Palm Beach's Mizner Fountain named 'project of the year'

“This one was especially interesting, with all the intricacies and the fact they had to bring in experts from all over North America to restore this fountain,” Jacobovitz said. “They took it apart into pieces, trucked it to Ontario, and put it back together.”

Designed by Addison Mizner, the 1929 double-bowl cast stone fountain was deteriorating and needed restoration and reconstruction. Portions were worn away — especially artistic details on the four mystical horses of the sea, known as hippocamps. The town sought to conserve as much of the original fountain as possible; it was accomplished through a careful dismantling of the fountain, simultaneous restoration of the hippocamps in Canada, reconstruction of other key elements in Delray Beach, and onsite work to rebuild the lower basin.

The town’s Centennial Commission chose the restoration of the fountain as its legacy project in 2011. Bill Bone chaired the commission’s effort to raise more than $1 million in donations to help pay for the $1.5 million fountain restoration. The project was the starting point of the $5.7 million Town Square renovation that began in February 2015 and was completed in December.

The fountain restoration team included Kimley-Horn & Associates; Burkhardt Construction; conservator Mark Rabinowitz with Conservation Solutions; Hedrick Brothers; Clifford Restoration; Premier Stoneworks; Bridges, Marsh & Associates; SMI Landscape Architecture; Wojcieszak and Associates; and Research Atlantica.

Chartered in the United States in 1937, the American Public Works Association has 63 chapters in North America, which includes eight chapters in Canada.

The national winners will probably be known in a month, Jacobovitz said. The Florida Chapter awards will be given out at a May 11 dinner in Tallahassee.

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