And the Preservation Month Photo Contest Winner is…

We’re excited to announce the winner of this year’s Preservation Month Photo Contest! Congratulations go to Harrison Wicks for his image titled “Kent’s Historic Train Depot.” Here’s an excerpt from his entry about the building that served as the photographic inspiration for this year’s theme, Urban Renewal:

Kent’s historic Erie Depot boasts a long, storied history of community support since it was built in 1875. Under the direction of Kent’s namesake, Marvin Kent, townspeople showed their support by donating funds to build the train depot for The Atlantic and Great Western Railroad. The depot was left vacant in the late 1960s after a series of economic downturns. With demolition looming, the Kent Historical Society saved the then almost century-old structure. It was around this time in 1974 when the Kent Industrial District in downtown was added to the National Register of Historic Places, including the depot.

A decade later, the Historical Society found an investor who renovated the building, transforming it into the Pufferbelly Ltd. restaurant. After many years of success, the Pufferbelly Ltd. restaurant closed its doors and an opportunity arose for a new concept.

Now, 40 years after that renovation, the Kent Historical Society continues to maintain ownership of the depot and has leased the building to a partnership of local businessmen and investors to bring to life a culinary exploration of northern Italian fine dining.

Here’s Harrison’s image:


Today’s Treno Ristorante serves as a reminder that patience, persistence, creativity, and people who care, are critical ingredients in the recipe for a thriving downtown. Thanks to everyone who submitted an entry, and for our online voters who again crowned this year’s winner. Look for Harrison’s image gracing a future cover of Revitalize Ohio!

And the Preservation Month Photo Contest Winner is…

Update 5/16: With a total of 1,057 votes, by far our most votes ever, congratulations go to Carl E Feather, the winner of the 2016 Preservation Month Photo Contest! Carl’s entry, Night Train Approaching Ashtabula, garnered 464 votes. We’ll be seeing his winning image on a future cover of Revitalize Ohio. Congratulations also to Judith Khaner who won our Peoples’ Choice Award at the Old House Fair in Medina last weekend.
Thanks to everyone who submitted an entry for our 2016 Photo Contest, and to everyone who voted!
Carl E Feather, with his “Night Train Approaching Ashtabula” entry: