Category: Preservation at Its Best

Osceola Burlington Northern Depot

Preservation at its Best 2017, Public Structure: Burlington Northern Depot (Osceola) The project was executed in two phases.  Construction for the phase one site improvement portion of the work started in April 2015.  Construction for the phase two, building restoration/rehabilitation portion of the work started in October 2015 and was completed in May of 2016.  A ribbon-cutting ceremony… Read more »

Newton Historic Preservation Commission

Preservation at its Best 2017, Preservationists of the Year: Newton Historic Preservation Commission (Newton) For most Iowans, Newton was most known as the headquarters for the Maytag Corporation and the washing machine capital of the world. For years, the city benefited from having this large and successful company in their town. When Maytag left about… Read more »

Kauffmann House

Preservation at its Best 2017, Residential (Single Family): Kauffmann House (Iowa City) The Historic Levi Kauffman House at 304 South Summit in Iowa City was built in 1868 as an Anglo‐ Italianate Victorian house. Sitting on the prominent corner of Historic Summit Street and main thoroughfare Burlington Street, it is part of the Summit Street… Read more »

Reverend John Todd House

Preservation at its Best 2017, Rural Preservation: Reverend John Todd House (Tabor) While many other entities did important work on this preservation project, it was the Tabor Historical Society leadership team that solicited local funds, answered community members’ daily questions about the schedule, and continued to operate the museum through the years-long process of fundraising, planning, and implementing the project.  They exemplify what… Read more »

Franklin Apartments

Preservation at its Best 2017, Multi-Family Residential: Franklin Apartments (Des Moines) For many years, the property at 1811 6th Avenue seemed to be a forgotten set from a Hollywood horror movie. The hulking, vacant, deteriorating 6,000+ square foot converted mansion evoked a sense of unease and disregard. Cloaked by wildly growing bushes and trees, the… Read more »

Frankie House

Preservation at its Best 2017, Community Effort: Frankie House (Cedar Rapids) A Bohemian immigrant home destined for the landfill became a labor of love for Save Cedar Rapids Heritage, a young non-profit organization that works to preserve historic buildings through awareness and action. Built in 1894 by John Kuba, a Bohemian immigrant and railroad employee,… Read more »

Bent River Brewery

Preservation at its Best 2017, Community Effort: Bent River Brewery (Burlington) The former JC Penney building is an L-shaped 2 ½ story building of approximately 18,000 square feet located at 500 Jefferson St. in the heart of downtown Burlington. It had sat empty since the summer of 1977 when a retail mall was constructed in adjacent West Burlington.   No… Read more »

Preservation at its Best 2017 Call for Nominations

Each year, Preservation Iowa seeks to honor individuals, organizations, projects, and programs whose work demonstrates a commitment to excellence in historic preservation. In doing so, we hope to inspire others to take action to preserve, protect, and promote historic resources. Project awards will be presented at the 2017 Preserve Iowa Summit, to be held in… Read more »

Mott Lofts

2016 Preservation at its Best, Sustainability in Preservation: Mott Lofts Originally the Iowa Wind Mill & Pump Company, the building was constructed in 1902 as part of a larger industrial/commercial complex. The company eventually closed its doors in 1951 and the building gradually became the only remaining of the original complex. Linn County purchased the… Read more »

Worth Brewing Company

2016 Preservation at its Best, Rural Preservation: Worth Brewing Company Northwood—a town with about 2000 residents—had problem that many small towns in rural Iowa face—a vacant building in the historic downtown. In this case, it was The Oddfellows-Erickson building. This two-story brick structure in the Italianate style was designed by J.L. Rood of St. Paul,… Read more »