. The highest-ranking black lawmaker in Congress, Majority Whip James E. Clyburn. Voices of many generations of leaders and activists were formed on the storied campuses of historically black colleges and universities, including the powerful voice of James E. Clyburn at Southern Carolina State College. From his early activism in the civil rights movement and the NAACP to his distinguished career representing the sixth district of South Carolina, Congressman James Clyburn has long advocated for the preservation of African-American historic sites and has spent his career devoted to the advancement of equal rights for all citizens. Congressman Clyburn is the highest-ranking black lawmaker in the history of Congress and currently serves as the Majority Whip in the House of Representatives. Majority Whip Clyburn's passion for historic preservation led to his becoming a principal supporter of the African-American Civil Rights Grant Program to document, interpret, and preserve the sites and stories related to the struggle to establish equal rights for all Americans. Congressman Clyburn has also successfully advocated to increase funding for national parks, national heritage areas, and the Historic Preservation Fund, which includes funding for Save America's Treasures, underrepresented communities, and historically black colleges and universities. Through Congressman Clyburn's leadership, the Historic Preservation Fund has awarded more than $60 million in rehabilitation grants through the National Park Service to over 80 active historically black colleges and universities. His role on the National Advisory Council of the African-American Cultural Heritage Action Fund has bolstered the largest campaign ever undertaken to preserve and support historic places that tell the stories of African-American achievement and activism. Driven by the idea that history must tell the full story of our nation, Majority Whip Clyburn has introduced legislation to expand the Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site to include historic sites in South Carolina and National Park Service-affiliated areas in other states. Congressman James Clyburn has dedicated his life to public service and through his leadership has amplified the voices of those working to tell the full story of our nation's past. Thank you very kindly for your honor by giving me the John Chafee National Trust Award. I think that a lot of you know that I am a great believer in historic preservation. I do believe that historic structures say a lot about who and what we are and I do believe that we should do all that we can to preserve these structures. That's why on the campus of historical black colleges and universities, colleges and universities that got started back in the late 1880s for the expressive purpose of educating former slaves and their children and the buildings on these campuses, many of them are very, very important to understanding and thinking of what those early architects were about and we should do what we can to preserve their work and that's what part of my mission is all about and I want to thank you for this recognition and I hope that I live long enough to deserve it. Thank you Majority Whip Clyburn. As I said earlier it's very special for me to be at this location which has housed Spanish culture and presented it to America for over a century. I'd like to take a minute to tell you a little bit more about the Hispanic Society Museum and Library. We are in a part of northern Manhattan that back in the 19th century belonged to the Ottoman family and was really farmland transitioning to being kind of country estates. When it was transformed into a region in Manhattan that was attracting the millionaires who were building fantastic churches as well as institutions of culture, for many decades afterwards it was still a place that attracted New Yorkers who were scholars who were patrons of the art and the institution was largely a place for study and to look at the gorgeous Spanish treasures that are here. The great transformation that is the story of America has brought to this part of Manhattan an influx of populations from Latin America so that today the neighborhood is filled not only with the traditional people that came from the islands from Puerto Rico and Cuba but Ecuadorians and Peruvians and Mexicans so that it really has become a microcosm of what this institution is all about Latin Americans. So let's get back to our awards. Together with the National Trust the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation celebrates partnerships between federal agencies and non-federal partners that result in exemplary preservation outcomes. Please welcome Jordan Tannenbaum Vice Chairman of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation to introduce this year's award for federal partnerships in historic preservation. It is a pleasure to be here tonight to award the National Trust Advisory Council on Historic Preservation award federal partnerships in historic preservation. The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation is an independent federal agency that promotes preservation enhancement and productive use of our country's historic resources. For over 50 years the ACHP has encouraged federal agencies to be responsible stewards of their historic properties. We are thrilled to present the award with the National Trust. It celebrates the outstanding federal and non-federal partnership that has advanced preservation of our historic resources and achieved lasting preservation impacts in their communities through their collaboration. This year's award recognizes the exemplary partnership between a federal agency and its partners across the country to save and repurpose a significant piece of African American military history. In 2012 the World