Weiss Pavillion to receive award for restoration by preservation group

Penn will once again be represented at the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphias Preservation Achievement Awards Luncheon.

The George A. Weiss Pavilion will be receiving the Grand Jury Award on May 8, along with 16 other restored historic buildings in the Philadelphia area. The restoration and construction of the Music Building also won the award in 2010.

The Preservation Achievement Awards are given out every year to projects that demonstrate the best practices in historical preservation in the Philadelphia area, said Ben Leech, the Alliances advocacy director.

The Weiss Pavilion took home the award for Penn because it demonstrated the importance of really studying a buildings history, Leech said.

During the restoration, the architects realized that the level of the street adjacent to the building had been raised years ago, according to University Architect David Hollenberg. They then discovered that the structures foundation was lower to the ground than they thought, allowing for additional space at the bottom of the building.

After determining the base was still stable and the extra room could be incorporated into the design of the restoration, the architects built a new level using the extra space, Hollenberg said.

Hollenberg oversaw the restoration project in collaboration with Crawford Architects.

For Penn, this award is very gratifying, added Hollenberg, who has also been teaching at the School of Design for 24 years in the Historic Preservation Department.

Its wonderful to have one of the leading preservation organizations in the United States recognize the quality of your work, he said. It validates the care and respect that Penn takes with its historic buildings.

This year will be the award luncheons 19th year, where 600 like-minded people can get together and celebrate Philadelphia architecture, Leech said.

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Weiss Pavillion to receive award for restoration by preservation group