2022 Honor Awards

The 2022 Honor Awards announcement was held Tuesday, April 19th in the Missouri State Capitol 1st floor rotunda in Jefferson City. Missouri Preservation was delighted to be able celebrate preservation achievements in-person once again!

For 42 years, our organization has recognized preservation enterprises, from rehabilitation projects to advocacy, and the dedicated individuals without whom none of this would be possible. The Honor Awards commend hard work and dedication, passion and sometimes heartbreak. They are our way of showing the world that yes, preservation is possible. Preservation is relevant. The Honor Awards are also a time to remember that historic preservation is about teamwork, and although only some individuals were able to join us in the Capitol, we all know that behind many of them — behind these projects and achievements — there is a village.

2022 Awardees

The Rozier Award
1. Larry Giles (1947-2021)
Osmund Overby Award
1. Kansas City Art Institute | Architecture & Innovation 1885 – 2020 by Cydney Millstein and designed by Jeffrey Isom
The McReynolds Awards
Preserve Missouri Awards
2022 Honor Awards Sponsors

The Rozier Award

Larry Giles (1947-2021)

St. Louis City
Larry Giles (1947-2021) was a pioneering architectural salvage expert and historic preservationist. Larry grew up in St. Louis’ West End neighborhood and Maplewood. After serving as a Marine in the Vietnam War, where he achieved the rank of sergeant and received a Purple Heart, Larry returned to St. Louis. He settled in the Soulard neighborhood, where he became a force in preserving its historic buildings and revitalizing its spirit. Larry co-founded the Soulard Restoration Group, a neighborhood association, and a rehabilitation company called Soulard Resources. He rehabilitated six buildings in the Soulard area. In 1972, seeing a gap around salvage work, he founded the St. Louis Architectural Art Company and quickly became one of the nation’s busiest architectural recovery operations. While his early work focused on salvage materials for reuse by building rehabbers in St. Louis, he later turned his attention to the recovery of larger-scale systems of terra cotta, cast iron, and stone, hoping to create an archive of the lost architecture of the city. Larry would recover entire building elevations. Eventually his work took him beyond St. Louis to places like Chicago, Philadelphia, and New York City. He became the leading resource and perhaps the only person in the country who knew how to carefully dismantle an entire building elevation for safekeeping. By 1982, Larry advocated to resurrect the plans for a museum of American architecture and building in St. Louis, an idea first proposed during the Gateway Arch riverfront clearance in the 1930s. Larry continued to amass the core collection for the museum, and in 2002 incorporated the non-profit St. Louis Building Arts Foundation to which he donated his entire library and collection of artifacts. The foundation obtained a former steel foundry across the river in Sauget, Illinois for use as a study center, exhibition hall, and library, finalizing the creation of the National Building Arts Center. In recent years, Larry completed the rehabilitation of the foundry office building into a library and work space, and completed substantial stabilization and rehabilitation work on the other foundry buildings. He also arranged several transfers of New York artifacts from the Brooklyn Museum to the Center, realizing its ambitions to create a national representation of building materials. Larry not only oversaw the vision and administration of the Center, but could be found every day personally laboring alongside others on various tasks. Sadly, Larry Giles passed in June of 2021. The organization he has created, its staff and volunteers are committed to carrying on his vision and bringing his dream to life. Missouri Preservation is honored to recognize Larry’s lifetime of achievements and the legacy he has created through the National Building Arts Center.
Visit the National Building Arts Center website to find out more about Larry’s legacy and arrange a visit!

Osmund Overby Award

Kansas City Art Institute | Architecture & Innovation 1885 – 2020
by Cydney Millstein and designed by Jeffrey Isom

Kansas City, Jackson County
The Kansas City Art Institute/Architecture & Innovation 1885-2020, written by Cydney Millstein and designed by Jeffrey Isom, is an in-depth exploration of the Kansas City Art Institute’s various locations throughout its 135-year history. Using archival sources throughout, Millstein traces the twelve urban locations where KCAI established studio and classroom space, most in buildings that no longer exist. A detailed inventory, richly illustrated with historic and contemporary renderings and photographs, focuses on the current campus which embodies an array of designs from Queen Anne to 1970s Brutalism. In uncovering this part of KCAI’s history, Millstein adds critical documentation to the chronicle of Kansas City’s built environment.

