[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 55 (Thursday, March 29, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E691]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           RECOGNIZING THE MORELLI HOUSE PRESERVATION PROJECT

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                          HON. SHELLEY BERKLEY

                               of nevada

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 29, 2007

  Ms. BERKLEY. Madam Speaker, the Junior League of Las Vegas (JLLV), in 
commumty partnership with the Las Vegas Chapter of the Architects 
Institute of America (AIA Las Vegas), will debut the Junior League's 
Morelli House Preservation Project on Monday, April 9, 2007. After 
years of hard work and fundraising, the Junior League's Morelli House 
Preservation Project will open for public viewing as a pristine, 
accurate and beautiful example of Las Vegas mid-century residential 
architecture.
  The Morelli House was built in 1959 by Antonio Morelli, longtime 
orchestra leader at the Sands Hotel, and was originally located on the 
Desert Inn Golf Course Estates, now the Wynn Resort. In 2001, the 
League saved the house from demolition and relocated it to the comer of 
9th and Bridger Streets on the outskirts of the historical district in 
downtown Las Vegas. Because the Morelli House is an excellent example 
of Las Vegas Mid Century modern architecture and displays a high degree 
of integrity of design, materials, workmanship and even association, it 
was placed on the Nevada State Register of Historic Places in 2002 and 
on the City of Las Vegas Historical Register March 7, 2007.
  The opening of the Morelli House to the public and the lecture will 
be the premier event of Architecture Week, a nationwide celebration 
that marks the 150th anniversary of the National American Institute of 
Architects. In addition, the 2007 edition ``Architecture: Las Vegas'', 
the official publication of the AIA Las Vegas Chapter, will also 
premier at the event and will feature an article on the Junior League's 
restoration of the Morelli House. The Morelli House restoration was 
made possible by funding from the Nevada Commission on Cultural Affairs 
and by generous donations by Junior League members and the community. 
The debut will be highlighted by a lecture on Mid Century architecture 
by foremost architectural historian, Alan Hess. The Junior League will 
be completing restoration and rehabilitation efforts to meet the U.S. 
Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation for Historical 
Structures by the end of 2008.
  With the help of the Las Vegas Design Center at the World Market 
Center, JLLV secured participation by Vladimir Kagan, world famous Mid 
Century furniture designer, to serve as the Morelli House's lead 
interior designer. Mr. Kagan's historical furniture will be permanently 
showcased at the Morelli House with donations which he personally 
solicited from his manufacturers including American Leather and Weiman 
Preview and from pieces he donated from his personal furniture 
collection.
  Because of the project's prominence, the AIA will be presenting the 
Junior League one of its esteemed ``Livable Community Awards''. These 
awards, established in 2006, were designed to recognize organizations 
and individuals outside the architectural profession, whose dedication, 
commitment, hard work and contributions to the security, arts, culture, 
beauty and livability of our communities have made Nevada a better 
place to live.
  The Las Vegas Junior League deserves recognition for its Morelli 
House project and for sharing this beautiful example of Las Vegas Mid 
Century architecture with the local community and our visitors for many 
years to come. I urge my colleagues to join me in recognizing this 
outstanding collaborative effort to preserve historical architecture 
for future generations to enjoy.

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