News

City Council honors historic preservation award winners

Shawn Fuller and Evie Fuller pose with Historic Preservation Commission members Ralph Hammond Green, Jim Welter and Cheryl Jones.

By Lightning Reports, Published: June 2, 2025

The city Historic Preservation Commission recognized homeowners and a developer for restoring historic properties and honored the life of a preservation activist during a Hendersonville City Council meeting last week.

The awards celebrate individuals and organizations who demonstrate a deep commitment to preserving Hendersonville’s historic character through restoration, conservation and community engagement. 

• The 2025 Hendersonville Preservation Commission Award for residential preservation went to homeowners Shawn and Evie Fuller for their exceptional stewardship of the Fullbright House, also known as the Fuller House. Since moving into the home in 2016, the Fullers have beautifully preserved the outside and improved the landscaping while doing interior renovations to the bathroom and living space in 2022 and following Hurricane Helene. Beyond their preservation efforts, the Fullers have contributed significantly to the Hyman Heights neighborhood. Evie created a neighborhood chat used to coordinate support for neighbors and organizes a weekend brunch gathering for the neighborhood every 6-8 weeks which draws 30-40 people to build neighborhood connections. Shawn was instrumental in raising money to help restore trees on the greenway after storm damage. Their contributions exemplify the spirit of preservation and community building. 
• The award for commercial preservation went to Andrew Riddle and Riddle Development for the restoration of the King and Allen Building downtown. Restoration efforts included opening the original windows facing Allen Street and refurbishing the terrazzo floors in the retail spaces facing Allen. The project restored exposed brick on interior walls and retained the original staircase with its original finish and handrail. A former boiler room was creatively reclaimed and transformed into office space, while a corridor known as the History Hall was created to celebrate the building’s past. A new exterior mural was painted to add to the cultural vitality of downtown. In recognition of the efforts, the King and Allen Building received the BOMA (Building Owners and Managers Association) Award for Historical Adaptive Reuse in the Southeast in 2022. 
• The HPC awarded the Cultural Heritage Award to the late Crystal Cauley, a community leader who was passionate about telling the history of all communities in the city. The Cultural Heritage Award honors exceptional individuals, organizations and projects that celebrate the rich tapestry of Hendersonville history and cultural history. The award was established to posthumously honor Cauley, who was a member of the HPC. “She was passionate about what she did but was also so kind and generous of both her talents and her time, and we were honored to have her on the board for the period of time that we did,” HPC Chair Cheryl Jones said.