Purchase the book here.

The McReynolds Awards

Wildwood Historic Community Markers Program

Wildwood, St. Louis County
The Wildwood area has a rich history that stretches long before the city was incorporated in 1995. In 2013, the Wildwood Historic Preservation Commission decided to document and interpret the area’s history using signs narrating the history, background, and character of various locations. The information provided was thoroughly researched using local repositories and sources. While many planning and design decisions were made in the summer of 2013, the project was a multi-phase process. The first markers were placed in the communities of Glencoe and Pond, largely due to their locations on city-owned property. The next two installations included the Monarch and Westland Acres communities, both located on the north end of the city. Each installed marker was accompanied by a ceremony to commemorate the occasion and all marker locations include a parking pad to make it easier for people to stop and read the signs. In addition to the signage, the Historic Preservation Commission has developed a corresponding Points of Interest map which encourages visitors and residents to take a driving tour throughout the area, read the signs, see the sites, and learn more about the area’s historical significance. Missouri Preservation applauds the Wildwood Historic Preservation Commission for their efforts to preserve and interpret their community’s history.
Find out more about the historic locales in Wildwood, Missouri here.

Sonya & Kevin Morgan

Excelsior Springs, Clay County
Sonya and Kevin Morgan are long-time residents of Excelsior Springs, Missouri who have a passion for historic preservation. They live in the Boarding House Historic District near the downtown area and are familiar faces at every city and downtown event. As volunteers, they have spent countless hours attending meetings, researching projects, sharing their knowledge, and working with others to improve their community. Kevin can often be found behind his camera, documenting downtown events as well as capturing the history and spirit of Excelsior Springs. His photography has not only assisted in documenting the development in the downtown, but also documenting the pre-history of the area including archaeological excavations at Regent Spring. Sonya served on the Historic Preservation Commission for over 20 years and now, as Mayor Pro-tem of the city council, serves as a council liaison to the commission. Sonya has served on a number of committees related to preservation issues in Excelsior Springs, including efforts to save the Hall of Waters which was listed as one of the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Most Endangered in 2020. Both Kevin and Sonya currently serve together on the Friends of the Wells committee, hoping to make the mineral water that is responsible for the development of Excelsior Springs available to visitors of the Hall of Waters building. The countless hours Sonya and Kevin Morgan have spent giving back to their community have helped ensure that the history of Excelsior Spring will be around for generations to come. Missouri Preservation commends the work of Sonya and Kevin Morgan as tireless advocates for their community and for preservation.

Woodside

*Photo by Jennifer Taylor, Fendler + Associates, Inc.*

Maplewood, St. Louis County
The Charles S. Rannells House, known to locals as Woodside, was built in 1849 and is believed to be the oldest building in Maplewood. Local preservationist Doug Houser has spearheaded efforts to save the home since 1999, when it was sold and the new owners sought demolition. With help from city council members Tim Dunn and Dan Mosby, Maplewood created its first historic preservation ordinance. After the demolition was denied and a lengthy court battle ensued in 2004, the portion of the property containing the house was sold to the City. Former city manager, Marty Corcoran, was integral in ensuring the survival of Woodside at this time. A group of engaged citizens formed a non-profit called the Maplewood Historic Preservation Corporation, with part of their mission aimed at restoring Woodside. While the non-profit eventually folded, it did raise awareness in the community for the building’s plight. In 2005, Martin Fischer paid to install a new roof, which ensured the survival of Woodside until finally, in 2016, the City sold Woodside to Brendon Papineau and Libby Farmer with the agreement that they would rehabilitate the home. The project started with raising the house to repair/replace the basement and foundation walls. The wood sill plate was replaced, damaged wood beams sistered, and steel beams added for additional support. The roof was removed to inspect and repair the decking and add insulation before installing a new asphalt shingle roof. Newly installed Hardyboard siding retained the appearance of the original lap siding. They restored the fishscale shingles in the dormer pediments, as well as the exterior trim and rebuilt the two-story sun porch on the west end of the house. The original front porch was removed and reconstructed and the front door restored. While the interior required all new plumbing, electric and mechanical systems, they tried to retain and restore as many remaining historical finishes as possible. Wood floors on the first floor were patched using wood boards salvaged from the attic rooms and they repaired or replicated historic millwork around the doors and windows. They retrofitted the fireplaces with gas inserts and carefully repaired and refinished the original wood mantels. A carpenter specializing in staircase construction was hired to rebuild and restore the original cherry staircase, incorporating and repairing the remaining original stair components. Missouri Preservation is delighted to honor this former Place in Peril, which after more than seventeen years of dedication and advocacy from a number of individuals, has finally regained its former glory.

Preserve Missouri Awards

The Monarch

Kansas City, Jackson County
The historic Monarch Storage Building, later known as the American White Goods Building, is located in the heart of the South Side Historic District in Kansas City. The building sat underutilized for many years until Exact Partners acquired the site in 2017. Using both state and federal historic tax credits, as well as tax abatement, the Exact transformed the Monarch into sixteen two-bed units and four commercial spaces. All facades were fully repaired, including masonry replacement, repointing, and decorative stone patching and/or replacement. They restored the steel windows and cleaned the entire building exterior. They restored the historic Monarch Storage sign. The formerly dark alley between The Monarch and adjacent Netherland building was repurposed with outdoor restaurant seating, tenant seating and workspaces, and new commercial storefronts. The original freight elevator was removed and replaced with basement to rooftop stairs in the shaft, and the elevator doors were re-purposed as wall art throughout the corridors and front lobby. Interior masonry walls were cleaned, repointed, and left exposed. Original concrete floors, columns, and ceilings were also left exposed, providing an industrial downtown loft look and feel. The polished stone wall panels and terrazzo steps at the Main Street entrance were also cleaned and repaired. Now rehabilitated, the Monarch is helping re-energize the redevelopment of the South Side and Midtown Kansas City Main Street corridor.

Madison Miller Home

Liberty, Clay County
The Madison Miller home in Liberty, Missouri sits just one block from the historic downtown square. Built for the first mayor of Liberty in 1840, the house grew a number of times from its original two-room, two-story layout to over 6500 square feet. When Capstone Homes, LLC purchased the property in December 2018, owner Ken Personett was determined to restore the home to its former glory. Personett removed a 1930s apartment addition to restore the original exterior appearance. Using both State and Federal Historic Tax Credits, Capstone Homes, LLC restored the structural integrity of the building, installed a new roof, completed masonry repairs, and added operable shutters to the windows. They leveled the floors and ceilings and installed all new electrical, plumbing, and HVAC. Once the systems were finished, they focused their efforts on restoring the historic details of the home. They replicated missing trim and doors and installed custom-made window sashes. The original plank flooring, hidden under years of hardwood, linoleum and carpet was salvaged and reused. Bordered on three sides by commercial properties and just one block from historic downtown Liberty, converting the space into commercial offices was deemed the most appropriate use to ensure viability for years to come. Eight businesses now call the Madison Miller House home.

Brick District Playhouse Theatre

Fulton, Callaway County
The Fulton Theater opened to the public in 1928 to showcase both motion pictures and theatrical attractions. In 2005, the current owners announced intent to build a new eight-screen theater in Fulton and donate the old theater to the Callaway Arts Council. Like many nonprofits, the Callaway Arts Council struggled with fundraising to maintain the theater and thus created the Fulton Brick District Playhouse Theatre Association in 2014 to assist in the development of a strategic plan for the building’s future. With the help of two Missouri Finance Board Tax Credits, as well as private donations and support from local financial institutions, the organization has made a number of improvements in recent years to restore the building. Updates include a fire suppression system, utility upgrades, sound equipment, and ADA compliant features. The roof was repaired and the brick tuckpointed. They installed a reconstructed chandelier in the auditorium, based on a design from an east coast theater built around the same time. They salvaged the ticket window from a theater of the same period in Fredericktown. Original sconces were cleaned and retained and the stage was restored. The proposed second phase of work includes rehabilitation of the mezzanine. The front of the building is currently home to the Playhouse Restaurant, serving both visitors to the downtown and catering events at the theater. Years of dedication by the Callaway Arts Council, Fulton Brick District Playhouse Theatre Association and a number of other locals has ensured that this landmark will remain a centerpiece in the community.

