2025 Santa Fe Heritage Awards Recipients
Sponsored by the City of Santa Fe, Old Santa Fe Association, and Historic Santa Fe Foundation. In collaboration with San Miguel Chapel.
Photograph by Simone Frances
For Old Santa Fe Today, 5th edition.
Preserving Place: The Santa Fe Symposium – Recordings
PRESERVING PLACE: THE SANTA FE SYMPOSIUM
New Mexico History Museum, April 26, 2025, 8:30 AM–4:30 PM
Each May, Santa Fe’s preservation organizations unite to honor the city’s heritage and earthen building traditions. The City of Santa Fe, Historic Santa Fe Foundation, and Old Santa Fe Association co-host the Heritage Preservation Awards at San Miguel Chapel, recognizing architects, homeowners, and professionals. Separately, the State Historic Preservation Office’s Cultural Properties Review Committee presents its annual awards—a tradition spanning over 50 years. Cornerstones Community Partnerships crafts adobe bricks downtown for restoration projects across the region, preserving cultural heritage through hands-on work and community engagement. In 2025, Historic Santa Fe Foundation partnered with the New Mexico History Museum and others to present Preserving Place: The Santa Fe Symposium—a day-long Preservation Month preview event exploring preservation challenges and relevance through expert discussions.
The partners for this event were: Historic Santa Fe Foundation, New Mexico History Museum, the State Historic Preservation Office, Old Santa Fe Association, City of Santa Fe Historic Preservation Division, Friends of Architecture, AIA Santa Fe, and Cornerstones Community Partnerships.
Sponsored by Emodsol, Cornerstones Community Partnerships, DNCA Architects, and Albert Parra, Adparra Contractors.
SCHEDULE
9:00 AM | Welcome and Announcements
9:15–10:20 AM
Old Santa Fe Association and Historic Santa Fe Foundation: Our History and Future
Panelists: Edward Archuleta (OSFA), Randy Bell (OSFA), Melanie McWhorter (HSFF), Mac Watson (HSFF).
In 2026, the Old Santa Fe Association (OSFA) will commemorate its 100th anniversary. Historic Santa Fe Foundation (HSFF), established in 1961 by many OSFA members, began as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization focused on preserving Santa Fe’s cultural and architectural heritage. OSFA, historically operating under a different structure, transitioned to 501(c)(3) nonprofit status in 2024. Following this change, leadership and supporters of both organization see the need to delineate and define their distinct missions, projects, and programs. The panel discussion will outline the histories, current structures, and initiatives of OSFA and HSFF, followed by audience questions to better articulate each organization’s contributions to preservation efforts in Santa Fe.
10:30-11:40 AM
Archaeology and Preservation in Downtown Santa Fe’s Historic Districts
Moderated by: Gary Moquino, Historic Preservation Division Manager
Panelists: Stephen Post, Former Deputy Director of the DCA Office of Archaeological Studies; Mark Mitchell, Former Governor, Pueblo of Tesuque; Paul Duran, Senior Planner & City Archaeologist; and Heather Lamboy, AICP, Planning & Land Use Department Director.
Santa Fe’s rich archaeological heritage spans over 11,000 years, encompassing Puebloan, Spanish Colonial, Territorial, and 20th-century layers. This talk delves into the city’s pioneering efforts to protect its subsurface history through three Archaeological Review Districts—Historic Downtown, River and Trails, and Suburban—each with distinct preservation protocols.
11:40 AM–12:40 PM | Lunch Break (off-site and on your own)
12:45–1:55 PM
State Historic Preservation Office’s (SHPO) Role in State and National Preservation
Panelists: SHPO staff Karla McWilliams, Steven Moffson, and Matt Saionz.|
This presentation will provide an introduction to the New Mexico Historic Preservation Division’s programs. The talk will discuss tax credits, funding options, and levels of historic designation. Karla McWilliams is the Deputy Director of the NMHPD and formerly served as CLG and Grants Coordinator. She will speak on grant funding and the Certified Local Government program. Steven Moffson is a historian with the New Mexico Historic Preservation Division, and he will discuss the National and State Register. Matt Saionz is a historian with the New Mexico Historic Preservation Division. He will talk about how he manages the tax credit program and coordinates the state historic marker program.
