Last month, Brian, Blake and Sydney had the opportunity to attend the 2024 MHPN preservation conference in Kalamazoo, Michigan.  The theme this year was “The Collaborative Spirit” with an emphasis on the interconnected nature of all those involved in the preservation process from the building owners, contractors, architects, and historians and the importance of each role.

The lectures spanned a wide range of topics from energy efficiency in existing buildings, to a deep dive into the historic approval process, a fantastic presentation on the rehabilitation of the Detroit Central train station and the keynote address this year given by Quentin L. Messer, Jr., CEO of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. Messer spoke on the topic of “Historic Preservation as a Key Ingredient of Michigan Place-Making”.

The two-day event culminated with an award ceremony Friday night recognizing key figures in the preservation field and notable projects that have been completed over the past year.  KDG was honored to receive not one, but two awards this year: the Building Award for our preservation work on the iconic Book Tower as well as the Tax Credit Award for our work on the ‘Life is a Dreamtroit’ project!