Robert Ballinger
Robert I. Ballinger Jr. (1918-1987) graduated from Cornell’s School of Architecture and was president and chairman of his family’s architectural engineering firm, The Ballinger Company, which specialized in hospital design. A firm believer in civic responsibility, Ballinger was active in several Philadelphia area organizations before moving to Palm Beach in 1974.
Ballinger was particularly proud of restoring his home along with his wife Wynn "Didi." Known as La Bellucia, the residence was originally built in 1922 by Addison Mizner. Before it was purchased by Ballinger, La Bellucia was empty for twelve years and was scheduled for demolition in 1974. It was restored by the Ballingers and designated as a landmark in 1983. Situated on a hill overlooking the ocean, La Bellucia is located just south of the Bath and Tennis Club, where Ballinger acted as treasurer for many years.
Ballinger’s sense of public duty led him to accept his position as chairman of the Landmarks Preservation Commission in 1979. Similar to his peers on the commission, Ballinger was opposed to the overdevelopment that was threatening the island by the late 1970s. He stated, “The whole feeling of Palm Beach was starting to slip, the island was being invaded by developers.” Ballinger served as chairman of the commission until 1985, and he actively fought to preserve and maintain the Town’s unique character.
The Ballinger Award was first presented by the Foundation in 1988 in honor of the late Robert I. Ballinger Jr. The Ballinger Award commemorates the restoration or rehabilitation of a landmarked estate or public space that best exemplifies Palm Beach’s architectural heritage.
