University of Arkansas Honored for Campus Preservation Plan

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One of the 38 buildings included in the Campus Historic District

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The University of Arkansas received a prestigious 2009 Arkansas Preservation Award from the Historic Preservation Alliance of Arkansas at the alliance’s annual banquet in Little Rock on Jan. 15.

“The Alliance’s Preservation Awards program recognizes and honors outstanding achievement in projects, practices and advocacy that foster preservation of historic and cultural sites across our state,” said executive director Vanessa McKuin.

The university was given the Outstanding Achievement in Preservation Education for the professional training and public outreach developed through its Campus Historic Preservation Plan. The plan was funded in 2007 by a $170,000 Getty Foundation Campus Heritage Grant. The preservation plan was developed and is being implemented by the university’s facilities management department and campus planning office.

Mike Johnson, associate vice chancellor for facilities, and Karen Van Horn of the facilities management planning group accepted the award on behalf of the university.

“It is an honor to be recognized for the work we are able to do thanks to the Getty Foundation grant,” said Johnson. “With this support we have been able to begin addressing the preservation needs on campus. And of course we made important progress when the Campus Historic District, which includes 38 buildings and five landscape areas, was named to the National Register of Historic Places.”

The Campus Historic Preservation Plan was honored for addressing historic preservation needs and developing a comprehensive strategy for long-range planning and management of the university’s historic resources. That strategy included creating training programs for facilities management personnel while involving architecture students and the public. The university hired the preservation consultants Ruby Architects Inc. of North Little Rock, along with Lord Aeck and Sargent of Atlanta, and The Jaeger Company of Gainesville, Ga. to help develop the comprehensive strategy. The plan was presented to the public in February 2009.