Preservation Austin Celebrates 2026 Preservation Merit Awards
Preservation Austin is thrilled to recognize the thoughtful, pioneering, and community-oriented winners of our 66th Annual Preservation Merit Awards. Our twelve winners for 2026 represent the wide-ranging efforts to uplift preservation practice and enhance historic spaces across Austin.
Established in 1960, this juried program celebrates the hard work and visionary approaches of those preserving Austin’s heritage.
“This year’s award-winners represent such an incredible range of preservation projects and preservation legacies across our city,” says Lindsey Derrington, Preservation Austin’s Executive Director. “Austin’s creative, passionate, and innovative preservation community is stronger than ever, and we’re excited and honored to share these stories with our community.”
The 2026 honorees range from the restoration and careful expansion of beloved residences, to the rehabilitation of Austin institutions. Stewardship and Special Recognition Awards celebrate the inspiring citizens and organizations who have worked tirelessly to preserve and promote our city’s unique legacy.
Preservation Austin brings together professionals from the preservation, design, and nonprofit worlds to serve on its jury each year and to select exemplary projects with community impact.
The 2026 Preservation Merit Awards Jury included:
Cindy Black, Rick & Cindy Black Architects
Jamie Crawley, Texas Main Street Architect and Design Lead, Texas Historical Commission
Hannah Rangel, Vice President, Built Environment, Downtown Austin Alliance
Ted Siff, Principal, Creating Common Ground
Erin Waelder, Director of Donor Communications, Paramount & State Theatres
Recipients will be honored at our Preservation Merit Awards Celebration at Central Machine Works on Tuesday, November 10 from 6 pm to 9 pm. This annual celebration is the only one of its kind to honor the everyday Austinites working hard to preserve Austin’s heritage in diverse, exciting, and unexpected ways.
Ticket sales and sponsorship opportunities are available now at the link below. Individual tickets are $100 for Preservation Austin members and $125 for non-members. All proceeds from the event help sustain our nonprofit’s advocacy and educational programming year-round.
2026 Preservation Merit Award Recipients
PRESERVATION AWARDS
E. 14th Street
Preservation Award for Addition
Photo: Casey Dunn
Starling House
Recipient: Maggie and Patrick Buckley
Preservation Award for Addition
Photo: Jenn Rose Smith
Spectre Offices
Recipient: Jordan Jaffe
Preservation Award for Rehabilitation
Photo: Chase Daniel
Cosmic Saltillo
Recipient: Cosmic Hospitality Group
Preservation Award for Rehabilitation
Photo: Clay Grier
Haynes-Delashwah House
Recipient: Daybreak Hospitality
Preservation Award for Rehabilitation
Photo: Likeness Studio
McDermott Carriage House
Recipient: The University of Texas at Austin's Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Preservation Award for Rehabilitation + Sustainability
Photo: Kensey Wiggins
Texas French Bread
Recipient: Murph Willcott and Carissa Ries
Preservation Award for Rehabilitation
Photo: Jeff Ervin
Pathways at Rosewood Courts
Recipient: Austin Housing Authority and Austin Affordable Housing Corporation
Preservation Award for Restoration
Photo: Jake Holt
STEWARDSHIP AWARD
Charles Moore House and Moore/Andersson Compound Restoration
Recipient: Kevin Keim
Stewardship Award
Photo: Courtesy of Kevin Keim
SPECIAL RECOGNITION AWARDS
Save the Good Stuff
Recipient: Save the Good Stuff
Special Recognition Award for Craftsmanship
Photo: Emma Hussey
Cultural Currents: Preserving the Stories, Sounds and Spirit of Red River
Recipient: Red River Cultural District
Special Recognition Award for Education + Media & Scholarship
Photo: Lauren Grover
Emily Little, FAIA
Special Recognition Award for Public Service
Photo: Courtesy of Emily Little