Courtesy photo
Westfield Preservation Efforts Celebrated
Historic Preservation Commission
Westfield’s Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) presented the 2023 Devlin Awards for outstanding efforts in preservation to a full house on Thursday night, November 2, in the Community Room of Town Hall. Over fifty attendees, including property owners, architects, builders, and guests, were on hand to recognize the eight commercial and residential winners and three honorary recipients. For a slideshow of all the recipients, visit westfieldnj.gov/Devlin-Awards-2023.
Commercial/Institutional properties recognized included Mimi & Hill Design Studio for their storefront at 150-152 E. Broad Street; St. Paul’s Episcopal Church for their steeple restoration; and the Town of Westfield for the restored train station kiosk.
Residential property honorees included Lisa Colone and Curtis Tao for 100 W. Dudley Avenue (Sensitive Addition), Eric and Meredith Bridge for 601 Lenox Ave. (Restoration and Painting); Gregory and Shannon Crooks for 612 Elm Street and David Villane for 121 Effingham Place (Restoration and Addition), and Thomas and Christina Walsh for 256 W. Dudley Ave. (New Construction Sensitive to the Area).
Special Achievement Awards went to the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Association and the Friends of Brightwood Park for outstanding effort in raising awareness of historic properties linked to African-American residents, sites and events. Sherry Cronin, former executive director of the Downtown Westfield Corp., received the Chairman’s Choice Award, the Commission’s highest honor, for her longtime dedication to preserving the architectural heritage of the central business district.
“This was a great night for preservation,” said HPC Chair Maria Boyes.” While these awards may highlight the beautiful historic properties in this town, it’s really about the people. The stories we hear as each recipient stands at that podium are priceless.”
Established in 1984 by municipal ordinance, Westfield’s Historic Preservation Commission is charged with preserving historical sites and structures while fostering an appreciation for these landmarks as an essential element of the town’s unique character. For more information, please visit westfieldnj.gov/historic preservation.