War II era Black Officers Club building 2101 at Fort Leonard Wood was set to be demolished. A key piece of Black military history would have been forever lost. Building 2101 was originally built in 1941 during the construction of Fort Leonard Wood. It was a timeless segregation in the U.S. Army and the building was designated as the Black Officers Club for the Seventh Engineering Training Group, a place of respite for African American officers. While stationed at Fort Leonard Wood, Staff Sergeant Samuel County, a nationally known artist, painted a prominent mural in building 2101. It is believed to be the only surviving piece of art from his military career. Though building 2101 was eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places, in 2011 the vacant building had no designated use so the Army set its demolition in motion. Under section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act the Army was responsible for reviewing the demolition's potential impact on the property and consulting with interested parties. The coalition of local, state and national advocates used this opportunity to join together with the county family to fight for the preservation of this building. They were adamantly opposed to demolition, arguing the importance of the property's status as one of the last standing World War II era Black Officers Clubs. After thoughtful review, advocates of saving building 2101 prevailed and the Army decided to preserve and repurpose the building. Through a process of rehabilitation, they created a multi-use facility that includes classroom, meeting and event space. As part of this process, County's original mural was carefully restored and reinstalled with a glass climate-controlled enclosure. Now dedicated as Staff Sergeant Samuel A. The newly restored Black Officers Club is open for public visitation, providing countless opportunities to tell the story of the Black Army officers experienced during World War II to future generations. Please join me in giving a warm welcome to U.S. Army Garrison Fort Leonard Wood, Commander Colonel Jeffrey Payne. Good evening. Welcome to Fort Leonard Wood and welcome to County Hall. I'm Colonel Jeffrey Payne, U.S. Army Garrison Commander of Fort Leonard Wood, and it is my sincere honor to accept the National Trust Advisory Council on Historic Preservation Awards for Federal Partnerships in Historic Preservation on behalf of the partners and stakeholders who worked so hard to bring County Hall to completion. When I stand within this historic structure before the County mural, I think about the soldiers that stood in this exact spot some 80 years ago. We are connected to them by our shared history, our service to the nation, and a shared willingness to place ourselves between those we love and those who would threaten it. But County Hall represents more than what we have in common. It testifies that prior to 1948, the soldiers that served here served despite our nation not acknowledging their inalienable rights. County Hall reminds us of where America was and inspires us to what America can and should be. The County Hall restoration is the result of the hard work and passion of many people, and I would like to acknowledge and thank them. Let me start with Fort Leonard Wood in the Army. I want to thank Lieutenant General Retired Leslie Smith and Lieutenant General Donna Markle, previous Fort Leonard Wood Commanding generals. Previous Garrison Commanders, Colonel Retired Andrew Herbst, Colonel Tracy Lanier and Colonel Aaron Towns, and Mr. Charlie Neal, Mr. Ken LaRoff, and Ms. Stephanie Nutt of the Fort Leonard Wood Environmental Division. I would also like to acknowledge the assistance provided by the Army's Federal Preservation Office. I want to thank the Missouri State Historic Preservation Office, specifically Ms. Amanda Burke and Dr. Tony Crawl. The SHPO was ended for the long haul and tirelessly reviewed plans and worked with the Fort from the beginning to the end. Other important partners were Ms. Kate Kerr with the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation and Ms. Jennifer Sandy of the National Trust. Last, but certainly not least, the County family, namely Ms. Sammy Whiting Ellis, niece of artist Staff Sergeant Samuel County. She was a continuing inspiration throughout the project. Please note that this award is your award and County Hall is yours as well. I extend an open invitation to all of you to visit the building. Thank you and good night. Thank you, Colonel Payne. The American Express Aspire Award recognizes emerging leaders in preservation. This year's winner has worked tirelessly to expand the inclusion of underrepresented histories in Indianapolis. To present this year's honoree, please welcome Jennifer Schuyler, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer at American Express and a trustee of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Good evening. I'm delighted to be with you to present the 2021 American Express Aspire Award, which highlights the promise and potential of the preservation field by recognizing talented emerging leaders. Through this award, American Express continues our commitment to building the leadership pipeline across nonprofit and social purpose organizations and recognizing those who are working to solve society's biggest challenges. The recipient of this year's Aspire Award exemplifies the power of an interdisciplinary and inclusive approach to preservation. This individual has created innovative ways to identify and uplift the historic places that tell the full, true history of our country. Their work has already made significant impacts in their hometown of Indianapolis, but I know their influence won't stop there as they demonstrate how preservation can help to create a better shared future. Jordan Ryan is