Washington, D.C. – – September 22, 2026 -- The National Trust for Historic Preservation awarded eight recipients its 2026 National Preservation Awards before more than 500 industry leaders gathered in Washington, D.C., marking the organization's first National Preservation Summit.
San Diego completes seven-year renovation of 315,000-square-foot Depression-era civic landmark
The County of San Diego received a Richard H. Driehaus Foundation National Preservation Award for rehabilitating its County Administration Center, a building dedicated in 1938 under President Franklin D. Roosevelt's federal public works program. The project spanned more than twenty phases of fully occupied renovation to address seismic limitations and aging systems without demolition.
Buffalo grain complex converts 230,000 square feet into 168 residential units
American Lofts at Silo City, built between 1905 and the 1940s as part of Buffalo's historic grain-shipping infrastructure, received a Driehaus award for adaptive reuse that introduced permanent housing to the site for the first time. The development combined Federal and New York State Historic Tax Credits with affordable housing financing, offering a financing model for cities managing legacy industrial assets.
Oregon Supreme Court building becomes state's first base-isolated historic structure
The 1914 Oregon Supreme Court Building in Salem earned a Driehaus award as one of only two LEED Gold-certified, earthquake-resistant historic buildings in the country. Engineers disconnected the structure from its foundation to allow independent movement during seismic events while preserving original terra cotta, marble, and mahogany finishes, including a Povey Brothers stained-glass laylight.
San Antonio Missions partnership deploys $2 million to restore century-old irrigation systems
San Antonio Missions National Historical Park won the National Trust/Advisory Council on Historic Preservation Award for Federal Partnerships after leveraging more than $2 million since 2022 through the National Park Service, AmeriCorps programs, and community partners. The funding restored historic acequias tied to five UNESCO World Heritage missions, including The Alamo, and reclaimed mission farmland for active agricultural use.
Historic New England recognized for stewarding 38 properties across five states
Historic New England, founded in 1910, received the Trustees' Award for Organizational Excellence for managing 38 historic properties spanning farmsteads, urban residences, and industrial sites, alongside a major collection of material culture and archives.
Arthurdale Heritage marks four decades restoring the first New Deal homestead community
Arthurdale Heritage, Inc. in West Virginia received the Trustees' Emeritus Award for Historic Site Stewardship. Formed in 1985 by volunteer residents, the nonprofit reversed decades of decline at the community established under Franklin D. Roosevelt during the Great Depression.
National Trust Advisors program reaches 60th year of policy advocacy
National Trust Advisors, a volunteer network founded in 1966, received the John H. Chafee Trustees' Award for Excellence in Public Policy for shaping preservation policy at federal, state, and local levels over six decades. Separately, Dr. Elizabeth Alexander, president of the Mellon Foundation, received the Louise du Pont Crowninshield Award, the program's marquee honor established in 1960.