.png)
News:
Construction Design & Engineering
Posted: October 24, 2025
Andrew Sidford Architects wins American Institute of Architects New Hampshire award for Jimmy’s Jazz & Blues Club
Portsmouth, NH Andrew Sidford Architects has received the Rick + Duffy Monahon Award for Design Excellence in Architectural Restoration and Preservation from the American Institute of Architects New Hampshire Chapter (AIANH). The award honors the firm’s work on the revitalization of Jimmy’s Jazz & Blues Club, a historic property in downtown.
The building, located at 141 Congress St., was originally built in 1878 as a private home by architect Walter J. Pain. The home’s owner, William Hackett, bequeathed the building to the YMCA upon his death in 1905. Most recently, the structure underwent a comprehensive transformation by Andrew Sidford Architects. The project balanced historic preservation with modern functionality, breathing new life into the building while maintaining its architectural integrity. Today, Jimmy’s stands as a premier live music venue that blends world-class performance spaces with the city’s vibrant cultural and historic fabric.
“We are honored to receive this recognition,” said Andrew Sidford, Principal of Andrew Sidford Architects. “Restoring Jimmy’s meant respecting the building’s history while reimagining it for a new purpose. It’s incredibly rewarding to see the community enjoying the space as both a cultural destination and a preserved piece of Portsmouth’s architectural heritage.”
The Rick + Duffy Monahon Award celebrates exemplary projects that preserve and restore New England’s historic buildings while adapting them to serve contemporary needs. The Jimmy’s Jazz & Blues Club project was recognized for its thoughtful design approach and contribution to the vitality of downtown Portsmouth.
The AIANH awards program highlights the best in architecture throughout the state, honoring firms that elevate design quality and enrich communities.
MORE FROM Construction Design & Engineering
Timberline Construction Corp. completes renovation for Notre Dame Long Term Care facility
Worcester, MA Timberline Construction Corp. (Timberline) has completed an 18-month, 55,000 s/f renovation of the Notre Dame Long Term Care facility. The project transformed the nursing home into a modern, community-driven and patient-focused environment
.png)
Columns and Thought Leadership
Insulation experts are the unsung heroes of our clean energy progress - by Jeffrey Saliba
While not as well-known as Nobel-prize-winning economists, politicians, or international climate activists, your local union insulators are essential to reducing harmful carbon emissions across Massachusetts. We’re proud to advocate for cleaner energy in the halls of power, as well as do the skilled, physical work in schools, office buildings,
Ask the Electrician: How do I prepare my commercial building for a disaster?
New England’s notorious weather – from fierce winter storms to summer squalls and fall hurricanes – can leave businesses in the dark. While power outages are often blamed on storms, they can also be caused by unforeseen events like accidents or construction mishaps.
It’s time to lead: Confronting mental health in construction - by David Watts
As we close Mental Health Awareness Month, we must be clear: May isn’t just about ribbons, hashtags, or lunchtime mindfulness apps. It’s about responsibility to confront hard truths that linger in silence, and to challenge ourselves, as leaders in our industry, to do more.
Navigating tariffs and material uncertainty in today’s construction market - by Karl Ginand and Tiffany Gallo
As headlines around tariffs seem to dominate the news daily, many considering construction projects have anticipated major cost escalations and widespread supply issues. While tariffs haven’t driven pricing spikes to the extent once feared, the lasting impact has been a new layer of uncertainty, affecting more than just budgets.