KEN KRINGLE HISTORIC PRESERVATION AWARD

KEN KRINGLE HISTORIC PRESERVATION AWARD. The Ken Kringle Historic Preservation Award was created by the City of Dubuque Historic Preservation Commission to recognize excellence in historic preservation. The Kringle Award was named for the late Ken Kringle who was a member and past chairman of the Historical Preservation Commission, president of the Bluff Street Neighborhood Association, resident of the Cathedral Historic District and member of the Old House Enthusiasts Club.

Awards are announced annually for the best rehabilitation projects located in the City of Dubuque. The following projects received awards in recognition of their outstanding preservation efforts in 2012:

1. Copper Kettle, 2987 Jackson Street Chris Staver, owner

Beginning in 1916 as a neighborhood grocery operated by Samuel Cantigny, the building was converted to a restaurant in the mid-1950s. The business name was originally coined from a large copper brewing kettle once located across the street, making the name, sign and much of its décor a fitting homage to the former brewery.

The rehabilitation involved a complete update of the 1st floor restaurant space and upstairs apartments. The exterior was re-pointed and received new windows and storefront. A highlight of the exterior is the architectural copper awnings. The interior reflects a modern approach which also reflects the history of the building and neighborhood. New doors, flooring and trim were installed throughout.

The original tin walls and ceiling were discovered and preserved. Original features of the iconic 1950s neon sign were re-purposed above the open kitchen. The back bar is replicated from a typical turn of the century back bar produced by the former Brunswick-Balke-Collender Company, which was also located in the neighborhood at Jackson Street and Peru Road.

2. 1649 Washington Street

Mr. Eugene Pfeiff rehabilitated his 1890s vernacular, front gable home into a centerpiece of the block and neighborhood. The most dramatic improvement of the rehabilitation project was replacing the red asphalt siding with new cement-board siding as well as the new porch. New soffits, fascia and windows were installed, adding to the home’s appeal. The plumbing, electrical and insulation were upgraded and the home also has a new kitchen, bath, flooring and trim.

This home is one of many properties and amenities that are contributing to the revitalization of the Washington Neighborhood.

3. Franklin School, 39 Bluff Street

Constructed in 1906, Franklin School was one of the first public schools in the Cathedral Historic District. It replaced the earlier First Ward School building constructed in 1857. Designed by St. Paul, Minnesota based architects Buechner & Orth, the Classical Revival style school housed a range of students and served the DUBUQUE COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT for many years until its closure in 2010. Shortly after its doors closed, Gary Carner purchased the former CENTRAL ALTERNATIVE HIGH SCHOOL building with the intent of transforming his former school into upscale apartments.

Mr. Carner went to painstaking lengths to preserve and restore wood flooring, plaster, trim, and doors. Grand public corridors and stairways were restored and are now focal points of the interior of the building. Mr. Carner was able to locate the original drawings prepared by Buechner & Orth, which set the direction for restoring the exterior of the building. All the windows and entrances were restored back to their original size and design. The aluminum eaves were removed and restored to their original appearance. Dormers once present when the building was first constructed were reintroduced to the front of the building.

4. CARADCO Building, 900 Jackson Street

Located in the heart of the Historic Millwork District, the CARADCO building was the first factory building in the district to undergo an extensive rehabilitation effort. The company went through numerous reorganizations during its history, but up until its doors closed in 1978, it always maintained its place as one the most important and accomplished mill working firms in the Midwest.

The core building was designed by architects Keenan and Hyde and was built between 1881 and 1882 at a cost of $35,000. By the end of 1882, the company facilities were considered one of the most extensive planing mills and sash and door factories in the west, and the company’s market area was rapidly expanding.

