2014 Honor Awards

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Rozier Award

Jo Ann Radetic

Washington, Franklin County
Jo Ann Radetic has been an exemplary preservationist, both in her personal and professional life, and her legacy in Missouri will be long lasting. Her involvement with historic preservation began with her love of historic buildings. Recognizing the need to protect the historic treasures in her hometown, Jo Ann spearheaded efforts to establish a local historic preservation commission in Washington, Missouri. In 1986 Washington became Missouri’s 4th Certified Local Government (CLG). Jo Ann served as chairman of their local Historic Preservation Commission until 1999, when she resigned to become Missouri’s Certified Local Government Coordinator at the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO). While at the SHPO Jo Ann gave generously of her time and expertise to assist many communities to foster an interest in historic preservation, helping them to recognize and protect historic resources through establishing local preservation ordinances. She helped to establish the yearly Certified Local Government Forum, where all CLGs were invited to network and share their individual communities’ experiences, as well as learn from preservation experts. Each year attendance at the CLG Forum grew and under Jo Ann’s leadership, 42 of Missouri’s 53 CLGs were established. While continuing to perform the duties related to her employment, Jo Ann also served on the Board of Washington Main Street, one of Missouri’s five original Main Street communities. She also served as a board member of Missouri Preservation, and helped push for enactment of our state’s historic preservation tax credit. In addition to managing the grants program at the SHPO, Jo Ann also worked with local communities, non- profits and individual citizens to help identify outside funding sources for their preservation projects. Those of us who are fortunate enough to have worked with Jo Ann over the years learned from her vast knowledge and expertise. Her hard work and dedication, her generosity in giving of her time and talents will be long remembered.

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McReynolds Awards

Friends for La Plata Preservation

La Plata, Macon County
La Plata lies on the prairie of North Central Missouri, where American settlement began in the 1820s. The town eventually developed at the intersection of stage coach roads, and in 1855 the town was platted by Henry O. Clark. The Friends for La Plata Preservation have been actively supporting preservation activities in this town for many years. The first of their efforts was centered around the restoration of their Train Depot. The physical condition of the railroad station had declined steadily until 1996, when the Friends for La Plata Preservation and the NEMO Model Railroad Club began renovation on the building’s exterior. Funding was found through the Great American Stations Foundation, the U.S. Department of Transportation, the Missouri Legislature and many donations from La Plata’s private citizens, resulting in the total restoration of both interior and exterior of this busy train station. After completing the renovation at the station, the Friends turned their sights toward the 1936 Green Theater building, which had seen years of abandonment and neglect. They purchased the Green Theater in 2005 and are currently restoring the theater building for public use. In addition to these significant projects, the Friends for La Plata Preservation worked to get the Green Theater listed, as well as a downtown square historic district listed on the National Register of Historic Places. We are pleased to recognize the Friends for La Plata Preservation for their ongoing preservation activities in this small but mighty Missouri community.

Drs. Mary Ann & Bert Kellerman*

Cape Girardeau, Cape Girardeau County
Though the Kellerman Foundation for Historic Preservation was only established in 2012, its namesakes, Mary Ann and Bert Kellerman have for many years been involved in the preservation movement in Southeast Missouri. Starting in 1971 they began purchasing historic buildings for home and business, and have been involved with restoring them and listing them on the National Register of Historic Places. Their most recent project was the restoration of the Oliver-Leming House in Cape Girardeau, which is the home in which Marie Watkins Oliver designed Missouri’s first flag, adopted in 1913. To celebrate the flag’s centennial, the Kellermans hosted a special program, tours and receptions in what has become known as “The Flag House,” and the restoration was celebrated as a centerpiece of the Missouri Conference on History, sponsored by the State Historical Society of Missouri and held in Cape Girardeau in 2013. The year before, the Kellermans established a nonprofit foundation to support historic preservation, especially in Southeast Missouri, and have ensured that the historic Oliver-Leming House will eventually be gifted to the foundation to serve as a house museum to commemorate the Missouri State Flag. In addition, the foundation has already awarded three grants for local preservation projects. One of these grants will fund the nomination of the Miller House, Missouri’s 2013 Most Endangered Historic Place, to the National Register of Historic Places.

Landmarks Association of St. Louis — Rockwood School District Center for Creative Learning

Saint Louis County
Fifth grade students enrolled in the Rockwood School District’s Center for Creative Learning (CCL) Architecture class are led by teacher Melissa Garnett, who is a Gifted Education Specialist. Her students learn about architecture, historic preservation, sustainability and environmental responsibility. Partnering with the Landmarks Association of Greater St. Louis’ Ruth Keenoy, the students are encouraged to act responsibly and make decisions about architecture as if they are directly responsible for the world around them – which they are! Ms. Garnett’s students form small groups and meet with real-life professionals who visit the classroom, answering questions and offering suggestions to students with their projects, engaging students in discussions about designing and preserving buildings. Many students adopt properties that have been tagged by Missouri Preservation and Landmarks Association as endangered historic places. These places have included the Council Plaza Phillips 66 Station, known popularly as the “Flying Saucer,” as well as the mid-century modern AAA Building, both having been listed on endangered lists. Students wrote letters to political leaders urging preservation of these structures and offering suggestions for reuse. Both structures have since been saved and one has received a Preserve Missouri Award for its renovation. Missouri Preservation is especially proud to recognize Rockwood CCL and Landmarks of St. Louis for educating and grooming the preservationists of the future.

