Preservation Merit Awards

Central Machine Works: 2020 Preservation Award for Rehabilitation (Photo: Andrea Calo)

Celebrating Austin’s Diverse Past and Inspiring Present

Established in 1960, Preservation Austin’s annual Preservation Merit Awards program honors visionary approaches to preserving our city’s unique architectural, cultural, and environmental heritage. By recognizing outstanding individuals, businesses, organizations, and institutions, we hope to inspire others to carry on this important work.

66th Annual 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.

Join us on NOVEMBER 10 at CENTRAL MACHINE WORKS to toast to this year’s winners at our 66th Annual Preservation Merit Awards Celebration!

2026 PMA WINNERS

AWARDS CELEBRATION

2026 Preservation Merit Award Winners

**CHARLES MOORE HOUSE AND MOORE/ANDERSSON COMPOUND RESTORATION**

**CULTURAL CURRENTS: PRESERVING THE STORIES, SOUNDS AND SPIRIT OF RED RIVER**

Celebrating our 65th Annual Preservation Merit Awards

Thank you to everyone who joined us for our 2025 Preservation Merit Awards Celebration at Stubb’s Bar-B-Q! Click below for highlights from a festive evening honoring visionary approaches to preserving our city’s unique architectural, cultural, and environmental heritage.

EVENT PHOTOS

Preservation Merit Award Categories Include:

Preservation Awards

Preservation Awards honor:

The preservation, rehabilitation, and restoration of historic and recent past properties
Outstanding infill and sympathetic additions that enhance the historic fabric
The preservation of a cultural landscape
Sustainability projects and initiatives which respect properties’ historic character

Stewardship Awards

Stewardship Awards honor ongoing efforts to care for, manage, and maintain historic resources.

Special Recognition Awards

Special Recognition Awards honor those who have exhibited leadership in preservation.

This includes:

Outstanding public service through advocacy, public projects, neighborhood preservation, or research
The craftspeople who maintain and restore our historic resources
Educational programs, curricula, or informational tools that focus on preservation and history
Outstanding media coverage of preservation issues by reporters, writers, publishers, and publications.

Eligible projects for this juried program must be located within the City of Austin. Calls for nominations are announced every summer, followed by awards announcements in the fall.