The National Park Service added the Brunswick Commercial Historic District to its National Register of Historic Places.

The recognition was announced Thursday at the annual meeting of the Brunswick Downtown Association. The addition of Brunswick’s commercial downtown to the historic register was made Jan. 12, according to a release from the association.

“This National Register listing is the culmination of more than three years of work and investment by the Brunswick Downtown Association,” said Claudia Knox, secretary for the association, in the release. “In addition to the tangible benefits, being in the National Register conveys a sense of civic pride in the place where we live. It is as much about the present and the future as it is about the past.”

The Brunswick Commercial Historic District joins the Lincoln Street and the Federal Street Historic Districts in the downtown. It stretches from Mill Street to Pleasant Street and from Mason Street to School Street, incorporating 34 buildings. Owners of buildings within the district are eligible for tax credits to defray up to 45 percent of certain approved renovations to make their buildings more productive, which includes rewiring, new plumbing, structural work, energy efficiency, fire suppression, installing elevators and more.

In addition, the association announced winners of its annual awards. Volunteer of the Year was presented to: Keith Garovoy of Garovoy Compliance & Consulting and Mary Lou Kennedy of Bowdoin College; Member of the Year was presented to KeyBank; and Visitor Center Volunteer of the Year was presented to Posie Ford.

Historic preservation awards were to the Brunswick Business Center for renovations to the 1911 Victorian at 18 Pleasant St.; Maine State Music Theatre for renovations on their buildings on Cedar and School streets; and Coastal Enterprises Inc. for the construction of a LEED platinum building for its new offices.

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