an architectural historian, archivist and scholar. Through their innovative and interdisciplinary historic preservation work over the past seven years, Jordan has contributed greatly towards a better understanding of the legacy of systemic oppression across their hometown of Indianapolis, using their skills to help push for a more equitable future. Like all major American cities, many stories about Indianapolis past lie untold, with the consequences of past decisions and policies hiding in plain sight. As a vocal advocate within their home neighborhood of North Square and as an architectural archivist, Jordan highlights places and stories that tell the rich history of Indianapolis marginalized communities. Jordan's exemplary work on the Central Indiana LGBTQ Historic Sites Survey resulted in the identification of hundreds of new places associated with LGBTQ history and the recommendation for 60 new sites for national register nominations. The Indianapolis Historic Preservation Commission used this research to help launch Preserve Indy, an initiative to broaden historical narratives to include the stories and contributions of underrepresented groups. The initiative updated 17 historic area plans to include over 100 LGBTQ historically significant sites and ensured their equal treatment under the city's preservation regulations. For the Indianapolis Bicentennial, Jordan curated exhibits and developed a program series examining the tangled roots of race, class and housing. Like so many, Jordan's career was transformed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Jordan used the opportunity to begin their own consulting business and shortly after won the Indiana Humanities William Gibbs Moore Research Fellowship for a project surveying redlining documentation for Indianapolis and creating an open access data set. They also serve as a curriculum advisor for the 2021 People's Planning Academy, a program designed to demystify city planning in Indianapolis. Jordan's innovative approaches for how preservationists can collaborate with allied professions will leave a lasting impact on the future of Indianapolis. Please join me in welcoming Jordan Ryan. Good evening and thank you to the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the awards committee and my dear colleagues who nominated me for the American Express Inspire Award. I am so profoundly touched to be receiving this award during such a difficult time. The conflicts and inequities brought to light in the last few years have shown me a built environment historian and archivist how critical archival work is for our collective future. We must understand the historic context of our past in order to envision a more just future. I hope to continue doing that through my work, mining and interpreting the archives and to help local advocacy groups in their fight for equity in planning, housing, preservation, transit and infrastructure. And thank you to all of the organizations and institutions who have elevated my archival work by inviting me to participate in community conversations, public programs and tours, municipal public outreach and comprehensive planning projects. My goal has always been to use history to make people curious about lost and erased spaces and places. Encourage them to think about stewardship and celebrate what makes, defines and redefines how we experience and navigate place. Thank you to everyone for the support as we continue this collective journey, collaboration, accountability and curiosity. Thank you. Thank you, Jordan. And now we've come to the time we present the prestigious Richard H. Dreehaus National Preservation Awards given to recipients who have reached the highest level of achievement in historic preservation. To set the stage and share some important perspectives on the late Richard H. Dreehaus, I'd like to introduce Paul Edmondson, the President and CEO of the National Trust. The preservation community lost an idealistic and dedicated champion this past March with the passing of Richard Dreehaus. Richard was a larger-than-life figure who embodied the entrepreneurial spirit. He was also deeply generous and prioritized giving back to his community through the Richard H. Dreehaus Foundation and the Richard H. Dreehaus Charitable Lead Trust. Richard was passionate about supporting arts, culture and architecture in his hometown in Chicago and he left an enduring mark on that city through the Dreehaus Museum which he established in 2003. The museum displays Richard's extraordinary collection of decorative art objects from the late 19th and early 20th centuries set in a beautifully restored gilded age mansion that is a stunning work of art in its own right. Richard firmly believed that the built environment could improve our quality of life leading him to celebrate preservation and design by supporting award programs spotlighting excellence in these areas in Chicago and throughout Illinois. But Richard's focus on arts and architecture expanded well beyond Illinois to have impacts across the United States and around the world. For nearly two decades, the Richard H. Dreehaus Prize at the University of Notre Dame has recognized living architects whose traditional and classical architecture positively impacts society. Through a partnership with the International Network for Traditional Building, he encouraged the preservation of sites in Spain using local architectural traditions. And of course through his support of this awards program, the Richard H. Dreehaus Foundation National Preservation Awards through which we highlight the very best preservation projects in this country. While Richard has been honored over the years by notable organizations such as the American Institute of Architects, the Chicago Architectural Foundation and the Society of Architectural