2:05-3:20 PM
Architectural Design in Santa Fe with Santa Fe AIA
Panelists: Shawn Evans, AIA, Richard Martinez, AIA, Beverley Spears, FAIA, and Gayla Bechtol, AIA.
AIA Santa Fe is the local component of the American Institute of Architects, the national professional organization serving architects in the United States. Members must be registered architects; associate members must be working toward registration. This 15-minute presentation will be followed by discussion between panelists and the audience.
3:30–4:20 PM
The Future of Preservation in Santa Fe (A facilitated audience discussion)
Presented by: Anthony Guida, President of Friends of Architecture Santa Fe.
The City Different has taken many approaches to preservation over the last 120 years - revivalism, speculative restoration, design controls, and historic protections, to name a few. A facilitated audience discussion will imagine the future of preservation in Santa Fe, informed by our past successes, current challenges, and collective ambitions.
4:20 PM | Closing Remarks
2024 Santa Fe Heritage Awards Schedule & Recipients
Photographs by Melanie West
5:30 PM Opening Remarks
Welcome to San Miguel Chapel by Chapel Director Laurianne Fiorentino Ceremony introduction and a traditional Tewa prayer by Gary Moquino, City of Santa Fe Historic Preservation Division Manager
City of Santa Fe Historic Preservation Division Award Recipients
Service Award- Presented by Heather Lamboy
Recipient: Melissa Byers
Architectural Preservation Award- Presented by John Bienvenu (HDRB Member)
401 Old Santa Fe Trail • Recipients: St. Michael's High School, Cornerstones Community Partnerships, and Positive Energy Solar
Compatible Remodel Award- Presented by Madeliene Aguilar Medrano (HDRB Member)
224 Maynard Street • Recipients: John Hertz
Compatible New Construction Award- Presented by David Valdo (HDRB Member)
655 Alto Street • Recipients: John Utton and DNCA Architects
Archaeology Award - Presented by David Eck (ARC Chair)
Recipients: Richard Montoya and Karen Wening
Cultural Preservation Award- Presented by Cecilia Rios (HDRB Chair)
Recipient: Olive Rush Memorial Studio
Mayor’s Award- Presented by Carol Romero Wirth (City Councilor, District 2)
Santa Fe Train Depot Historic Renovation • Recipients: City of Santa Fe Facilities Division, Woven Architecture, LLC, and Davenport Construction Management
Old Santa Fe Association Award Recipients
Award for Preservation and Contribution to the Historic Streetscape- presented by Randall Bell
650 Canyon Road • recipient: Douglas Maahs, Maahs Construction
Sara Melton Award- presented by Adam Fulton Johnson
Our lady of Guadalupe cemetery • Recipients: Rosario Torres with Ted Yamada, Richard Fox, Jim and Kris Doris, Mona Baca, and Theresa Trujillo
Sensitive Restoration Award- John Eddy
340 Delgado Street • Recipient: Doug and Patrick McDowell, McDowell fine homes
Historic Santa Fe Foundation Award Recipients
Architectural Stewardship Award- Presented by Melanie McWhorter
Amelia Hollenback House, 901 Camino San Acacio • Recipients: Temple and Mickey Ashmore
Reception
Following the ceremony, please join us at HSFF’s EL Zaguán, 545 Canyon Road to celebrate the award recipients. Assorted finger foods will be served.
ABOUT SAN MIGUEL CHAPEL
San Miguel Chapel has been owned by the nonprofit, private Saint Michael's High School and the Christian Brothers Educational Foundation since 1859. It has never been owned by the Santa Fe Archdiocese. Since the Chapel is sanctified and is not a business, there is no required entrance fee. Sole support for the constant and forever maintenance of this beloved 100% adobe (mud) structure has always come from local and worldwide community who want to preserve the chapel for another 400 years and for future generations. Learn more at https://www.sanmiguelchapelsantafe.org/.