2012 Honor Awards

Oakland by Suzane Stewart Bolten
Holly Hills by Nini Harris

Sharing the Overby Award this year are two books that document St. Louis communities that are at once similar and different. In Holly Hills, NiNi Harris tells the story of the Holly Hills subdivision, developed adjacent to Carondelet Park in the 1920s. The transformation of a rural area in St. Louis County into a post-war suburban community is the focus of Suzanne Stewart Bolten in Oakland. Both authors adeptly document the evolution from land into community, shedding on the physical resources, the architectural styles, the cultural and civic institutions, and the people that make each place unique.

Craig Wagoner*

Springfield, Greene County
For three decades, Craig Wagoner has been involved in the redevelopment of buildings in Center City Springfield. Using state and federal historic tax credits he has created 127 residential lofts and 24 commercial spaces, contributing significantly to Springfield’s urban revitalization. The living space has brought a surge of young professionals back into Center City, while the commercial tenants serve the new downtown residents as well as day time workers. One of Craig’s most innovative adaptive reuse projects is the Park Central Library, a branch of the Springfield-Greene County Public Library System that is housed in the historic Park Central Building. This space offers computers and other library services to the urban core. In addition to his private development projects, Craig has earned the respect of other community leaders through his service on many civic boards that support redevelopment of Springfield’s urban core.

Crestmead — Robert & Ann Betteridge

Pilot Grove, Cooper County
The Crestmead plantation has a long and distinguished history in Cooper County. The Italianate house, then named Prairie View, was erected in 1857-59 as an addition to an existing one-story Greek Revival D dwelling. William Betteridge, grandfather of the current owner, purchased the property in 1903, renaming it Crestmead (“high meadow”). The Betteridge family made only a few changes to the house over the next 80 years – the cupola was shortened to correct water leakage and the porch was widened to span the façade. Robert Betteridge and his wife Ann acquired the property in 1980. Over the next 30 years they lovingly restored the interior and listed the property on the National Register of Historic Places. They also used the house to help tell the story of plantation life to area school children. In March 2008 an electrical fire caused near-total destruction of Crestmead. The cost to repair the damage was staggering, but through dogged determination, the Betteridges restored the house from the original plans, taking up residence again just three years later. Today, Crestmead stands ready to share the history of Cooper County for another 150 years.

Marshall, Saline County
The county courthouse is an important civic building in communities throughout Missouri, anchoring a ceremonial position at the center of the business district. Like many of Missouri’s courthouses, the Saline County Courthouse was erected in the 1880s in an architectural style befitting its function as a civic monument. After 125 years of continuous use the building was in need of repairs. The Saline County Commission embarked on an extensive restoration plan that involved repairing extant historic fabric, reconstructing missing details, and updating building systems and life safety features. The comprehensive project was completed on-budget without interrupting day-to-day courthouse operations. The refurbished building is ready to serve the citizens of Saline County for another century.

The Finke Theatre

California, Moniteau County
The Finke Theatre was designed by noted St. Louis architect J.B. Legg in 1885 as the California Opera House. It operated under several different names before closing in 1978. The Friends of Finke Board formed to bring the theater back to life. Volunteers worked tirelessly for many years, raising funds and getting their hands dirty, to make this a reality. Beginning with the non-glamorous tasks, new structural piers and posts were installed and a beam was added to reinforce the roof trusses. The stage was enlarged, dressing rooms were renovated, and the auditorium seats were rebuilt. The theater received new electrical and HVAC systems as well as an Art Deco paint scheme compatible with renovations from the 1930s. By connecting the theater to the building next door, the Friends were able to expand the concession area and provide ample modern restrooms. After being shuttered for 30 years, performances resumed at the Finke Theatre in September 2009. Now in their third season, the restored theater is once again a hub of cultural activity for the California community.

Commerce Building*

Sedalia, Pettis County
During the depths of the recession, the Commerce Building underwent a dramatic rehabilitation that transformed the building, created affordable housing for families, and brought a shot of vitality to downtown Sedalia. For over a century following its construction in 1896-97, the building was home to a variety of retail tenants and professional offices. An expansion in the 1920s nearly doubled the frontage on Ohio Avenue, but matched the height and architectural features of the original building. Storefronts and interior finishes were modernized over time, most notably in the 1920s and again after World War II. Despite the various upgrades, the Commerce Building retained many unique historic elements that were sensitively preserved during the rehabilitation. Some apartment units have pressed metal ceilings and cast iron columns; distinctive tile floors, windows and doors were retained in the upper story corridors; and historic stair cases were retained. State and federal historic tax credits helped restore vitality to this building, which in turn has sparked interest in renovating other buildings in the Sedalia business district.

Reeves Wiedeman Company Headquarters*

Kansas City, Jackson County
The O.H. Dean building stands on a prominent stretch of Main Street in midtown Kansas City. It had been vacant and boarded up for many years before the Reeves Wiedeman Company purchased it. Using state and federal historic tax credits, Reeves Wiedeman moved their headquarters from suburban Kansas into the rehabilitated building in midtown Kansas City. The glazed terra cotta façade, deteriorated and missing elements, was sensitively restored. Windows and storefronts were reclaimed, giving the building back its soul. The project celebrated the heritage of the plumbing supply company by incorporating a variety of copper-clad surfaces into the building. Today, the Reeves Wiedeman Company Headquarters is one of only eight buildings in the Kansas City region that has met the standards of LEED Gold.