Historians, I'd like to take this chance to personally recognize his importance to the national trust and to this country's historic preservation movement, particularly through the support of statewide and local preservation partners. Richard Dreehaus understood the power of historic places to improve our world. He brought a potent combination of intellect, humor, and dedication to these efforts. He'll be deeply missed. I leave you with these remarks that Richard gave at our 2017 conference in Richard's hometown of Chicago. I submit to you that old buildings are like grandparents. And great grandparents. They are our ancestors speaking to us about who we are and what we've been. Thank you, Paul. And now join me in welcoming Ann Lazar, the Executive Director of the Richard H. Dreehaus Foundation. Good evening. It is an honor to be with you all tonight from beautiful Cathedral Hall in the well-known Gothic structure of the University Club of Chicago. We come together to celebrate this year's Richard H. Dreehaus Foundation National Preservation Award recipients. As Paul beautifully described, Richard was a passionate supporter of preservation. With his passing earlier this year, the preservation field lost a staunch advocate and a visionary philanthropist. Fortunately, Richard's legacy lives on through the various causes he's supported, including these awards which were close to his heart. For the sixth year, the Richard H. Dreehaus Foundation is presenting the awards in partnership with the National Trust to recognize the best of the best in historic preservation, adaptive reuse and the reimagining of historic buildings for the future. The Dreehaus Foundation was established in 1992 and over the years has provided dedicated support to the built environment and historic preservation. We are grateful to the National Trust for three decades of partnership and for continuing to be an unwavering steward for these important awards. Tonight's recipients are the embodiment of the 2021 Pass Forward theme as they each demonstrate ways of leading the change for the historic preservation movement. Not only do they tell unique and diverse stories at amazing historic places, but they also demonstrate the tremendous perseverance that is required of historic preservationists every day. The determination and vision to save and adapt these historic properties for important community needs has enriched the lives of many and will inspire for years to come. Through exemplary leadership, a civil war era soldiers home in Milwaukee has been thoughtfully repurposed to once again provide resources and housing to veterans. Washington D.C.'s Central Library and the only library in existence designed by Mies van der Rohe and named in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. has been transformed into a vibrant and welcoming community resource. And a historic Beaux Art Post Office in New York City has been creatively adapted and infused with amazing art to begin a new role in public life as a major transit hub. I am pleased to introduce this outstanding group of inspiring projects and the people behind them who are pushing the historic preservation movement forward through their drive, dedication and imagination. Please join me in celebrating the achievements of the 2021 Richard H. Dreehouse Foundation National Preservation Award winners. Our first Dreehouse awardee is the result of a hard-fought grassroots struggle to repair and rehabilitate one of Milwaukee's most important historic properties. Following the Civil War in 1865, President Lincoln and Congress recognized that many veteran soldiers needed care. The federal government created a national system of homes for disabled veterans to support their transition back into society. The Milwaukee Soldiers Home National Historic Landmark District is the most intact remaining soldiers home in the country. However, as of 2010, many of the historic buildings on the 90-acre campus were neglected and in a state of disrepair due to the high cost of rehabilitating them to meet modern standards. The iconic Old Main had been vacant for 20 years and had a hole in its roof which threatened to collapse. The campus was nominated to the National Trust's 11 most endangered places list in 2011 by Milwaukee Preservation Alliance, sparking a partnership between local, state and national preservation groups who began to meet regularly alongside an advisory council of veterans and related organizations to explore preservation solutions. Through a 10-year effort, this advocacy led to spectacular results. With the help of historic tax credits, a successful capital campaign, extensive public outreach and an innovative federal program, they finally broke ground on the ambitious rehabilitation project. The enhanced use agreement between the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, the Alexander Company and the Milwaukee Housing Authority has created a mutually beneficial partnership that revitalized the Milwaukee Soldiers Home while generating income for the federal government. On March 5th, 2021, six historic buildings including Old Main, the administrative building and the former Catholic chaplain's quarters reopened with 101 units of housing and supportive services for veterans and their families at risk of homelessness. The campus not only provides resources and housing, but also a sense of community many may not have found since completing their service. The impact of this incredible preservation project on the lives of veterans and their families promises to be enormous. It serves as an example that strategic partnerships, visionary leadership and creative funding cannot just save buildings, but tackle homelessness, energize the community, and become a national model. The Alexander Company could not be more proud to be