Gronen Properties gave the former factory building new life. In 2012 it boasted 72 residential units on the second and third floors. The 35,000 square feet of commercial and retail space on the main level includes Dubuque’s first food co-op and 20,000 square-feet of space dedicated to foster the arts and non-profit activities. There were 450 construction-related jobs were created to complete the 186,000 square-foot, $28.3 million rehabilitation project. The rehabilitation included exposing and gently cleaning original masonry. Beams, columns, and woodwork were restored and historic openings were reintroduced. New wood windows were added to match the original.

Modern residential amenities include a community room, courtyard space, outdoor decks and fitness rooms. The rehabilitation project followed universal design and LEED standards.

5. Michael O'Brien Rowhouse, 1132-1134 Locust Street – The name of the building is derived from the original builder, Michael O’Brien. He is credited with constructing the entire rowhouse block (1108-1124 Locust Street). The properties being recognized have the added distinction of having been home to Senator William Boyd ALLISON

Dr. Judy Davison saw greatness in the building as well. Ms. Davison, a professor from Western Kentucky University , took one trip to Dubuque and with a little encouragement from a friend; she soon realized the potential of this building.

The project began with a total rehabilitation of the interior. The cobbled-together, rundown apartments were reconfigured and eight new units were created. Important features of the interior such as ornate wood flooring, trim and fireplaces were preserved and restored. Exterior work began with the removal of the metal awnings. New windows were installed and the tired, inappropriate entrances were replaced with historically appropriate designs. The site was cleaned up and the rear limestone retaining wall was relocated to accommodate off-street parking. The dilapidated rear porch was reconfigured and the rear of the building was restored

The most remarkable change was restoring the enclosed porch back to an open porch in the same style once enjoyed by Senator Allison.

6. Kistler Building, Charles J. Peterson Hall and the Noyes Building, 951, 955 and 965 Main Street – Preservation efforts of the Fischer Companies.

The Kistler building is a three-story Italianate building constructed in 1876. It is one of the first buildings to be constructed on this street as commercial land uses expanded northward along Main Street during the mid-1870s. The building was designed by noted architects Fridolin J. Heer, Jr. and Edward Naescher. Bernard Kistler is credited with constructing the building, which at its time was considered one of the best designed and constructed buildings in the city. The first tenant was M. Puffman’s French Dye House.

The Charles J. Peterson Hall is a Queen Anne style three-story commercial block constructed in 1886. Charles Peterson was a dental surgeon who built the building for the purpose of a store, dental office and public hall. The first listed tenants were the Royal Arcanum, the Independent Order of Good Templars, and the Dubuque Dental Society. Peterson was a graduate of the Baltimore College of Dental Surgery and was one of a few trained dental surgeons working in the State of Iowa.

The Noyes Building is a Beaux Arts style two-story commercial building built in 1901. St. Luke’s Methodist Church actually owned this property as of September 1, 1886. The lot was then occupied by a duplex. Charles A. Noyes, who had his art store in the Peterson building, secured a 99-year lease from the church beginning June 1, 1901, at which time he built the current building. He ran an art store on the first floor and maintained his residence on the second floor. The store remained as late as 1934. In 1907 Greek-born Arthur J. Diamond came to Dubuque. He founded Betty Jane Candy in 1933 and by 1938 the business occupied the ground floor of the building. The business remained until 2009.

The Fisher Companies renovation of these buildings involved the careful re-pointing and cleaning of masonry where needed. Broken masonry was replaced with reclaimed matching units. The upper-story windows were restored. Window units that were beyond restoration were replaced with new wood windows to match the historic in appearance. On the main levels, non-original storefront additions were carefully removed to uncover remaining historic storefront materials. Original features of the storefronts were restored and missing features were replicated based on historic images. Exterior metal cornices and architectural features were carefully cleaned and repaired. In the interior, plaster walls and ceilings were preserved and repaired when possible. Original stairwells were restored and new residential units were created on the upper levels. New roofs and modern mechanicals, electrical, plumbing and HVAC were installed.

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Source:

11th Annual Ken Kringle Preservation Awards Announced. http://www.cityofdubuque.org/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/3533