Jesse James Birthplace

Kearney, Clay County
The James family log house, birthplace of outlaw Jesse James, was originally built in 1822 in the saddlebag style. An addition was added to the east side of the home in the 1890s and in 1938, a kitchen was added off of that. The home passed through the James family until it was purchased by Clay County in 1978, complete with original furnishings. The county began working shortly after purchasing the property, starting with the reconstruction of several outbuildings, including a smoke house and slave cabin. A study completed in 2017 identified a number of areas needing repairs and improvement to ensure the longevity of the cabin. Restoration work started with site draining. The perimeter of the 1822 cabin was excavated to stabilize the foundation. Ventilation was added around this perimeter along with a mesh barrier to prevent animals from penetrating the foundation. Floorboards were also pulled from the 1822 portion, the crawl space leveled out, and a vapor barrier installed. New shingles were installed on all three portions of the cabin. Logs were inspected and salvageable logs were treated with Bora-care and consolidant. Any logs that were identified as too deteriorated were replaced with new logs. All chinking and daubing was removed and replaced with a historically appropriate mix of lime, clay and hemp fibers. Siding on both the exterior and interior was removed, some of it salvaged and reused, and the rest replaced with a new matching siding. All of the windows from the 1822 and 1890s addition were removed and restored as well. With work completed, Clay County Historic Sites has ensured that the Jesse James Birthplace will remain as a historic destination for years to come.
Visit the Jesse James Birthplace & Museum.

5268 Maple Avenue

St. Louis City
Prominently located at the corner of Union Boulevard and Maple Avenue on the western edge of the Mount Cabanne/Raymond Place Historic District, 5268 Maple stood vacant since 2003 when the building was devastated by fire. By the time that Erica Henderson partnered with Guy Slay to acquire the property from the St. Louis City’s Land Reutilization Authority, fifteen years of exposure to the elements on top of damage from the fire had taken its toll on the home. Extensive structural repairs were done to the second floor joists and roof. New wood windows, replicated from remaining sashes, were installed. The front porch was rebuilt and new granite columns installed to replace the originals that had been stolen. The non-historic steel structure on the rear of the building was replaced with a historically appropriate two-story wood porch. Wood detailing on the exterior was repaired. Interior woodwork was salvaged, repaired, and reproduced where needed. Walls and ceilings were refinished, and the floors which had been heavily damaged were replaced with new tongue and groove wood floors that matched the originals. Entirely new electrical, mechanical and plumbing systems were installed as well as new kitchens and bathrooms due to the heavy damage, but the original floor plan of the house was retained. Both state and federal historic tax credits helped fund the project, and the home was quickly rented after completion. This successful rehabilitation has already spurred further reinvestment in the area and moves the community one step closer to demolishing the “Delmar Divide.”

900 North Tucker

St. Louis City
Built in 1930 to house the St. Louis Globe-Democrat newspaper, this buff-colored art deco structure was purchased in 1959 by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and expanded to enhance newspaper printing operations. The StarWood Group purchased the 305,000 square foot facility in 2016 to support the upcoming National Geo-spatial-Intelligence Agency building, recognizing the opportunity for development along the northern edge of downtown St. Louis. As the proposed function was primarily offices for a financial institution, security and technology were significant c components of this rehabilitation. Re-branded as 900 North Tucker, the project included all new building systems, extensive roof replacement, repointing of the masonry at the penthouses and parapets, and new windows. New window openings were added and the brick veneer replaced on the northern facade where a new primary entrance was added. The architects at Trivers worked closely with the Missouri State Historic Preservation Office to create a new design for this entrance that differed from the historic architecture while still respecting the overall proportions and arrangement of the facade. A new sky-lit atrium connected three stories with a dramatic floating steel staircase and provided natural light for two underground levels. Historic printing presses throughout the building were utilized in the design to maintain the legacy of Joseph Pulitzer and the Post-Dispatch. The historic lobby, original Pulitzer office and boardroom were also restored. This project utilized both state and federal historic tax credits and its successful completion is another step towards re-energizing downtown St. Louis.