here today to accept this award from the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Successful redevelopment of the Milwaukee Soldiers Home to serve this nation's veterans and those at risk was only possible by the support of the National Trust and public-private partnerships, including individual donors from the city of Milwaukee. As of today, there are 94 veterans living in the Soldiers Home with more to come, and this renovation will allow them that opportunity for years into the future. Thank you, Joe. Our second Dree House award goes to a vibrant revival of a crucial public asset in Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C.'s 49-year-old Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library sits in a prime downtown location less than a mile from the White House. Designed by pioneering modernist architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, the 400,000 square foot building opened in 1972 and is the city's first memorial honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. By the early 2000s, disinvestment in aging traditional library systems and the growing notion of their functional obsolescence brought calls from prominent voices in D.C. for the library's closure and relocation. In other major cities, exciting new central libraries were being designed for the digital age, while the MLK library had become a relic of the past, grim, one-dimensional, and transactional. Thanks to the efforts of historic preservation activists, the library received landmark status in 2007, ending possibilities of demolition. The new challenge was how to renovate the city-owned landmark in such a way that preserved the original Mies van der Rohe design intention while creating an inspiring learning experience for visitors. The new design involved a creative mix of preservation and innovation. Reimagined public spaces helped create a sense of openness within the steel structure of the original building. The library's formerly dark interior was transformed with a monumental curving staircase, a roof terrace, and a light-filled two-story reading room with a digital ceiling collage. And still there, in full display, the original interior mural with scenes from King's life. Unlike nearby federal museums and monuments, the central library was built for use by D.C. residents and those residents were front and center in the new design. The historic library now offers almost 100,000 square feet of additional public space and every inch is carefully programmed to offer residents new opportunities to learn, develop skills, collaborate, connect, and to borrow a word closely associated with Dr. King to dream. I am honored to accept on behalf of so many individuals who worked for years on this once-in-a-generation project, the Dryhouse Foundation National Preservation Award for the modernization of the Martin Luther King Junior Memorial Library in Washington, D.C. Mies van der Rohe's only building in Washington, D.C., and his only realized library in the world, the MLK Library is also one of the first significant structures named for the civil rights leader shortly after his assassination in 1968. Twenty years ago in the early 2000s, disinvestment in the aging library and its increasing functional obsolescence led some prominent voices in the city to call for the building's closure and relocation. Resistance to the closure prompted a successful effort to have the building landmarked in 2007 and while that made the historic preservation community and others very happy, library officials were left wondering how to make the dark, uninspiring and transactional interior relevant for the next generation of district residents. In 2014, following the successful reopening of a number of new neighborhood libraries, D.C. Public Library secured funding to begin the MLK project. We commissioned McConnu Architects from the Netherlands to lead design and OTJ Architects as our architects of record to help us navigate the extraordinarily complex network of regulatory entitlements. We developed a variety of renovation goals, none more important than respecting the historical significance of the landmark building while meaningfully honoring Dr. King's vision through a fresh, interior design full of hope, optimism and joy. After six long years of design and construction, this award is proof that we met that goal. We are so thankful to the countless individuals who contributed their ideas and expertise to this project. In addition to our terrific team of architects, I would like to recognize our construction team, Smoot Gill Bain and our owner's representative, Jair Lynch Real Estate Partners. Of course, I thank Mayor Muriel Bowser and her predecessors for their historic investment in the future of the MLK Library and finally, I dedicate the award to Tom Johnson, our lead historic preservation architect who passed away unexpectedly in 2017. Tom was immensely proud of his work on this building and he would have loved the finished product. Thank you. Thank you, Richard. For our third Dree House award, we go to the heart of Midtown Manhattan where this elegant adaptive reuse project has transformed the way hundreds of thousands of people interact with New York City each day. For years, Penn Station has served as the hub of transit for the many travelers entering and leaving New York City. After World War II, the rise of airline and car travel led to a decline in train travel. Despite action by local preservation activists, the 1910 McKin Mead and White Station was demolished in 1963, sparking great controversy. Following demolition, Penn Station was moved underground below Madison Square Garden, a distant reflection of the previous era of awe-inspiring architecture. The pivotal decision to demolish the original Penn Station is credited with catalyzing