Bloomington Restorations marks 50th anniversary, honors local preservation projects and elects board

Bloomington Restorations Incorporated opened its 50th‑anniversary meeting in 2026 with a review of preservation work, a slate of board and officer elections approved by voice vote, and awards recognizing recent local projects.

The meeting chair and nominee Devon Blankenship announced the board slate — James Capsu, Karen Duffy, Pete Kenny and Blankenship himself — and the officers slate, which included Blankenship as president nominee, Pete Kenny as vice president nominee, Elizabeth Cox Ash as treasurer nominee and Jan Sorby as secretary nominee; both slates were approved by voice vote with no roll‑call recorded.

The organization presented several awards. Executive Director Steve Wyatt highlighted work on the Princess Theater, noting a recent owner ‘‘Neil Panzer…really deserves praise’’ for stepping in to tackle a deteriorating terracotta façade and pointing out BRRI holds a preservation easement on the property from the early 1980s. Wyatt also presented an award for the Harvest farmhouse on Woodyard Road to Dave Harstad and Chris Mino. Harstad thanked contractors and volunteers and said, “preservation and construction does not happen without immigrant labor,” calling out the contribution of Mexican laborers on the restoration.

BRRI also presented the Rosemary Miller Preservation Activism Award to John and Amy Butler for buying and securing a Cottage Grove house and winning local historic designation to protect it from demolition and to advance a wider neighborhood conservation district. John and Amy Butler said they were ‘‘honored’’ to receive the award and thanked neighbors and the Historic Preservation Commission for their support.

Leanne Loose presented a volunteerism award at BRRI’s Hankler Garden Farmstead to Paul (last name not recorded in the transcript) for long service as a volunteer and interpreter at open days. Organizers used the event to remind attendees that BRRI continues to seek volunteers for salvage work, moving doors and hardware, and garden and barn repairs at the farmstead.

The meeting mixed celebration with practical updates: BRRI said it has finished carpentry and painting work on its carriage house, plans summer repairs on the dairy barn, and continues to acquire endangered houses (including one on West Sixth Street) with options that include resale to a qualified buyer, moving the structure, or salvaging architectural elements.

The meeting closed with announcements about refreshments, a call for volunteers, and a reminder of an upcoming city council vote on a Cottage Grove conservation district.