In celebration of National Historic Preservation Month in May, the Rock Island Preservation Society (RIPS) is presenting its annual Historic Preservation Awards for work completed during 2015 or earlier. Public presentation of the awards will take place at the Rock Island City Council meeting on Monday, May 16, 2015, at 6:45 in the Council Chambers on the third floor of Rock Island City Hall, 1528 Third Avenue.
Each year RIPS honors individuals, groups, or businesses who have made special efforts to preserve or restore historic structures in our community or whose actions have served to support the historic qualities of Rock Island. Our awards are given primarily for exterior details that can be enjoyed from public right of way and are generally for work completed the previous year
This year we are presenting two Historic Preservation Awards, one Certificate of Recognition, and four Special Stewardship Awards.
Following is a listing of the recognitions that will be presented. RIPS is pleased to provide photos of the projects at your request (see contact information above). Digital photos should be available by May 1.
HISTORIC PRESERVATION AWARDS
Knox Chapel, 2106 7th Avenue
Honoree: Steven and Cynthia Pressly (Wheelan-Pressly Funeral Home) same address
The former Larson Funeral Home was vacant and vandalized, when Steve and Cindy Pressly purchased it and began an extensive restoration, both inside and out. The original 1860 era home was converted to a funeral home in 1935, when a beautiful chapel and an east wing were added. Through the years, it was mostly impeccably maintained, until the past decade, when ownership transitioned a few times and deterioration quickly set in. The Presslys have restored both the interior and the extensive grounds to make this once again an asset to its nearby residential neighborhood and to Rock Island.
Rock Island Public Library, 401 19th Street
Honorees: Angela Campbell, Library Director
The project started with repairing the chimney of the century old Rock Island Library. Stoneworker Otto Baum’s intent was to disassemble and rebuild the top part of the chimney using the original sandstone facing from North Amherst, Ohio. Butmost of it was too deteriorated to reuse so a search was made for a stone that would match the current appearance of the original stone (gray weathered to gold) and a replacement was found in Ashford, Ohio, quarries. More recently the exterior stone throughout the library was cleaned and restored as other exterior restoration was undertaken. The wide front steps were removed and rebuilt because the underpinnings and foundation were crumbling. This work was done over a period of 9 months by Northwest Restoration and was paid for by general city funds. It is noteworthy that the building is now on a maintenance plan so that a project of this magnitude will not need to be repeated in future years.
CERTIFICATE of RECOGNITION
House at 73019thStreet
Honoree: Dan Cleaveland, same address
Decades ago, the original front porch was removed from this circa 1865 home. A small rickety replacement served for many years, until it also was removed, leaving a scar on the brick wall from the first porch. When a blurred photo of the original porch was found, owner Dan Cleaveland who has continued restoration on this home which once held multiple apartments was able to see how it should appear. With his contractor, Earl Hofer, the new porch was designed and constructed. This detailed porch restoration has earned a Certificate of Recognition.
SPECIAL STEWARDSHIP AWARDS
RIPS awards are frequently given to projects which have done extensive repair and restoration on buildings. Yet it is important to recognize those owners who continue to do appropriate maintenance and upkeep so that their buildings do not need repair and restoration. The following four Special Stewardship Awards recognize public and semi-public buildings whose owners have made special efforts to maintain their building(s).
Royal Neighbors of America Headquarters, 230 16th Street
Honorees: Cynthia Tidwell, President/CEO
If we didn’t know the Royal Neighbors headquarters building was constructed in 1928, it could easily be mistaken for brand new, so carefully is it maintained. Its smooth Bedford stone walls support a colorful slate roof, while the magnificent filigree bronze doors and transom glow like new. The stone walls hold carvings, including one over the entrance arch by sculptress Nellie V. Walker, a nationally known affiliate of Lorado Taft’s Midway Studio in Chicago. All in all, this building is a testament to the quality of the original materials as well as loving maintenance over the past 90 years.
Coventry Apartments (Rosenfield Mansion), 1900 6th Avenue
Honoree: Manager Linda Work
When Harris Webber Ltd. constructed the Coventry Apartments in 1977, the historically significant 1893 Rosenfield Mansion was incorporated into the design to be used as public spaces for the residents of the apartments. Updated at the time, the mansion has continued to be well maintained. The home was in use as a private residence until it was sold in 1920 to St. Joseph’s church for use as a convent residence. That use continued until 1957 when it was sold to the Tri-City Jewish Center for use as an educational center. Both of these religious entities were also careful caretakers of the residence.
Word of Life Church, 1808 7th Avenue
Honoree: Pastor Tanner Payton
The church occupies one of the oldest and most magnificent homes in the Quad Cities. Built in 1854-55 as the home of Charles Buford and his family, it remained a private residence until 1936, when it was sold to the Tri-City Jewish Center. That congregation built the large addition at the rear, but left the historic home, then only 84 years old, undisturbed, both inside and out. After the Jewish Center constructed a new home on 30th Street, this building was sold to the Word of Life Church in 1982. Both groups have shown meticulous stewardship of this unique home with its religious facility in the rear addition.
Rock Island Public Schools
Honoree: Supt. Mike Oberhaus
Brick buildings are sometimes considered to be maintenance-free, but they are not. Although frequent exterior maintenance, except for trim paint, is not needed, brick must be occasionally tuckpointed. This amounts to removing old deteriorated mortar between the bricks and then replacing it with new. This is a tedious project that is both necessary and expensive. The Rock Island School district is recognized for the tuckpointing projects that have recently been completed at four school buildings: Denkmann, Thurgood Marshall (former Grant School), Rock Island High School, and Horace Mann.