the modern historic preservation movement in the U.S., including efforts to protect Grand Central Terminal from a similar feat. Almost three decades in the making, an ambitious project to renovate Penn Station finally found its home just next door in the landmark building that was formerly New York City's largest post office, the James A. Farley Building. The main mail sorting room with soaring architectural ceilings captured the grandness of the former Penn Station. The team of architects worked to adapt the historic Bozar Farley Building with a modern design and efficiency that would alleviate congestion in the existing Penn Station, which saw over 650,000 daily riders before COVID-19. The $1.6 billion renovation offers the city a generous new public space, an impressive and inviting concourse space with marble floors and topped by a soaring glass roof that brings sunlight to Penn Station for the first time in more than five decades. It adds critical new infrastructure to support the surrounding neighborhood, relieves overcrowding, and makes the station accessible to all passengers. Named after Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan, the longtime preservationist and champion of this project, the Moynihan train hall realizes a long-held New York dream, to restore the sense of grandeur and dignified sense of arrival lost decades ago with the demolition of the original Penn Station. And amid the pandemic, it has become a symbol of hope, a new civic icon, and a place that celebrates one of the world's greatest cities. Welcome to Moynihan train hall. I'm Douglas Carr, executive director of Moynihan station development corporation. On behalf of the many professionals and people who have supported this great project over the years, I would like to sincerely thank the Treehouse Foundation and the National Trust for this tremendous honor. Moynihan train hall has resulted decades of planning and three and a half years of construction efforts to restore this grand building. The building you see today also represents the work of so many, including the leadership of New York state and our project partners, Mornado, Long Island Railroad, and Amtrak, and our designer and builder teams, including SLM and Skanska. This project was also made possible by the extraordinary vision and leadership of the late Michael Evans, president of the Moynihan station development corporation. The project is a symbol of perseverance, strength, and resilience. Our team hopes that it will serve as a model for how complex infrastructure projects can be delivered and an example of what can be accomplished by adaptive reuse and historic preservation. We hope that the conversion of the historic James A. Farley post office building into a classic yet contemporary train hall will endure as a symbol of preserving iconic architecture of the past while establishing a future of great city architecture. Thank you. Thank you Doug and congratulations to our three exceptional Richard H. Dreehaus Foundation National Preservation Award winners. It's clear each of these rehabilitation projects will have a huge community impact. This brings us to the final and highest honor of the night, the Louise DuPont Crown and Shield Award for a lifetime achievement in the field of historic preservation. The award will be presented by Jay Clements, National Trust Chair of the Board of Trustees. Congratulations to all the recipients of the 2021 National Preservation Awards. The work you do is extraordinary, not just for its impacts on a specific building or place, but for the countless benefits your work has for your communities and the individuals in those communities. And each of you inspires many other preservationists around the country, including me and my fellow trustees at the National Trust. For that, I am especially grateful. Thank you also to our sponsors for their generous support and commitment to the historic preservation movement. It is through the support of the Richard H. Dreehaus Foundation and American Express that we are able to highlight the extraordinary work of tonight's awardees, motivating us all to redouble our efforts to utilize historic preservation to bring about positive change in our world. On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I now have the privilege of presenting the National Trust's highest honor, the Louise DuPont Crown and Shield Award for superlative achievement in the field of historic preservation. This year, we are pleased to honor Patricia O'Donnell, a nationally and internationally recognized landscape architect. Patricia's pioneering work over the past 40 years helped to establish the field of cultural landscape preservation in the United States and has continued to expand it by combining scholarship with the holistic stewardship public places. In 1987, O'Donnell founded her pioneering firm, Heritage Landscapes, which has completed over 600 cultural landscape preservation planning and implementation projects. Her portfolio includes hundreds of places listed on the National Register of Historic Places, 40 national historic landmarks, and eight World Heritage sites. Her designs go beyond ecology and aesthetics, emphasizing how spaces must address access, inclusion, and environmental and social justice. Patricia is a visionary mentor and, as one of her peers shared, a pioneering conversation starter. Her work with the National Park Service has set national standards for how we steward the layered richness of our cultured landscapes, and she played key leadership roles in the creation of both the documentation focused historic American landscape survey and the advocacy oriented cultural landscape foundation. O'Donnell's current endeavors, which focus on climate change action, sustainability, accessibility, and inclusion, demonstrate