Awarding excellence in historic preservation since 1984

Many thanks to everyone who joined us to celebrate the 2024 Award winners on Friday, November 15! You can find a full event recap here, including photos and videos highlighting our winners.

Thank you to our sponsors!

The Arthur F. & Alice E. Adams Charitable Foundation

The Excelsior Society of the Preservation League of NYS

The League's annual Excellence Awards program allows us to shine a light on the people who are using historic preservation to make all of our lives better —through exemplary restoration projects, indispensable publications, individual action, and organizational distinction.

Recipients of the Excellence Award represent the very best of what the League stands for and supports in historic preservation. They exemplify best practices in the field and demonstrate how preservation is integral to building stronger neighborhoods, boosting local economies, tackling the affordable housing crisis, mitigating climate change, opening our eyes to overlooked history, and saving the places that are special to all of us.

Congratulations to This Year’s Award Winners!

Click here to read the announcement.

Reynold's Way, Elmira, Chemung County; Little Caribbean, Brooklyn, Kings County; Town of Avon Opera Hall Rehabilitation, Livingston County; Canal Commons, Rochester, Monroe County; Still Standing: The Barns of J.T. Wells and Sons, Pittsford, Monroe County; Roosevelt Island Lighthouse Restoration, New York County; Moyer Carriage Lofts, Syracuse, Onondaga County; Newburgh East End II, Orange County; Most Precious Blood Roman Catholic Church, Astoria, Queens County; Revive 65 Phila, Saratoga Springs, Saratoga County

Award Sponsorship

All sponsors receive:

$750 Activist Level (Small- to Mid-Size Firm, up to 50 employees) / $1,250 Patron Level (Large Firm 50+ employees)

  • Half-page color ad in event program

  • 1 event ticket

$2,500 Benefactor Level

  • Full-page color ad in event program

  • Company logo in the League’s E-newsletter (1 issue)

  • 1 year Excelsior Society membership

  • 2 event tickets

$5,000 Champion Level

  • Full-page color ad in event program

  • Company logo in the League’s E-newsletter (2 issues)

  • 1 year Excelsior Society membership

  • 4 event tickets

$7,500 + Leader Level

  • Recognition as a Presenting Sponsor at the event

  • Full-page color ad in event program (inside or back cover pages)

  • Featured logo in Excellence Awards related emails and event video (must be received no later than Monday, September 30)

  • Company logo in the League’s E-newsletter (2 issues)

  • 1 year Excelsior Society membership

  • 6 event tickets

Click here for a downloadable PDF of this year’s sponsorship opportunities.

  • The awards jury evaluates each nomination on the following:

    • Level of statewide significance
    • Impact on underrepresented communities or overlooked history
    • Effective solutions to current preservation issues
    • Degree of difficulty faced, and creativity shown in the solution
    • Level of impact on the community, region, or state
    • Display of collaborative efforts
    • Design sensitivity to the historic character and fabric of the property while utilizing appropriate preservation techniques, such as the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards

  • Nomination must be based in New York State. Nominations in the Project and Publication categories must be complete as of the submission date and must have been completed no earlier than May 2021.

    Please note: Letters of support from people familiar with, but not directly involved in, your nomination are required for consideration by the Awards jury.

  • Should your nomination be successful, you are expected to work with League staff during September and October 2024 on efforts that recognize and promote your winning nomination. This may include, but is not limited to, participation in an in-person awards ceremony in NYC on Friday, November 15, blog posts, interviews, additional photography and/or videography, webinars, etc. All nominations must have the full support of the property owner (for Projects) or individuals (for Organizations, Publications, and Individuals). If selected, they must be willing to coordinate with the League on reasonable site access and interviews for promotional purposes. Winners will be expected to keep their winning nomination embargoed until a coordinated public announcement can be made.

Initiatives relating to social justice, civil rights, sustainability, traditional trades, and affordable housing are especially encouraged, as are sites that were formerly included on a League “Seven to Save” list.

Wondering what an Excellence Award-winning project looks like? Here’s a look at the eight winners from 2023.