The Boston Preservation Alliance has released its awards for 2024, approving a slate of winners well beyond the simple restoration and protection of old buildings.

130 Arlington Street is a bit of an odd inclusion, given it’s a new building on what was once an empty parking lot. The set of three townhouses garnered praise from the Alliance for how well it integrated itself into the highly specific fabric of Bay Village.

Architects worked with the Bay Village Historic District Commission to mix new elements like contemporary window setups with the neighborhood’s traditional brick materials and massing.

“These townhomes not only provide modern living spaces, but also bridge a gap in the fabric of Bay Village,” wrote the Alliance. “By addressing the complexities of integrating new construction within a historic context, the skilled project team was successful in paying homage to the past while contributing to the neighborhood’s vibrant future.”

The South Boston Ironworks is another award winner that’s not just straightforwardly preserving the past. The factory building was first used in the early 1900s to make insulation, lamp sockets and ignition switches, but today has been renovated into a development of over two million square feet.

Despite now housing restaurants, a gym, rock climbing, even horticulture supplies, much of the original building still remains. The building’s beams, high ceilings and concrete walls keep the spot’s industrial history alive even as it’s repurposed for modern uses.

The Lower Basin Barracks in the West End also dates back to the early 1900s, originally a gatehouse residence for the supervisor of the Charles River Dam locks. Later repurposed as a police boat storage building, it was listed for restoration in 2017. The project today is recognized not just for the work it did but the conditions under which it was completed, working to restore the landmark on a complex site while it was still in active use by state police.

The preservation awards even included a podcast, GBH’s “The Big Dig.” The 9-part series got an award for its legwork tracking down new information on the legendary highway project, which the Preservation Alliance said “goes beyond the preservation of Boston’s history, to spark new conversations about the future of urban infrastructure and resilience.”

The First Church of Christ, Scientist got an award for the completion of an eight-year restoration project repairing and fortifying its historic and roofs. One of the oldest buildings on the list, the 1886 landmark overlooking the plaza had its aging rooftops restored without interrupting religious services and employing a variety of innovative techniques, including advanced digital modeling to recreate details and a “unqie terra-cotta rainscreen system” to preserve the domes without compromising their appearance.

The last award returned to the Back Bay for the French Library on 53 Marlborough Street. Built in 1867 as a residence, the building has hosted a cavalcade of notable figures in Boston’s fine arts scene. Its award is for the integration of the adjacent 300 Berkeley Street, also built in 1867.

Painstaking work allowed designers to install modern amenities like elevators and fire sprinklers while faithfully reconstructing the building’s historic elements. Today the two buildings house the largest collection of French books and materials in the U.S.

“The French Library project demonstrates that it’s possible to enjoy the benefits of both worlds, maintaining a code-compliant, modernized building while preserving its historical essence. The team remained unwaveringly true and sensitive to the original architectural details while making the building and the library’s programming more accessible to the community,” said the Alliance.

It’s a tumultuous time for preservation in Boston, with some significant setbacks like massive height increases in the Downtown’s new zoning and a recent feud between city hall and the landmarks commission. Nevertheless, Preservation Alliance Executive Director Alison Frazee emphasized the positives when asked about the city’s preservation efforts after the awards.

The State House has passed an historic rehabilitation tax credit, and the city hall building is up for landmark status with help from the Wu administration. There’s also a new chief climate officer heading up preservation efforts, Brian Swett, who has pledged to clean up Boston’s preservation bureaucracy.

“Balancing the growth and evolution of the city with the preservation of places that make Boston unique and tell the vast array of human stories over centuries, will always be a challenge, which is why the Alliance will continue our work to advocate for thoughtful change and a collaborative process,” Frazee said.