MAC Property Management*

Kansas City, Jackson County
MAC Property Management has demonstrated a remarkable commitment to revitalizing one of Kansas City’s most historic corridors. Since 2006 they have invested over $100 million in the rehabilitation of two dozen historic apartment buildings along Armour Boulevard between Broadway and Troost Avenue in Midtown Kansas City. This work has sparked a renaissance in a formerly crime-ridden corridor that was known for its abundance of low- income, Section 8 housing. Despite listing on the National Register as a Multiple Resource Area in the 1980s, both the historic apartment buildings and the Armour Boulevard corridor continued to suffer from disinvestment. MAC Property Management, a Chicago-based company, made its mark rehabilitating historic apartments in Chicago’s Hyde Park neighborhood. In Midtown Kansas City MAC Property Management found another unique cache of historic buildings. They recognized from the outset that changing the perception of the neighborhood was incumbent to the success of the project and that this would require redeveloping more than a handful of buildings. The completed rehabilitations demonstrate the company philosophy of preserving historic facades, lobbies and common areas, while using lighting, color and furnishings to introduce modern panache. All units are market rate, but reflect a variety of price points and levels of finish. MAC Property Management recently purchased a mid-century office building on Armour Boulevard near the middle of their holdings that includes a 300-space garage. This covered parking will be made available to residents, and the building will be developed with a variety of services, including a café, grocery store, and artist/musician studio space. MAC Property Management has developed a tremendous reputation in Midtown Kansas City as a developer who follows through on their promises. Their preservation of two dozen historic apartment buildings (and counting) has impacted Kansas City’s Midtown neighborhood with tremendous synergy and vitality.

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Preserve Missouri Awards

Cupples Building #9*

City of Saint Louis
Originally conceived by woodenware and hardware magnate, Samuel Cupples, the Cupples Station warehouse district was constructed in the 1880s next to the Mill Creek rail lines, making warehousing and shipping more efficient. Originally consisting of twenty buildings, each containing about 150,000 square feet of space, this red brick Romanesque style complex is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. After the tragic demolition of Cupples 7 last year, only eight of the original twenty buildings remained. In 2011, the Koman Goup began renovation of the 184,000 square foot Cupples 9, a structure which had been vacant for twenty years. Guided by SPACE Architecture + Design’s vision for the building, today the building represents the essence of historic renovation and adaptive reuse. Exposed brick and heavy timber structural elements represent natural elements to anchor the infusion of new construction into the building. Existing building details serve as the basis of design and influence throughout the project. Large steel trusses that suspend upper floors above the former rail spur are now exposed as architectural features, and canopies at the west entrance and eastern outdoor patio, which is the former loading dock, reflect the trusses’ design and function. Original tongue-in-groove flooring was salvaged in the first floor public spaces. The project utilized state and federal historic preservation tax credits and has received LEED Silver Certification from the US Green Building Council. It is 99% leased with most tenants in a long-term arrangement.

201 Elm Street

Rolla, Phelps County
Butch Daniels saw potential in the unassuming little house with Craftsman style elements in one of Rolla’s oldest neighborhoods. A simple economic analysis and a respect for historic buildings guided the rehabilitation of the house at 201 Elm Street, after it had fallen into disrepair when its previous owner could no longer care for it. Butch Daniels found it was more cost effective to repair important features rather than replace them with new materials. The clapboard siding was scraped and painted. Hardwood floors were refinished. Original wood windows were repaired and reglazed. These practical decisions resulted in a thoughtful rehabilitation that preserved the historic character and retained the architectural elements that define the style of the early-twentieth century dwelling. The house looks refreshed and the neighborhood remains intact. Daniels’ success at 201 Elm Street is an excellent example of the benefits of historic preservation for the community of Rolla.

The Fleet House

New Franklin, Howard County
When faced with a shortage of office space for their family business, Jason and Stephanie Jennings repeatedly made choices that required extra work on their part. The extra work not only helped them find an awesome place for their business, but preserved an important building, and even created a new historic district. When Jennings Premium Meats needed more office space, they could have constructed a new building, but instead chose to restore one of the most impressive houses in the small town of New Franklin. They purchased the long-neglected 1895 Fleet house, just across the road from their business. Originally owned by physician J.B. Fleet and his wife Logie, the property originally included the one-story brick commercial building located to it’s west. That building was constructed at the same time for use as Fleet’s medical office. This was the first house in New Franklin to have running water as well as gas lights. As part of the process, they chose to go the extra mile and sponsor a nomination of the surrounding area as an historic district. As a result, the small commercial center of New Franklin is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This beautiful Queen Anne style brick house is largely intact both inside and out, and retains much of its original woodwork, including pocket doors and its original staircase.

