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The Impact of SOHO’s People In Preservation Award Winners 1983-2023
By Alana Coons
July/August 2023
 Recap of SOHO's first PIP Awards. Reflections newsletter, June/July 1983 Vol. XV, NO. V1 |
Over the past 40 years, SOHO has been privileged to honor a total of more than 700 outstanding individuals and entities with 432 People In Preservation awards for distinguished achievements in historic preservation.
To present awards annually for 40 years in itself is worth commemorating, but when the program is all about recognizing great people and stellar projects, time seems to slip away, and we instead marvel at the tremendous contributions of more than 700 deserving winners.
In 1983, when the SOHO board created and named the awards, they did so with far-reaching intent. This grassroots, people-powered nonprofit understood that preservation equals community and acted to celebrate this fact. Now, four decades later, the People In Preservation winners continue to nourish and expand our roots. These exceptional people remind us to keep our vision clear, our passion burning, and our readiness primed for the challenges that lie ahead.
PIP’s sole objective is to express gratitude and raise awareness about the essential, high-quality work that our fellow San Diegans accomplish for everyone’s lasting benefit. The efforts of SOHO’s staff and volunteers to produce the awards and the accompanying celebration, all done with strong preservation community support, assure us all, year after year, of a joyful, sellout event.
Preservation work is not for the weak-hearted. It requires resilience and fortitude, but above all, it demands a passion for the cause. Every recipient of a People In Preservation award shares this laudable trait; a passion for their journeys as historic homeowners, public and private agencies, or dedicated volunteers and donors, who restore, protect, and maintain these cherished places. Their pride and enthusiasm for their contributions elevate their efforts into award-winning projects. And, for SOHO, it is an honor to share their stories of triumph with others.
Including our 2023 honorees, we have recognized 111 exceptional homeowners and houses, each with its own architectural history and charm, and together representing a wide array of neighborhoods. The PIP Awards also showcase the breadth of talent and dedication of people in each area. Downtown San Diego, with its density of historic places, has been particularly fruitful: 42 winners have emerged from its vibrant, venerable streets. La Jolla, neighborhoods around Balboa Park, and Mission Hills have also been major contributors, meriting 30, 23, and 22 winners, respectively.
Commercial buildings have left a lasting mark, earning recognition for innovation and impact. A total of 77 represent preservation victories, with 47 winners recognized for taking the most sustainable approach: adaptive reuse of historic structures. The people steering these transformative projects have demonstrated their dexterity in creating spaces that inspire and fulfill contemporary needs, like affordable housing. They breathed new life into desirable buildings that would otherwise have been demolished and lost.
Forty recipients in the parks and cultural landscape category have proven their dedication to preserving and enhancing our natural and cultural heritage. In these efforts, they have deepened our perspectives and knowledge. Additionally, 33 public buildings have been applauded for their functional excellence and architectural beauty.
Museums have played a crucial role in our cultural landscape, with 25 institutions being honored for their invaluable contributions to art, history, and education. Likewise, 21 religious structures have been celebrated for their architectural splendor and spiritual significance.
With the awards program’s diverse range of categories, 150 recipients fall into the realm of education and cultural awareness, which includes books, reports, and online projects. These awardees have broadened their fields and raised public awareness, meanwhile enlightening and inspiring us all.
Starting with PIP’s inaugural program in 1983 up through today, these 700-plus honorees form an illustrious winner’s circle that builds and expands annually, due to their outstanding work and dedication. The remarkable achievements that we celebrate now, and will continue to appreciate, add immeasurably to the preservation and protection of San Diego County’s treasured buildings, sites, and cultural landscapes. Thanks to these exemplary People In Preservation, our irreplaceable historic landmarks and cultural heritage will live on, assuring the continuity of San Diego’s precious, authentic character.
At a Glance: 40 Years of SOHO’s People In Preservation Awards
Totals for categories and countywide impact 1983-2023
- Grand total: 432 awards to more than 700 individuals and entities
- Homeowners and houses: 111; including 40 in La Jolla, 23 in Balboa Park-area neighborhoods, and 22 in Mission Hills
- Commercial buildings: 77, which represent preservation victories. Of these, 47 were also social and environmental victories, as they were sustainably and adaptively re-used for desirable new purposes
- Parks and cultural landscapes: 40
- Public buildings: 33
- Museums: 25
- Religious structures: 21
- Projects, publications, other: 141
Data compiled and analyzed by Alana Coons and Sandé Lollis
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