2020 KPA Awards Projects
Each year the Kansas Preservation Alliance, Inc. recognizes exemplary efforts in historic preservation across the state of Kansas. The 2020 Awards for Excellence were presented virtually because of COVID-19, where the following projects received awards.
Baccus Hatchery, Lincoln (Lincoln County) – Merit Award
The Baccus Hatchery is one of the earliest buildings in Lincoln dating to 1885. It’s served a number of businesses ranging from a hatchery, drug store, hardware store, printing shop, millinery and insurance agency.
The project included: Clearing out all collapsing portions of the building and reconstructing them, stabilizing the rear masonry wall, replacing the roof while saving the original skylight, rebuilding the large storefront windows to match the originals, repairing all plaster walls, installing all new mechanical, and electrical and plumbing systems. What was a home for feral cats and mold now houses a coffee shop and AirBnb loft apartment.
Fox Theatre, Atchison (Atchison County) – Honor Award
The Fox Theatre, built in 1949, occupies a prominent location in the middle of the 600 block of Commercial Street, the primary commercial thoroughfare in downtown Atchison. The site of the 1949 Fox Theatre illustrates a long association with the motion picture business in Atchison; prior to the nominated theater, the parcel was the location of the Royal Theatre, subsequently known as the Fox Royal Theatre, from circa 1911 to 1947. From 1949 to 2011, the Fox Theatre operated as downtown Atchison’s neighborhood movie theater, serving a significant entertainment and recreation function in the city. The Fox Theatre was listed in the Register of Historic Kansas Places under Criterion A in the area of Entertainment/Recreation as an example of the Movie Theater property type as defined in the Multiple Property Documentation Form “Historic Theaters and Opera Houses of Kansas.”
Without constructing additions or altering the historic character- defining spaces of the property, Theatre Atchison restored and modernized a building that is often a challenge to reuse. They provided modern amenities, state-of-the-art movie technology, and upgraded seating while restoring the historic openness of the theater and maintaining the previous capacity of three theaters. Theatre Atchison restored an important component of the downtown and reopened this important resource to the community.
McPherson Community Building, McPherson (McPherson County) – Medallion
In the early 1970’s there was a push to demolish the building to open up additional space for the downtown. Community outpouring against the concept of demolishing the building ultimately led to a change in momentum to perform restoration instead of demolition. On August 6, 1974, a bond issue to renovate the building was passed by voters. The renovation included adding a new (north) front to the building including corner additions. The additions and renovations incorporated bathroom additions on the northeast and northwest corners, a new boiler, a new roof, a rubberized gymnasium floor, a metal panel façade on the north elevation, and replacement windows on the south façade, a dressing room, a small meeting room, new gym floor (uni-turf), carpeting, a new length of gym ceiling tile, remodeling of the stage, removing the northeast exterior exit door and adjacent glazing in the gymnasium and replacing it with an overhead door, removing the east mezzanine in the gymnasium and selective masonry repointing.
Ridge Top II, Leavenworth (Leavenworth County) – Honor with Distinction
Following the Section 106 Review, VALOR’s core members informed executive members of the National Trust of the district’s impending demolition and it was placed on 11 Most Endangered Historic Places list in 2000.
The VA heard the community’s concerns and reviewed the proposed alternatives for the historic buildings. In 2001, the VA proposed to rehabilitate the buildings with private funds through the Enhanced Use Lease Program. The VA proceeded with the new proposal and worked with the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation to develop a Memorandum of Agreement for the treatment of the properties. The Eisenhower Ridge Association, led by private developer Pioneer Group, was awarded the 75-year lease to rehabilitate the district buildings for new tenants.
With the completion of the Ridge Top II Apartments rehabilitation, the team has rehabilitated 30 of the 38 buildings and is continuing to work with prospects on potential projects for the remaining eight buildings.
United Telephone Building,
Sherman County Historical Society in Goodland, KS– Merit Award
The 1931 Telephone Building is located on the southeast corner of Main and 10th Streets. At the time the building was constructed, Main Street was a primary thoroughfare, Main Street brewing U.S. North Highway 40 in 1931 and changed to State Highway 24 in January 1936, remaining until the early 1940’s when Highway 24 was built south of the city. A hotel was across the street north, an opera house was directly west across Main Street, and a bank is diagonal northwest across Main Street yet today.
In 1937, United Telephone merged with Southwestern Bell. At present, the building is owned by the County, also the owner of The Sherman County Courthouse, the other Art Deco building, much photographed and sketched by artists who visit Goodland. Both buildings are sources of pride to residents who are happy to share their history.
Whipple House, Meade (Meade County) – Merit Award
This project preserved the 1887 former residence of John and Eva (Dalton) Whipple, an 1887 contributing property part of the Dalton Gang Hideout and Museum in the city of Meade. Eva (Dalton) Whipple was sister to the famed outlaw Dalton brothers known for their robberies of trains and banks.
The Whipple House faces west toward Pearlette Street. Today, museum visitors enter the residence through the sub-grade tunnel connecting the home’s basement to the adjacent barn. The building has just four rooms: a living room and bedroom accessed by a center hall on the main/upper floor and a kitchen on the lower floor. The original tunnel was discovered when driving over it with a wagon. The home and tunnel are interpreted as they would have been when the Whipples owned it. The restoration project significantly updated the roof and siding of the home.
Washington Historic Residences, Independence (Montgomery County) – Honor Award
Washington School in Independence, Kansas was dedicated January 3, 1940, constructed with the assistance of the Federal Public Works Administration (PWA). The school is architecturally significant as a representative of an early Modern Movement school with Art Moderne influences and as the work of prominent school architect, Thomas W. Williamson of Topeka.
The rehabilitation project successfully used federal and Kansas Historic Tax Credits, combined with Low Income Housing Tax Credits (LITHC) to convert the school to housing, generally using each classroom as an apartment, retaining the corridor configuration throughout as well as the gymnasium.
The elementary school, which had experienced few alterations by the school district, was successfully converted to housing through creative design and attention to detail. The building now serves as home to 26 residents including at least one former teacher. The finished product maintains the historic character of the school while providing affordable modern apartments.
