National Trust - Excellence in Historic Preservation

The 2012 National Trust/HUD Secretary’s Award for Excellence in Historic Preservation was awarded at the National Preservation Conference in Spokane, Washington on Thursday, November 2, 2012 to Pennrose Properties, LLC, for its rehabilitation of Saint Luke’s Manor, a large hospital in Cleveland, Ohio to provide 137 units of low-income rental housing for seniors and office space for local nonprofit organizations.

The Award for Excellence in Historic Preservation recognizes efforts that both advance the Nation’s historic preservation goals and provide affordable housing and economic development opportunities for low- and moderate-income residents. Saint Luke’s Hospital, a 390,000-square-foot building built in 1927 and vacated in 1999, was placed on the National Historic Register in 2005 for its significance as a local architectural landmark and for its contributions to the growth of the health care industry in Cleveland.

Saint Luke’s Manor is now a landmark structure anchoring a 20-acre neighborhood revitalization effort. It is one of the buildings pursuing LEED certification within a LEED for Neighborhood Development master plan. The building’s historic main lobby, once obscured by partitions carving it into offices, now serves as an elegant community room. The corridors adjacent to the community room contain a handsome marble floor that was uncovered and restored. The large public four-sided clock in the central tower that had been badly vandalized was rebuilt, complete with lighted faces and chimes. Other building amenities include a computer lab, card and billiard rooms, supportive service space, a fitness room, tenant storage, and an on-site management suite.