Every city has buildings that hold its memory. In Austin, one nonprofit has spent decades making sure those places, and the people who care for them, are celebrated.
Preservation Austin exists to empower Austinites to shape a more inclusive, resilient, and meaningful community culture through preservation. Its goal is a future where historic places play a meaningful role in everyone’s life. Programs like Legacy Business Month and its Grants Program highlight what makes Austin unique and give everyone a chance to help preserve our shared history.
In September, the nonprofit has announced the twelve winners of its 66th Annual Preservation Merit Awards. Established in 1960, the juried program honors the hard work and visionary approaches of those preserving Austin’s heritage, from the restoration and careful expansion of beloved residences to the rehabilitation of Austin institutions.
“This year’s award-winners represent such an incredible range of preservation projects and preservation legacies across our city,” said 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.”
Each year, professionals from the preservation, design, and nonprofit worlds serve on the jury and select exemplary projects with community impact. The 2026 Preservation Merit Awards Jury included Cindy Black of Rick & Cindy Black Architects; Jamie Crawley, Texas Main Street Architect and Design Lead at the Texas Historical Commission; Hannah Rangel, Vice President, Built Environment, at the Downtown Austin Alliance; Ted Siff, Principal of Creating Common Ground; and Erin Waelder, Director of Donor Communications for Paramount & State Theatres.
Winners span preservation awards for additions, rehabilitations, and restoration, along with a Stewardship Award and Special Recognition Awards honoring the citizens and organizations who have worked tirelessly to preserve and promote Austin’s unique legacy.
Honorees will be celebrated at the 2026 Preservation Merit Awards Celebration at Central Machine Works on Tuesday, November 10, from 6 to 9 p.m. The evening is the only one of its kind to honor the everyday Austinites working to preserve Austin’s heritage in diverse, exciting, and unexpected ways.
MEANINGFUL WAYS TO GET INVOLVED
- Attend: Merit Awards Celebration, November 10, 6–9 p.m., Central Machine Works
- Tickets: $100 for members, $125 for non-members
- Sponsor: Sponsorship opportunities available now
- Learn more: preservationaustin.org
2026 PRESERVATION MERIT AWARD RECIPIENTS (group in boxes per category like was done in the Westwood Waves article in August 2026 issue)
PRESERVATION AWARDS
14th Street
Preservation Award for Addition
Starling House
Recipient: Maggie and Patrick Buckley
Preservation Award for Addition
Spectre Offices
Recipient: Jordan Jaffe
Preservation Award for Rehabilitation
Cosmic Saltillo
Recipient: Cosmic Hospitality Group
Preservation Award for Rehabilitation
Haynes-Delashwah House
Recipient: Daybreak Hospitality
Preservation Award for Rehabilitation
McDermott Carriage House
Recipient: The University of Texas at Austin’s Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Preservation Award for Rehabilitation + Sustainability
Texas French Bread
Recipient: Murph Willcott and Carissa Ries
Preservation Award for Rehabilitation
Pathways at Rosewood Courts
Recipient: Austin Housing Authority and Austin Affordable Housing Corporation
Preservation Award for Restoration
STEWARDSHIP AWARD
Charles Moore House and Moore/Andersson Compound Restoration
Recipient: Kevin Keim
Stewardship Award
SPECIAL RECOGNITION AWARDS
Save the Good Stuff
Recipient: Save the Good Stuff
Special Recognition Award for Craftsmanship
Cultural Currents: Preserving the Stories, Sounds, and Spirit of Red River
Recipient: Red River Cultural District
Special Recognition Award for Education + Media & Scholarship
Emily Little
Recipient: Emily Little
Special Recognition Award for Public Service
Photo: Courtesy of Emily Little
