Last night, members of our office attended Historic KC’s 2015 Preservation Awards Ceremony at Boulevard Brewing. We were honored to be recognized among some outstanding local visionaries who are leading preservation efforts throughout Kansas City’s urban core and beyond. 

Designer Dirk Henke’s work on the Ozark National Life Insurance Company Building in downtown Kansas City, MO was recognized with an Honorable Mention award in the Conservation category. The 1897 Second Renaissance Revival building is a stunning example of a bygone era. Dirk and other members of our team were tasked with investigating the four masonry balconies adorning the building. Upon assessment, it was determined that significant structural damage had occurred. The team addressed these underlying issues, and also restored all balcony masonry in order to ensure another century of life for this local landmark.

Architects Erin Mumm and Andy Short received an award in the Best Preservation Practice category for their work on the Unified Government of Wyandotte County + Kansas City, KS Fire Headquarters. The 1929 building, originally designed by architect Charles E. Keyser, had fallen into disrepair before Erin and Andy orchestrated its careful preservation after conducting extensive archival research. The scope of work primarily consisted of repairing and replacing the six bay doors and the nearly 85 window openings in order to preserve the original character and vision of Keyser’s design.

Congratulations to all the winners!

Learn more about IAA’s projects here.