2024 Preserve RI “Rhody” Awards at Rosecliff, Newport, RI, Newport RI
On October 20, 2024, Preserve Rhode Island celebrated the 2024 Rhody Awards for Historic Preservation at Rosecliff in Newport. This ceremony recognized outstanding achievements in historic preservation across the state. Among the 10 projects that were honored, three Newport-based projects were selected for their significant contributions to the state’s rich architectural heritage.
Rosecliff Mansion, Bellevue Ave (Newport, RI)
The Rosecliff mansion, a Newport icon, received a Preservation Project Award honoring its extensive $7.4 million restoration. The Preservation Society of Newport County has recently undergone one of the most complex projects in its history, focusing on both interior and exterior elements of the Gilded Age monument. This building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. Valerie Talmage, Executive Director of Preserve Rhode Island noted “The scope included replicating the original 3,200-square-foot Ballroom oak floor to full window restoration.” The project’s scale and attention to detail reflected the institution’s commitment to “protect, preserve, and present” some of Newport’s most notable architectural treasures.
The McDonald House, Second Street (Newport, RI)
Another award was given to a Newport project that was much more modest in scale. Homeowners Kenneth and Deborah McDonald earned the Homeowner Award for their transformation of a small, historic cottage In the Point neighborhood. The McDonalds were honored for successfully modernizing their 850-square-foot home, all while maintaining its historic charm and character. The project also addressed climate concerns, by elevating the structure to help increase its resilience against future flooding. This adaptive approach is a demonstration of how historic preservation can align with contemporary code and challenges.
Belmont Chapel, Island Cemetery (Newport, RI)
A third Newport deserving project was also selected for a Rhody Award. The Belmont Chapel Foundation received a Preservation Project Award for the extraordinary restoration of the Belmont Chapel in the Island Cemetery. This building was once abandoned and overgrowth hid it from view, but through the work of a dedicate community group the chapel has been meticulously restored to match the high standards set by its original architects, George Champlin Mason and Sons and Richard Morris Hunt.
It is wonderful that the modest preservation efforts of individual homeowners and the major preservation efforts of large organizations can be honored side by side, encouraging others to follow in their footsteps with other renovation efforts in the future.
Ross Sinclair Cann, AIA, LEED AP, is an author, historian, educator, and a practicing architect at A4 Architecture who lives and works in Newport, Rhode Island. A4 Architecture is pleased to have helped its clients win Rhody Awards in years past, and hopefully many more in the future.