Beauvoir restoration draws honor

BILOXI — The American Institute of Architects (AIA), Honor Awards for Architecture Jury, has selected Albert and Associates Architects of Hattiesburg to receive a 2010 award. The award is for the restoration of Beauvoir, the last home of Jefferson Davis, in Biloxi that was devastated by Hurricane Katrina.

Sarah Newton, AIA, project architect of Albert and Associates Architects, said the restoration is a true testament of the strength of the human spirit that always rallies in the face of tragedy. "After the storm, everyone was looking for silver linings to boost the utter sadness that fell upon our state. For Beauvoir, it was not only the fact that the home was brought back from the brink of destruction, but that it was returned to its Davis-era stature. For historic preservation, it was the extraordinary team of restoration experts that came together to make it happen," Newton said.

Richard V. Forte, Sr., chairman of the combined boards of Beauvoir and acting director praised the restoration of Beauvoir. "The House today looks as good as it did when it was built in 1852," he said.