The El Dorado Historic District Commission rounded out 2020 by meeting face to face — or mask to mask — Thursday for the first time in several months and learning the area has once again received statewide recognition for historic preservation efforts.
Because of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, commissioners have held most of their regular monthly meetings via the Zoom video conferencing service.
On Thursday, they convened at Commissioner Sara Coffman’s residence for food, fellowship and to conduct their final bit of business of the year.
Zoom was available as an alternative for others who wanted to attend and Commissioner Diane Murfee opted to join the group online.
Elizabeth Eggleston, EHDC executive director, announced that the Murphy USA El Dorado Apartments, formerly known as the Wilson Place Bed and Breakfast, at 421 Wilson, was named a winner in the 2021 Preserve Arkansas awards.
Last month, Eggleston said a nomination for the historical building had been submitted in the Excellence in Restoration through Rehabilitation Award category.
Since then, she has received word that the Murphy USA El Dorado Apartments won.
Eggleston previously said Matthew Jennings of the DLR Group — an architectural firm in Phoenix, Arizona, that previously acquired and integrated the Cleveland-based Westlake, Reed and Leskowsky architectural and design firm — helped to identify the Murphy USA property and write the nomination for the award.
Westlake, Reed and Leskowsky designed and developed the Murphy Arts District.
The Wilson Place property is listed individually on the National Register of Historic Places and as a part of the Murphy-Hill Residential Historic District
The awards are doled out annually by Preserve Arkansas, a statewide nonprofit program that focuses on preserving the state’s architectural and cultural resources, with a mission of building “stronger communities by reconnecting Arkansans to our heritage and empowering people to save and rehabilitate historic places.”
Previous PA winners from El Dorado include the late Theodosia Nolan; Nabholz Construction of Little Rock, the contractor for The Griffin Restaurant; Westlake, Reed and Leskowsky; and Tia Lyons of the El Dorado News-Times in various categories.
An awards ceremony recognizing the winners is typically held in Little Rock each year but due to the ongoing pandemic, Eggleston said the event will be hosted virtually in January.
Another nomination that was submitted did not win this year but is eligible for re-submission, Eggleston said.
A project to convert a commercial building into a private, single-family residence at 213 E. Main is ongoing and Eggleston said PA officials advised her that the work is not quite far enough along to be considered for a PA award in a category for personal projects.
In May, the EHDC approved a Certificate of Appropriateness request for the project, which is being undertaken by property owners Steve and Celeste Cameron.
The building, historically known as the Turnage Carruthers Hardware Store, is the former home of Almost Blonde, a hair salon and boutique that relocated earlier this year to 102 E. Elm.
The Camerons live out of town and plan to use the residence periodically when they are in El Dorado, architect Blake Dunn, of CADM Architecture, Inc., told the EHDC when he presented the COA request last May.
COAs are required for most exterior projects within the city’s commercial historic district.
The work on the East Main building covers the northern and southern facades.
On the north side, which faces Main Street, the non-original storefront entrance will be removed, the existing masonry opening filled and transom windows re-established to make the entrance more consistent with that of a neighboring building, Dunn explained.
The removal of a storefront awning to expose the transom windows and allow for natural light is also a component of the project.
Plans for the south side of the building call for the reopening of two original windows that had been bricked up and switching out the doorway with one of the window openings.
Eggleston said the project can be re-submitted for a PA award for up to three years.
“They said we can nominate it in the same category or another category,” she said.