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Sisters Chapel
Receives Statewide Award
from Georgia
Trust for Historic Preservation
Martin Luther King, Jr., Toni Morrison
Visited Spelman College Building
ATLANTA, April
22, 2006 – Sisters Chapel at Spelman College
received an award for Excellence in Restoration
from The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation
at its Annual Meeting April 22 in Athens, Ga.
The chapel, designed
by Heinz Reid and Adler in 1924, is located on
Spelman’s central quadrangle and features a
classic temple form. The building has an
elliptical vaulted ceiling, classic moldings and
stained glass arched windows.
Although the
structure is primarily a place of worship, Sisters
Chapel has housed Spelman commencement ceremonies
and welcomed notables such as Toni Morrison and
Martin Luther King Jr.
“The Sisters Chapel
has historically been an important part of the
Spelman campus, and this preservation project
ensures that it will continue to be for years to
come,” said Greg Paxton, president and CEO of The
Georgia Trust.
More than 90 percent
of the building’s plaster, historic windows,
original pews, finishes and light fixtures were
restored. The team also added modern light systems
and public restrooms, and met ADA accessibility
and other current safety requirements.
The dome plaster
ceiling was refinished with a contemporary
acoustical product that improves sound in the
chapel while retaining its original appearance.
While the chapel will remain Spelman’s primary
worship space, the building is now equipped to
accommodate various special events and campus
functions.
For more than 25 years, the Trust has recognized
preservation projects and individuals in the state
who have made significant contributions to the
field of historic preservation. Awards are
presented on the basis of the contributions of the
person or project to the community and/or state
and on compliance to the Secretary of the
Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation.
Awards in the
Excellence in Restoration category recognize
exemplary restoration of historic structures. An
accurate restoration project depicts the form,
features and character of a historic building as
it appeared at a particular period of time.
Restoration requires sensitive upgrading of
mechanical systems and other code-required work to
make the building functional. This year the Trust
presented five Excellence in Restoration awards.
With more than
8,000 members, The Georgia Trust for Historic
Preservation is the country’s largest statewide,
nonprofit preservation organization. Founded in
1973, the Trust is committed to preserving and
enhancing Georgia’s communities and their diverse
historic resources the education and enjoyment of
all.
The Trust
generates community revitalization by finding
buyers for endangered properties acquired by its
Revolving Fund; provides design assistance to 105
Georgia Main Street cities and encourages
neighborhood revitalization; trains Georgia’s
teachers in 56 Georgia school systems to engage
students in discovering state and national history
through their local historic resources; and
advocates for funding, tax incentives and other
laws aiding preservation efforts.
Late last year,
the Trust announced its first annual listing of
Georgia’s 10 Places in Peril. The Georgia
Trust is a recipient of the Trustees Award for
Organizational Excellence from the National Trust
for Historic Preservation.
For more information
on Sisters Chapel, contact Meg Snyder at
404-872-8400.
To learn more about
The Georgia Trust and the Preservation Awards,
visit
www.georgiatrust.org.
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