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Presentation of a Florida Trust for Historic Preservation award for the restoration of the Coral Gables Merrick House.
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The Florida Trust for Historic Preservation announced its 2020 Florida Preservation Awards on Thursday, July 30, recognizing people, organizations and communities who have worked to protect Florida’s extraordinary history and heritage.
The Florida Preservation Awards were given in conjunction with the Florida Secretary of State Main Street Awards as part of the Florida Preservation on Main Street Conference, a conference co-hosted by the Florida Trust and the Florida Main Street program. Award nominations were made by the public with recipients selected by a jury from around the state representing a variety of backgrounds and experiences. Awards were granted in three categories: Restoration/Rehabilitation, Adaptive Use and Preservation Education/Media. Additionally, the Board of Trustees granted its major award - the Legacy Award.
The Coral Gables Merrick house was selected to receive an award for recognition in the Preservation Education/Media Category for Restoration/Rehabilitation.
This project, a comprehensive interior and exterior restoration of the house and detached garage, was completed in late 2017. It included conservation of the exterior coral rock façade, restoration of decorative interior finishes, restoration of original wood windows and doors and bringing the site into ADA compliance. The Coral Gables Merrick House is a significant historic site in the City. The careful restoration accomplished with this project ensures that this living testament to George Merrick will educate visitors for decades to come.