Preservation Long Island hosts awards to honor preservation efforts

Preservation Long Island hosted an awards ceremony and reception last week to honor individuals and organizations who have exemplified excellence in their efforts to preserve their community’s valuable historic resources.  

Held at Preservation Long Island’s headquarters gallery in the Old Methodist Church in Cold Spring Harbor, the evening brought together honorees and guests for a celebration of preservation excellence. 

The following awards were given at the event: 

Organizational Excellence Award: Suffolk County for the Preservation of Owl Hill

Suffolk County was recognized for preserving Owl Hill, a 1907 mansion and 27 acres of open space in Fort Salonga, protecting it from redevelopment. 

Project Excellence Award: The Church, Sag Harbor

Artists April Gornick and Eric Fischl, along with Lee Skolnick and Jo Ann Secor of Skolnick Architecture, were honored for their leadership in transforming a 19th-century Methodist church into a vibrant arts and cultural hub. 

Project Excellence Award: The Hawkins-Elzon House Restoration

The Safina Center received recognition for restoring the Hawkins-Elzon House, which now serves as the nonprofit’s headquarters. 

Project Excellence Award: Mattituck Creek Tide Mill

The restoration of the historic Mattituck Creek Tide Mill was celebrated, with the award presented to Anthony Martignetti, a restauranteur, author, and designer. The Old Mill is set to open as a restaurant this spring.

Howard Sherwood Award for Preservation Advocacy: Brian Pinnola (Posthumous)

The evening concluded with a special tribute to Brian Pinnola, a devoted advocate for historic preservation, former board member of Preservation Long Island, and past president of The Garden City Historical Society. Brian’s lifelong dedication left a lasting impact on the community.