Tickets are on sale now for Colorado Preservation, Inc.’s (CPI) 2026 Dana Crawford Awards, which will be held Thursday, May 14, 2026, in the Denver Art Museum’s Sturm Grand Pavilion.
Colorado Preservation, Inc’s (CPI) Dana Crawford Awards is Colorado’s premier statewide preservation awards event, honoring individuals and organizations that make significant contributions towards preserving Colorado’s built and archaeological history as well as saving working landscapes. The annual awards are named in honor of the late Dana Crawford, a preservation pioneer who proved that saving historic buildings made economic sense. She embodied the dedication to preservation that CPI celebrates each year at this event, and CPI is forever grateful to Dana for her leadership and her work saving important landmarks statewide.
2026 DCA Honorees Include:
DANA CRAWFORD AWARD
Koncilja Family, Pueblo
CPI is pleased to announce the Koncilja Family of Pueblo as the 2026 Dana Crawford Award recipient. Brothers and attorneys Jim and Joe Koncilja have been practicing law in Pueblo for over 40 years. During that time, they embarked upon the acquisition and renovation of 12 properties within the Union Avenue Historic District, including the impressive Pueblo Union Depot. Joined by Joe’s wife, Tallie, their pursuits have been essential to the revitalization of the Historic District. As an added attraction to the area, the family has created “Neon Alley,” consisting of nearly 75 vintage neon signs, as a free outdoor art gallery. This passion is truly a family affair. Jim is the father of two daughters, Eastyn and Anna, who are being raised within the passions of preservation. Joe and Tallie’s sons, Joseph, George, Bobby and Teddy, have carried on with the family tradition and acquired other historically significant properties, including the Orman Mansion, the Coronado and St. Patrick’s Church, which now functions as an Autism treatment center. These projects not only continue Pueblo’s architectural heritage, but they also create places of community and inspire the next generation to rethink historic resources in their own community by demonstrating the power of place.
CITIZENS STATE BANK HONOR AWARDS
Plaza Block Building, La Junta
The Plaza Block Building stands as a powerful example of perseverance in preservation. Vacant and deteriorating for decades, this 1890s commercial landmark had become one of the last visible connections to La Junta’s historic downtown. What was once at risk of being lost has instead been reclaimed through determination, vision, and community resolve. Thanks to years of advocacy and collaboration, the building is now being reimagined to serve current community needs offering short-term housing, a community gathering space, and a kitchen that supports local entrepreneurship. This project demonstrates the power of preservation and how adapting historic structures can create meaningful reinvestment and revitalization in rural Colorado.
Hotel St Cloud, Canon City
The revitalization of the long-vacant Hotel St. Cloud is an extraordinary achievement in preservation and reinvestment. This project honors the building’s rich history while breathing new life into downtown Cañon City. Your efforts not only saved a local landmark but created a catalyst for downtown revitalization, showcasing how preservation can fuel economic renewal and heritage tourism while restoring a beloved anchor of Main Street.
Constructed in 1904 and listed as one of Colorado’s Most Endangered Places in 2000, the Evans School once faced an uncertain future following its closure in 1972. Today this architecturally significant landmark has been thoughtfully and successfully reimagined to serve a renewed purpose in the heart of the Golden Triangle neighborhood. The transformation of the Evans School into a vibrant mixed-use facility featuring a beer garden and café and restored gathering spaces that preserves its historic interiors, represents an outstanding example of adaptive reuse. By carefully retaining original features the project honors the building’s educational legacy while introducing new functions that serve the contemporary community.
Evans School, Denver
Constructed in 1904 and listed as one of Colorado’s Most Endangered Places in 2000, the Evans School once faced an uncertain future following its closure in 1972. Today, this architecturally significant landmark has been thoughtfully and successfully reimagined to serve a renewed purpose in the heart of the Golden Triangle neighborhood. The transformation of the Evans School into a vibrant mixed-use facility featuring a beer garden and café, and restored gathering spaces that preserve its historic interiors, represents an outstanding example of adaptive reuse. By carefully retaining original features, the project honors the building’s educational legacy while introducing new functions that serve the contemporary community.
EDGE AWARD
Frontier Drive-Inn, Center
Originally opened in 1955 and closed in the 1980s, the Frontier Drive-Inn was once a vibrant cultural gathering place in the San Luis Valley. After many years of being vacant, your team brought new life to the site by honoring its historic roots while creating a renewed sense of purpose. Your innovative approach has not only safeguarded a beloved roadside landmark but has also redefined its role as a contemporary destination. Through a thoughtful balance of history, design, and vision, this project contributes meaningfully to the cultural identity and economic vitality of the San Luis Valley. Today, it is no longer just a drive-in with restored neon signage and screen, the venue now offers unexpected lodging options, a communal chef’s kitchen in what was once the snack bar, and innovative 3D-printed adobe “Skylos” structures for stargazing. The Frontier Drive-Inn embodies the very essence of the Preservation Edge Award: honoring historic integrity while embracing creative adaptation
MARK RODMAN COMMUNITY LEADER AWARD
Dan Corson, Boulder
Dan Corson is a Boulder-based historic preservationist, former Boulder City Council member (1997–2003), and longtime leader with Historic Boulder (including past president) whose work has shaped policy and practice across Colorado. At the Colorado Historical Society/History Colorado’s Office of Archaeology & Historic Preservation, he served as a liaison to local governments, training commissions, advising on preservation ordinances and design review to Certified Local Government (CLG) communities. Over roughly 17 years at the state office he helped grow Colorado’s CLG network to more than 50 communities by 2014 and coordinated Section 106 compliance, expanding statewide capacity for local preservation. In Boulder, Corson has championed documenting and protecting sites tied to the city’s early Black residents, researching the “Little Rectangle” neighborhood and leading public tours to elevate this history’s visibility and preservation. His civic and nonprofit leadership with Historic Boulder among other preservation groups, underscores a preservation philosophy that values the less-seen places that tell community stories, complemented by authorship of Boulder County: An Illustrated History, further extending his public history impact.
SAGE AWARD
Watkins Stained Glass Studio, Denver
For its longevity, leadership in preservation, statewide impact, and sustained excellence in craftsmanship and integrity, Colorado Preservation, Inc. is honored to recognize Watkins stained Glass Studio with the inaugural SAGE Award. This family business spans nine generations with origins in eighteenth-century England. They have been crafting and conserving stained glass in Colorado since 1868, making it the oldest stained glass studio in the Rocky Mountain region. Founded in Denver by Clarence/Charles Watkins and carried forward by successive generations, the studio exemplifies mastery of design, fabrication, and conservation through a seamless continuity of craftsmanship. Under the leadership of Phil Watkins, the eighth generation, and with the involvement of his daughter Kitt as the ninth generation, the firm continues to uphold and advance this centuries-long tradition.
The work of Watkins Stained Glass extends across Colorado and beyond, with major projects including restorations at the State Capitol rotunda and Senate Chambers, the iconic skylight of the Brown Palace Hotel, the Oxford Hotel, and stained glass commissions for churches, residences, schools, civic buildings, and even iconic Casa Bonita. Its influence is evident in landmarks such as the Governor’s Mansion and Fairmount Mausoleum, as well as sacred and civic sites in communities throughout the state. As Colorado prepares to celebrate its 150th anniversary in 2026, Watkins Stained Glass Studio stands as a living legacy, enriching the state’s cultural fabric through its dedication to preservation, the mentorship of artisans, and the consistent application of traditional standards.
For more information and ticket purchase visit the CPI website www.coloradopreservation.org/awards/ or call Jennifer Orrigo Charles at (303) 893-4260, extension 237.