that she continues to be a powerful force for innovation in her cultural landscape practice. It is particularly notable that Patricia O'Donnell is the first landscape architect recognized with the Louise DePont Cron and Shield Award, in its more than 60-year history, and her impact and global leadership on cultural landscape preservation will continue to shape and expand the field in meaningful ways. Patricia O'Donnell is a global leader in historic preservation whose talent is recognized widely across the professional design, planning, and preservation industries. Patricia's passion is the stewardship of heritage places to enhance the long-term prosperity and resilience of communities. From the outset of her career as a preservation landscape architect and urban planner, Patricia understood the significance of cultural landscapes, viewing them as our civic commons and emphasizing the importance of addressing access, inclusion, and environmental and social justice in her designs. Patricia began raising awareness about the importance of cultural landscapes and preservation within the landscape architecture field as early as 1981. Since starting her company, Heritage Landscapes in 1987, Patricia has completed over 600 preservation-focused planning and implementation projects around the world. Hundreds of national register-listed places, 40 national historic landmarks, and eight World Heritage Sites have benefited from her leadership, including the National Mall in Washington, D.C., and several state capitals and iconic universities. In Pittsburgh, Patricia's firm worked for 18 years with local partners to revitalize 1,700 acres of historic parks by addressing park system integration, connectivity, access, sustainability, and landscape character to set forth sound future directions. In Birmingham, she worked to enlarge the scope of civil rights movement sites on the U.S. World Heritage Tentative List to include recognition of the public places or neighborhoods where civil rights peaceful resistance events took place. Patricia has helped set industry standards from her firm's preparation of the very first National Park Service Cultural Landscape Report to her contributions to the Secretary of the Interior's guidelines for the treatment of cultural landscapes to help encraft the United Nation's historic urban landscape recommendation. In 2005, the National Trust placed the Ernest Hemingway Museum in Cuba on the 11 Most Endangered Historic Places list. Patricia was selected as the landscape architect on the first team of U.S. design professionals to engage in sanctioned collaboration with Cuban colleagues since the 1959 Revolution. Believing that culture and nature are inseparable, Patricia has worked with other leaders from across the world to advance actionable climate change solutions through her contributions to the 2015 United Nation Sustainable Development Goals, the 2030 Global Agenda, and the ICOMO Sustainable Development Goals Vocal Group. Patricia's work pulls the field of historic preservation forward on an international stage, uniting heritage conservation, sustainability, and justice for people and the planet. It is with great honor and esteem that I present the first landscape architect to receive the Crown and Shield Award, the one and only Patricia O'Donnell. Greetings. This is a very special moment, mindful of the contributions of many to my career and with immense gratitude to the National Trust. I'm excited to receive this Louise Stupont Crown and Shield Award. The award recognizes my professional and volunteer works addressing cultural landscape heritage nationally and internationally, and also recognizes the landscape heritage field that has grown and broadened, taking on new meanings in the face of the challenges of our times, such as climate, justice, inclusion, and many other vectors, as well as to define better roles for heritage advocates and professionals to aid in giving voice to an inclusive historical narrative that uplifts shared heritage places. I offer deep appreciation to my past and present heritage landscapes team and our many collaborators, particularly thanking those who put forward my Crown and Shield nomination. At this critical juncture when the Earth's needs are complex, intertwined, and pervasive, my professional focus on public cultural landscapes provides a way forward. I continue to strive to uplift the cultural landscapes of valued heritage to support life forms, resources, and assets of our fragile planet, and in so doing help achieve the UN 2030 sustainable development goals, the new urban agenda, and climate change action. I recognize the Abenaki on whose unceded lands I dwell and the indigenous worldwide whose traditions and practices can inform all of humanity toward a future in greater harmony with our beleaguered planet. It's thrilling to receive this professional recognition and reinforces my motivation to aid in solving the immense challenges and opportunities that can bring greater resilience and a brighter future to landscape heritage. With thanks, I humbly accept the 2021 Crown and Shield Award. Thank you, Patricia, and thanks to each of you in our audience for joining us today for the National Preservation Awards ceremony. We want to send a personal thank you to the Richard H. D. House Foundation and to American Express for sponsoring today's event. While we have embraced the broad accessibility that comes with doing a virtual ceremony like this, it is my true hope that we get to see everyone in person in Miami at next year's ceremony. The brilliant work showcased tonight inspires me to raise the bar in my own preservation efforts, and I hope it does the same for you as you lead efforts to preserve the places you and your community hold dear. Thank you so much for joining me, and good night.