KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – Nominations for the 2026 Historic Preservation Awards of Merit from the Kalamazoo Historic Preservation Commission are now being accepted. The awards recognize individuals, organizations, and projects that make meaningful contributions to preserving Kalamazoo’s historic places.
Historic preservation is about more than buildings; it’s about the people who care for them. These awards highlight the commitment, creativity, and ongoing effort required to rehabilitate historic structures, maintain them over time, and ensure they continue to serve the community.
Recent award recipients reflect the wide range of preservation work happening across Kalamazoo, from homeowners and nonprofits to developers and long-term stewards. Past honorees include the Kalamazoo Ladies’ Library Association, which used a COVID-era closure to rehabilitate historic interior features, and Tony and Kate Sproul, recognized for the ongoing stewardship of their historic home on Stuart Avenue. Other recent projects have ranged from detailed porch restorations to large-scale downtown rehabilitation efforts that have kept historic buildings in active use.
Community members are invited to submit nominations in the following categories:
- Individual or Institutional Stewardship Award: Recognizes individuals or organizations whose ongoing preservation activities merit special recognition, or who have demonstrated excellence in the long-term care of a historic property.
- Place Award: Restoration, rehabilitation, or sympathetic infill construction demonstrating excellence in preservation. This can include creative adaptive reuse projects that incorporate sustainability, accessibility improvements, and thoughtful design solutions.
Community members may submit multiple nominations.
To be eligible, projects must:
- Be located within the City of Kalamazoo
- Have been completed within the past five years
- Be substantially complete by March 15, 2026
- Comply with the Secretary of the Interior Standards for Rehabilitation, where applicable
Nominations do not need to be located in historic districts. The HPC especially encourages nominations for projects located outside of currently designated historic districts.
Award recipients will be announced and awards presented during National Preservation Month in May 2026.
Nominations must be submitted online at www.kalamazoocity.org/hpcawards through Tuesday, March 31.
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