Three businesses were honored with the mayor’s third annual City Center Award at the Whatcom Museum Lightcatcher Building on July 25. The winners included the Cascade Laundry Building, Pickford Film Center and Black Sheep. The general criteria for the award are actions, on the behalf of businesses and organizations, that improve the quality of life in Bellingham’s City Center. The Cascade Laundry Building on prospect Street was honored for the adaptive reuse of a historic building, façade improvement and creating unique commercial spaces within existing buildings. The Pickford Film Center on Bay Street was honored for the adaptive use of a historic building, façade improvement, expansion of existing business downtown and community outreach, providing free programs for schools, film festivals, rooftop movies, and use of café by the general public. The Black Sheep on West Holly Street was honored for expansion of existing business downtown, activating adjacent public spaces and bringing vitality to the streetscape, and creating unique commercial spaces within existing buildings. “The investments of all three projects have improved our downtown’s revitalization and honored legacy buildings in our city core,” said mayor, Kelli Linville.