Call-Collins House at The Grove Wins 2017 People’s Choice Award from Florida Chapter of American Institute of Architects

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. –

Secretary of State Ken Detzner is pleased to announce that the Call-Collins House at The Grove received the 2017 People’s Choice Award from the American Institute of Architects, Florida/Caribbean Chapter. Florida architecture enthusiasts cast more than 5 million votes among 41 contenders to determine the People’s Choice Award winner for 2017, of which 2 million votes went to the Call-Collins House at The Grove. MLD Architects served as the architect of record on the project with Allstate Construction as the general contractor.

“The Florida Department of State is honored and proud that the collaborative effort to restore and preserve the Call-Collins House has been recognized with the 2017 People’s Choice Award,” said Secretary Detzner. “The awards won by the Call-Collins House and the LEED green building designation symbolizes our commitment to leadership in preservation and historic site stewardship and to honoring the enduring legacy of the Call and Collins families by sharing The Grove with the public.”

The Call-Collins House is the centerpiece of The Grove Museum, which opened to the public in March 2017. The museum features furnished rooms and interactive exhibits inside the Call-Collins House, as well as 10.5 wooded acres less than one mile north of Florida’s State Capitol in Tallahassee.

Completed under the direction of the Florida Department of State and the Florida Department of Management Services (DMS), the project to convert The Grove property from a private residence into a public museum has also received the 2016 Merit Award of Excellence for Historic Preservation/Restoration from the American Institute of Architects, Florida/Caribbean Chapter; the 2017 Outstanding Achievement in the Field of Green Buildings from the Florida Trust for Historic Preservation; and the 2017 Tallahassee/Leon County Historic Preservation Award of Excellence for Civic/Community Resource Preservation from the Tallahassee Trust for Historic Preservation. In 2016, the project received LEED Certification (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) from the United States Green Building Council.

“It was an honor to work on this important restoration project with our partners at the Department of State,” said Secretary Erin Rock with DMS. “The restoration of The Grove, built nearly 200 years ago, necessitated an extremely thorough process and specialty work. The Grove serves as one of our city’s oldest and most significant structures, and restoring it allows residents and visitors alike to take part in our history in a meaningful way.” 

Tours of The Grove Museum are offered on the hour Wednesday–Friday 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. and on Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The 10.5 acre grounds are open Wednesday­–Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Parking for the museum is located at 902 N. Monroe Street, Tallahassee, Florida 32303. Admission is free.

For more information and to learn about upcoming educational programs, visit TheGroveMuseum.com or contact museum staff at TheGrove@DOS.MyFlorida.com.

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About The Grove Museum

The Grove Museum features the c. 1840 Call-Collins House, set on ten wooded acres in the heart of Tallahassee, Florida. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972, The Grove is one of the few historic sites of its kind in the nation to earn LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. From slavery to civil rights, and from private home to public museum, the story told at The Grove Museum speaks to critical moments that define the American experience. Visit TheGroveMuseum.com for hours of operation and information about educational programs. You can also follow The Grove on Twitter (@TheGroveMuseum) and like the museum on Facebook (Facebook.com/TheGroveMuseum).