Preservation Awards Program
A Special Announcement:
Cynthia Howk Named Recipient of the 2026 Jean France Special Achievement Award!
In 1976, Cynthia Howk, a recent Mary Washington College graduate working toward a music education career in her native Rochester, joined The Landmark Society of Western New York as an intern for what was expected to be a three-month project. Fifty years on, the preservation movement in Western New York State shows countless hallmarks of Cynthia’s untiring, ebullient work.
Through her stewardship of The Landmark Society’s library and her extensive research, exploration, and writing as the organization’s Architectural Research Coordinator, Cynthia is the unrivaled clearinghouse for information on the area’s historic built environment. Local media outlets invariably seek her comment when matters of preservation or history arise. Combining her expertise in music and preservation, Cynthia has become a particular advocate for historic pipe organs in our region. Her talks and tours have enlisted countless localities and their citizens to the cause of preservation and connected them to resources to create opportunities out of their historic architecture. Moreover, she has fostered professional community within the field, encouraging dialogue among practitioners of preservation – tradespeople, architects, historians, property owners, and developers – both through her own voluminous correspondence and through establishment of a Regional Preservation Network, professional conferences, and The Landmark Society’s Awards Program. Collaborators appreciatively reference her thoroughly-researched emails about various properties in the area, as well as “late-night, extensive phone calls.” Indeed, many operating locally in the field today have been mentored by Cynthia, and the joint Bero/Howk internship program of Bero Architecture and The Landmark Society is in part named in Cynthia’s honor in recognition of the interest she has taken throughout her career in guiding the next generation of built environment stewards.
Though she retired from The Landmark Society in 2021, Cynthia’s participation in the field has not skipped a beat, as she continues to remain active in research, advocacy, and committee work, where the community connections and encyclopedic knowledge she has built over her long career are invaluable and continue to enrich life in our region.
In recognition of her untiring, central work as a scholar, a mentor, and a spokesperson for preservation in Western New York over more than half a century, The Landmark Society awards its 2026 Jean France Special Achievement Award to Cynthia Howk.
[Stay tuned for a full announcement of awardees in the fall!]
2026 PRESERVATION AWARDS NOMINATIONS ARE now closed
The Landmark Society of Western New York is now accepting nominations for our 2026 Preservation Awards! Each year, we celebrate the people, projects, and places that make our region’s rich architectural heritage thrive—from dedicated advocates and hands-on homeowners to transformative adaptive reuse projects and beautifully preserved historic landscapes. If you or someone you know has recently completed an outstanding preservation effort within our service area, we encourage you to apply. Self-nominations are welcome!
Submissions are due by May 1, 2026 at 11:00 PM.
Thank you for helping us recognize and honor preservation excellence across our community!
Questions? Contact Megan Hillyard at mhillyard@landmarksociety.org.
Each fall, The Landmark Society presents awards to projects, individuals, and organizations who, through their dedication and hard work, have contributed to historic preservation in our nine-county area.
The Landmark Society’s Awards Committee presented the 2025 Preservation Awards at the Little Theatre on Sunday, November 16th. Click here to read about the 2025 awardees.
Below is a list of the award categories, along with descriptions and criteria for each award.
Recognizes a large-scale rehabilitation of a historic building in our region completed within the last two years, possibly using the Federal Investment Tax Credit program. Old fabric should be sympathetically maintained and carefully rehabilitated. New construction, if any, should be compatible and of high authentic quality. This award was created to honor Congressman Barber Conable of Alexander, Genesee County, who supported the establishment of the Federal Investment Tax Credit Program for the rehabilitation of historic, income-producing buildings. Private residences are not eligible for this award.
Applies to projects similar to those eligible for the Barber Conable Award, but of more modest scope. The award is given for a sympathetic rehabilitation of an architecturally significant building, structure, object, or site in our nine-county region completed within the past two years. Candidacy may be enhanced if the project is historically significant or if it strengthens its neighborhood. Private residences are not eligible for this award.
Recognizes an individual or organization that has provided continued care of and commitment to the preservation of an architecturally and/or historically significant public property over a period of years. “Care” can include appropriate changes to the building fabric. Eligible properties include religious, educational, not-for-profit, commercial or government buildings, structures, objects, or sites.
Recognizes owners of private residences for their continued care of and commitment to the preservation of an architecturally significant house over a minimum of seven (7) years. “Care” may include appropriate rehabilitation and/or sympathetic new additions according to need. Thoughtful rehabilitation/restoration of the interior and/or significant features of a historical landscape may enhance the quality of the nomination. The seven-year criteria may be waived in special circumstances as deemed appropriate by the awards committee.
Recognizes and encourages the preservation, restoration, rehabilitation, and stewardship of historically significant landscapes in The Landmark Society’s nine-county region. The recipient may be either individual(s) or an organization.
Provides recognition for projects that do not fit into other categories or recognizes the accomplishments in the field of historic preservation of an outstanding individual or group.
Recognizes an individual working in the traditional trades for his/her exceptional knowledge of historic preservation techniques and advocacy for historic buildings. These trades include, but are not limited to: stained glass, woodworking, pipe organ building, windows, masonry, roofing, and plaster.
Recognizes an individual who has been an outstanding advocate for historic preservation in their community. Established in honor of the late Paul Malo, Syracuse University professor, architect, historian, award-winning author, and preservation advocate, whose passionate advocacy for New York’s historic resources extended over six decades.
Recognizes accomplishments of an individual that have occurred over a lengthy period of time. The award was recently renamed in honor of Jean R. France, Landmark Society trustee, accomplished architectural historian, passionate preservationist, community advocate, and long-time member and chair of the Preservation Awards Committee. She passed away in early 2021.
Recognizes building owners who have physically engaged in the preservation and restoration of their property through self-education and countless hours of do-it-yourself work. The work on the building does not have to be complete but should be mindful of the “Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation” and demonstrate substantial self-performed long-term care.
Recognizes small businesses that occupy historic commercial buildings and have demonstrated their commitment to preservation via the care, repair, and/or long-term operation at these sites.