Hudson Heritage Association Announces 2021 Preservation Awards

Three notable properties in Hudson’s Historic District have been honored with Preservation Awards from Hudson Heritage Association.

The awards, created by HHA in 2017, recognize, honor and celebrate historic Hudson properties, buildings and landscapes that have been preserved or restored within the last five years. The 2021 Preservation Awards were announced and presented at HHA’s annual members-only celebration on May 13, held in the auditorium of the historic 1927 Hudson High School Building on Oviatt Street.

The award recipients include:

First Congregational Church of Hudson

Located at 47 Aurora Street, the First Congregational Church of Hudson, its tower and steeple have looked the same since the church was constructed in 1865. The Church was honored by HHA for the project its congregation undertook in 2015 to restore the church’s iconic steeple. The project used copper shingling to imitate the original, more vulnerable wooden shingles on the tower. “A good example of preservation in Hudson,” the Awards judges said. “The restoration was done well, using materials and techniques from an early phase of the building’s steeple, which has remained visually the same for 150 years.”

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The Old School Green Park

Located on Oviatt Street in the Historic District, the Old School Green Park occupies the site that was once home to two of Hudson’s earliest school buildings: the Union School, built in 1868, and its successor, Hudson Elementary School, built in 1915. After Hudson Elementary was demolished, the site faced possible development. Thanks to a collaboration between the City of Hudson, Hudson City School District and a neighborhood benefactor, the site was preserved to serve the community.

As Preservation Award judge Jason Klein noted, “Traditionally we think of historic preservation in terms of structures and/or homes. But the truth is historic preservation is as much about the historic landscape as it is about the structure. This project is a great example of how the historic landscape can be as integral to a historic district as a building.”

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29 College Street

Local architect Allan Sveda renovated this 1883 home, which was built for one of Hudson’s many 19th century cheese workers, during 2018-19. It features many late-1800s design elements, including original poplar floorboards, a wooden mantel and the home’s front door. “These small simple houses that housed factory workers are especially vulnerable to being demolished or engulfed in larger plans, so it is unusual to see one restored to the character of the original 19th century neighborhood,” the judges said.

Added HHA Board Member Shelley Sedlacek, Chair of the Preservation Awards Committee, “Hudson’s magical charm didn’t happen by accident. We can enjoy our town’s unique architecture and streetscape only through the commitment, investment and hard work of preservation and restoration.”

Sveda was additionally recognized for more than 20 years of work devoted to restoring numerous historic properties in Hudson including the Evaporator Works and Brewster Mansion.

Properties nominated for Preservation Awards are reviewed by independent judges who tour the site and review documentation to ensure the integrity and historical accuracy of the restoration/preservation and that the project followed the U.S. department of the Interior’s Standards for Historic Preservation. Recipients of the award receive special markers that commemorate their project.

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