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May 2011
Gianopulos and Four Projects Win Preservation Achievement Awards

The Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia presented its annual Preservation Achievement Awards at a luncheon Tuesday, May 17. Among the award recipients were Keast & Hood Co. retired principal Nicholas L. Gianopulos, PE, who received the James Biddle Award for Lifetime Achievement.

“We are proud of Nick’s contributions to Keast & Hood Co. and the preservation community,” said principal Dean Doukakis, PE. “Nick’s pioneering historic work at Independence Historic Park, his teaching and mentoring generations of designers at the University of Pennsylvania, and his structural engineering knowledge and infectious enthusiasm within the office and with our clients are well recognized with the Biddle Award.”

Gianopulos was a founding member of Keast & Hood Co. in 1953, serving until his retirement in 2009. In his six decades with the firm, he was one of the first engineers actively involved in the preservation of historic buildings. His structural design for restoration included Christ Church, Merchants’ Exchange, Independence Hall, Academy of Music, and Carpenters’ Hall. His approach to incorporate new structure within historic architecture helped form guidelines for the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Historic Preservation.

Four projects on which Keast & Hood Co. participated also were honored by the Preservation Alliance:

The Baptist Temple / Temple Performing Arts Center Grand Jury Award recognized Temple University; Keast & Hood Co.; Creative Acoustics; Daniel J. Keating Company; HF Lenz Company; J.S. Cornell & Son, Inc.; and RMJM/Hillier.

The Christ Church Neighborhood House Grand Jury Award recognized Christ Church Preservation Trust; Voith & Mactavish Architects LLC; Dommert Phillips; Haverstick-Borthwick Company; Keast & Hood Co.; and KieranTimberlake.

The Greenwood Cemetery House at Rush Farms Grand Jury Award recognized Knights of Pythias Greenwood Cemetery; EwingCole; Bill Rymer Associates; Friends of Greenwood Cemetery; Hanson General Contracting, Inc.; Jablonski Building Conservation, Inc.; Keast & Hood Co.; and Louis Berger Group, Inc.

The St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church Grand Jury Award recognized St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church; Wu & Associates, Inc.; Brayco, Inc.; Caswell & Co., Inc.; Coastal Clock & Chime; Controlled Environmental Systems, Inc.; DJ Wagner Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc.; Farewell Mills Gatsch Architects, LLC; Keast & Hood Co.; Kupex Exteriors, LLC; Premier Building Restoration, Inc.; Schnabel Conservation, LLC; and Woern Plastering.

The Preservation Alliance’s Preservation Achievement Awards celebrates individuals, organizations, businesses and projects that exemplify outstanding achievement in the field of historic preservation throughout the region.

top: Nick Gianopulos atop Independence Hall Tower bottom: Temple Performing Arts Center


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