Hoover’s 2016 Commercial Beautification Awards recipients honored

Written by Emily Sparacino

Photos by Emily Sparacino and contributed

The Hoover Beautification Board recently recognized businesses and organizations throughout the city for their commitment to maintaining attractive properties.

More than a dozen recipients were honored at the 2016 Commercial Beautification Awards Luncheon on Aug. 9 at Riverchase Country Club, with city officials, employees and Beautification Board members in attendance.

“Hoover is a beautiful city to live in,” Hoover City Councilman and Beautification Board Liaison John Lyda said. “It takes dedicated homeowners and dedicated business people who take a lot of pride in their homes and businesses. We just want to thank you and congratulate you, and hope you’ll keep it up.”

The following are award winners in each category:

• Renaissance Ross Bridge Golf Resort and Spa
• Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama Riverchase
• Danberry at Inverness
• Thomas E. Bradley Fire Station No. 4 – Mayor’s Award
• Chase Corporate Center – Tree Conservation Award
• Tower Development Office Building – Lorna Road – Professional Offices
• USAmeriBank – Meadowbrook – Financial Institutions
• Episcopal Church of the Holy Apostles – Churches
• Homewood Suites – Riverchase – Hotels and Motels
• E.A. Renfroe and Company, Inc. – Single Tenant Business
• Superior Grill – U.S. 280 – Restaurants
• Galleria Woods – Other
• Riverchase Galleria – Shopping Mall, Shopping Strip, Mixed Use Center
• Bluff Park Exxon Service Station – Service Stations and Convenience Stores
• Chase Corporate Center – Large Office Complexes
• Prince of Peace Catholic School – Educational Facilities

This year’s Commercial Beautification Awards Judges were: Jim Paramore, Denise Obert and Chuck Kelly.

Judging criteria included basic overall appearance (buildings, grounds and cleanliness), creativity (entrance features, trees and other woody vegetation and seasonal color beds), design and color coordination (use of natural features, building blends with surroundings and the “wow” factor.

The Commercial Beautification Awards Committee started planning the awards in February, and judging took place in June.

In her remarks, Hoover Beautification Board Chairwoman Roberta Atkinson said recipients’ efforts “make Hoover a special place to live and work.”

Each of the 2016 award recipients will be given a beautification sign to display on their property until 2018.

The board’s awards luncheons are held every two years, Awards Committee Co-Chair JoAnn Powell said.

With its motto, “Keeping Hoover Clean and Green,” the board is a volunteer organization that creates programs designed to gain support from residents and businesses “for beautifying and improving the appearance of the city” and protecting the environment.

In addition to the Commercial Beautification Awards, the board is involved with the City Arbor Day-Tree City USA Program, along with litter and recycle programs for Hoover schools and residents.