2025 Preservation Awards - A Celebration at J. Rieger & Co. -

Historic Kansas City is pleased to announce the winning projects for the 2024-2025 Historic Preservation Awards. The Annual Preservation Awards highlight numerous historic preservation efforts that have been completed in the Kansas City area in the last year. HKC feels that the long-term quality and character of a community is directly related to its willingness to identify, protect, and enhance those historic places that define and differentiate it. That is why we host the Preservation Awards, to celebrate and bring awareness to those companies and individuals who help preserve these unique historic places for future generations.

This year’s Historic Preservation Awards took place in the Monogram Lounge at J. Rieger & Co. distillery in Kansas City, Missouri on Tuesday, October 28^th. The final award winners were announced before an audience of building owners, industry leaders, and representatives from around the Kansas City metro. Nominee finalists were selected from nominations received from historic preservation supporters, prior award recipients, community leaders, and leadership from Historic Kansas City.

For fifty years, Historic Kansas City (HKC) has been the only greater Kansas City nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation of the area’s heritage, neighborhoods, and historic built environment. Through advocacy, public policy, outreach, and educational programming, HKC is an advocate for, and participant in, the thoughtful and meaningful preservation and rehabilitation of historic buildings, landscapes, and neighborhoods.

View the full press release at the following link: https://www.historickansascity.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Press-Release-2025-Preservation-Awards.docx

Immediately below, find a list of this year’s award winners. Keep scrolling down for more images of our October 28th at J. Rieger & Co.

AWARD WINNERS:

Best Adaptive Re-Use: Awarded to a project that is an exemplary example of a creative, innovative and appropriate re-use of a historic structure. The current use of the building must differ from its historical use.

The Gathering KC – The Hope Center [Excellence]
(Former Annunciation Catholic Church), 3126 Benton Boulevard
The Dairy Apartments [Honors]
(Aines Dairy), 3130 Gillham Road
MGM Studio and Columbia/Universal Pictures [Honors]
220 & 214 West 18th Street

Best Preservation Practices: This award honors either outstanding work in the rehabilitation, restoration or reconstruction of a structure, or the outstanding work of a specific craftsperson on such a project. It is not intended to reflect lifetime achievement, but to highlight best-in-class or innovative techniques in a project. The nomination must include photographs of the work and descriptions of the obstacles faced by the craftsperson in performing the work, innovative techniques or materials used in the project, and the process involved in the work, including research where applicable.

407 Grand Building [Excellence]
(Ralph Hurst & Company Building), 407 Grand Boulevard

Best Contribution to Affordable Housing Through Preservation: This category recognizes the value of reusing buildings rather than demolishing and starting from scratch and its importance in maintaining affordable housing in Kansas City. The project honors the best work of those who have repurposed or rehabilitated multi-family buildings, six-plexes and other properties in a way that enhances the neighborhood around them while also creating or maintaining affordable living spaces.

City Hall Lofts [Excellence]
(Kansas City, Kansas City Hall), 805 N 6th St, Kansas City, KS

Contemporary Design in a Historic Context: Awarded to a project that displays appropriate and innovative contemporary design in a historic context. Any contemporary building located within a historic context is eligible, including a major addition to a historic building. The project is expected to respect and complement the historic integrity of its setting.

William D. Harris Home Kitchen [Merit]
55th Annual Symphony Designers’ Showhouse, 3621 Belleview Avenue

Neighborhood Stabilization Award: Awarded to a project, individual, business or group that has greatly contributed to the revitalization of a historic neighborhood or reclamation of abandoned or poorly maintained property or structure.

East Plaza Apartments Historic District [Excellence]
National Register of Historic Places
Brackett Brothers Drugstore / Seiden’s Furs [Honors]
800 Broadway Boulevard
Harvey Dutton Lofts [Honors]
(Harvey-Dutton Dry Goods Co. ), 935 Broadway Boulevard
Remodel Moore Office [Honors]
(Anheuser Busch Storage Facility), 3115 Gillham Road

Innovation in Preservation: This award recognizes projects that show innovation (such as Blue and Green Architecture, Financing, or Technology) and push the preservation movement forward.

KC 1940 Website [Excellence]
KC1940.org, an innovative digital humanities project making accessible thousands of 1940 Jackson County tax assessment photos

Trailblazers Award: This award recognizes outstanding achievement in preservation activities by a group, business, municipality, neighborhood, or other organization. The award nomination evaluation will be based on outstanding achievement for a significant project or for a lengthy period of dedication to preservation activities.

Hyde Park Neighborhood Association
On the occasion of the Hyde Park Neighborhood’s “Golden Jubilee,” for accomplishments dating back to the Association’s founding in 1974.

Jane Flynn Pillars of Preservation Award

Individual or joint partnership that has championed historic preservation, planning, or public policy.

Presented to Executive Director Emerita Lisa Briscoe at HKC Annual Meeting in May.

George Ehrlich Award: Awarded to a group or individual for an outstanding publication in preservation, history, urban design or a related topic.