“Welcome to the bold side of the river.”
That’s how Tom West, Covington’s economic development director, kicked off the third annual Covington Economic Development Department Authenti-CITY Awards.
Business owners, city employees, residents and onlookers all gathered in the alley between KungFood Chu’s AmerAsia and Train with Rocco to witness the distribution of awards.
Held to recognize National Economic Development Week in Covington, the city honored the businesses, organizations, and people who’ve invested in its character.
“If this seems like a mashup of serious purpose and Covington craziness, that’s exactly what it is,” said Tom West, Covington’s director of economic development. “But it’s fun, and it shows how much we appreciate our businesses.”
Victor J. Canfield Preservation Stewardship Award
Guy van Rooyen and Jim and Donna Salyers were the first winners of the Victor J. Canfield Preservation Stewardship Award. Established in 2018, the award was established to recognize outstanding contributions to historic preservation.
“The standards for this award are very high,” Mayor Joe Meyer said. “In fact, the presentation today is the very first time the nominating committee believed a candidate met the standards for the Victor Canfield Preservation Stewardship Award.”
Named after Victor Canfield, a historical property restorer who served on Covington’s Urban Design Review Board for 37 years, including as its chair for 25 years. In addition, Canfield serves as an archivist, historian and facilities manager for Mother of God Roman Catholic Church on W. 6th Street.
“These individuals have gone above and beyond to protect what makes Covington unique and special,” Meyer said. “They have painstakingly restored historic buildings – and they have done so in a way that preserves their features for future generations. They see Covington’s outstanding history and architecture not as burdens but as significant advantages in the area of economic development.”
Among the projects completed by both the Salyers and van Rooyen include:
- The Madison Event Center at 700 Madison Ave.
- First District at 525 Scott Street.
- Hotel Covington at 638 Madison Ave.
- North by Hotel Covington at 620 Madison Ave.
2023 Authenti-CITY Awards
“The Authenti-CITY award recognizes local businesses, individuals, events, or organizations that embrace the uniqueness of our city and are ‘keepin’ it real in The Cov,’” said Covington Business Retention Manager Patrick Duffy. “These folks play a vital role in maintaining our city’s distinctive character and charm and, honestly, they are just darn good at what they do!”
Glier’s Goetta 533 Goetta Place
Richard Webster’s Holiday Extravaganza
Latonia Bait and Tackle 3408 Rogers Street
Blank’s Pharmacy 272 W. Pike Street
Ray D’Amico Tailoring 623 Scott Street
Covington Preservation Excellence Award
The Covington Preservation Excellence Award Program recognizes outstanding recent contributions to preserving the city’s historic fabric.
Adaptive Re-use: Commercial
DBL Law: Allen Haehnle
The Monarch Building
109 East 4th Street
Adaptive Re-use: Residential
The Bradley House: Orleans Development
627 Greenup Street
Interior Restoration
House of Beauty: Dina Deller
The Old German National Bank
611 Madison Avenue
Exterior Restoration: Residential
Covert Design & Build: Tom Covert
256-258 West 8th Street
Exterior Restoration: Commercial
Hub+Weber Architects
The Monarch Auto Company Building
722 Scott Street