Catholic Foundation Wins Ohio Masonry Association Award

The Catholic Foundation, located downtown Columbus, Ohio, is the winner of the 2011 Ohio Masonry Assoications Commercial Honor Design Award. 

Designed by Meleca Architecture, the project was awarded for outstanding design utilizing mansonry units. 

 

Arena District selected for The Harrison Smith Award

191 W. Nationwide Blvd., Arena District

Meleca Architecture, a member of the Arena District design team, was named as one of two inaugural winners of The Harrison Smith Award for designing the office building at 191 W. Nationwide Blvd.


Created by the Downtown Commission, the award recognizes projects that positively impact the urban environment and reflect past chairman, Harrison Smith's ideals. 


View from Arch Park

 The Meleca designed building is a 128,500 sq ft office structure which features restaurants on the first floor.  Inspired by 19th century urban office buildings, it comprises brick with stone accents, a corner turret, large arched windows with panels and ornate canopies.  The architecture combines classical proportions and details with current materials.



Entry detail



Terrace detail



Facade detail



The Catholic Foundation Wins Aesthetic Design Award



257 East Broad Street, Columbus, Ohio

 We are proud to announce The Catholic Foundation has won the Discovery Special Improvements District (SID) award for Outstanding Aesthetic Contribution for 2010.  The new foundation headquarters, designed by Meleca Architecture, is the former home to the original Wendy's restaurant, also known as "Wendy's #1".  

The redesign kept the original Wendy's structure intact - thus promoting historic preservation while adding texture to the urban landscape.

The Discovery SID, encompassing a 37 square block area on the east side of downtown Columbus, Ohio, is a private sector corporation that was created in 2007 by property owners who wanted to improve the safety and image of the Discovery District neighborhood.

Bensi Ristorante Italiano Wins 2010 Best Interior Design Award

Meleca Architecture has won Best Interior Design for 2010 in the Hampton Road Association for Commercial Real Estates (HRACRE) Excellence in Development Design Awards for Bensi Ristorante Italiano.  This is the major design and development award ceremony for the Hampton Roads region including areas such as, Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Hampton, Newport News, and Williamsburg.

Bensi opened this past Spring in the Peninsula Town Center in Hampton, Virginia, developed by Steiner + Associates.  The 180-seat restaurant design theme is Italian Modern - which means modern forms with traditional detailing.   

The Catholic Foundation

The Catholic Foundation's new headquarters has been nominated for Columbus Landmarks Foundation's James B. Recchie Design Award.  Why???  It is located at the former site of the original Wendy's Restaurant,  it's redesign (by Meleca Architecture) kept the original structure intact - thus promoting historic preservation, and it adds texture to our urban landscape through its quality design. 

257 E. Broad Street, Columbus, Ohio, David B. Meleca design

The Recchie Award "recognizes projects which have made a significant impact within the past five years. It acknowledges building owners and promotes the work of design professionals who shape our built environment".  

Jennifer Damiano, president and CEO of the Catholic Foundation, was the vision behind and the tireless leader throughout this project.

Below is a photo of the original Wendy's Restaurant - opened in November 1969.  The store closed in February 2007.

Original Wendy's Restaurant, 257 E. Broad Street, Columbus, Ohio

And today, now home to The Catholic Foundation.

The finalists will be selected within the next week or so.  And the winner will be announced at the Columbus Landmarks Foundation Design & Preservation Awards Program on October 14th.