Highland Place*

Kansas City, Jackson County
The rehabilitation of six single-family residences and the Rochester Hotel into senior housing was six years in the making, having weathered the 2008 economic downturn. It is hard to identify the most dramatic part of the transformation along this stretch of Highland Avenue in Kansas City’s historic 18th and Vine neighborhood. All of the buildings received new wood windows. Care was taken to preserve the unique and functional framing details. Historic interior fabric was retained where possible while creating comfortable modern residential units. At the Rochester, each floor was converted from 16 single rooms into four one- bedroom apartments. Original corridors with the plaster walls, trim, and paneled doors were retained. At the houses, each one-story house became one apartment while the two-story houses have an apartment on each level. Each unit retains the configuration of the historic living room and the original wood floors. Using state and federal historic tax credits along with state and federal low-income housing credits, Highland Place, LP saved these fragile buildings, the last vestiges of an endangered property type in a historically and culturally rich area of Kansas City, and developed high-quality senior housing while respecting the historic features of these buildings. The once-vacant buildings again contribute to the vitality of the 18th and Vine Historic District.

The Missouri Civil War Museum

Lemay, Saint Louis County
Once thought to be a blight on the military complex and a candidate for demolition, the former Jefferson Barracks Post Exchange and Gymnasium is today considered to be the gem of Jefferson Barracks. Constructed in 1905, the post exchange provided commissioned officers with an activity center that included a gymnasium, bowling alley, indoor pistol range, barber shop, saunas, a convenience store and industrial kitchen. Decommissioned in 1946, the 16,000 square foot Federal style building was eventually transferred to St. Louis County and sat abandoned, neglected and vandalized for over sixty years. Enter Mark Trout, who had a vision for the post exchange building. Believing that such a beautiful building should not be subject to demolition by neglect, he made a deal with the County to lease the building for $1 per year for the next 99 years. In 2002 he formed the Missouri Civil War Museum, a non profit organization having as its sole purpose saving the building to be retrofitted as a museum dedicated to Missouri’s role in the American Civil War. Work began in 2003 with a handful of dedicated volunteers who found an infestation of wildlife – including bees, pigeons, snakes, raccoons and a duck. There were huge holes in the roof, stagnant water in the basement and tons of trash everywhere. Trout’s desire to maintain the buildings architectural integrity was resolute. Painstaking details were attended to from the grand staircase to the exterior trim. The buildings original blueprints were located and used to guide the entire process of renovation. The project was truly a grass roots efforts with volunteer history buffs, preservations, veterans, carpenters, bricklayers, plasterers and even Eagle Scouts – but the devotion of Mark Trout and historian John Maurath stand out, having literally quit their jobs to devote full time to the restoration of the Missouri Civil War Museum.

The Riverside Bridge Initiative

Ozark, Christian County
When county officials announced in 2010 their intent to demolish and replace the Riverside Bridge, Christian County’s last two-span truss bridge, local resident Kris Dyer made it her personal mission to save the bridge. Dyer launched a media campaign named “Save Riverside Bridge Initiative,” led fund raising efforts, and attended numerous county and state meetings to advocate for saving the bridge. Spending two years on the Missouri Preservation Most Endangered list garnered widespread attention. The Ozark Special Road District obtained control of the bridge in 2012. The organization determined that repairing the bridge was more cost effective than replacing it. Throughout the process, the Save Riverside Bridge Initiative promoted community awareness and public support of the project. After the completion of much needed repairs, the Riverside Bridge opened again to vehicular traffic, much to the delight of residents intent on saving an important piece of their county history.

Unity Tower*

Unity Village/Kansas City, Jackson County
The 165 foot high Italian Renaissance Revival tower stands near the center of the Unity School of Christianity. Designed in 1929 to provide 100,000 gallons of potable water to the surrounding campus, the structure had fallen into disrepair and remained vacant for the past decade. Using sustainable practices and appropriate preservation techniques, Unity Tower was lovingly restored to a new use as the Awaken Whole Life Center. Repurposing the 32’ x 32’ interior required a creative approach to design which resulted in many unique spaces arranged to promote the healing mission of the center. The exterior masonry was expertly repaired and restored. New materials patched into areas of significant deteriorations were selected to match the historic fabric. Historically appropriate windows and doors were installed. In addition to aesthetic and programmatic changes, important life safety improvements were integrated into the project, including restoration of the historic water tank and modernization of the elevator. The mission of spiritual and physical well-being blend seamlessly within the lofty vaulted ceilings of this iconic tower.

*Project used state and/or federal historic tax credits.