528 Delaware, Leavenworth, Kansas
SCOPE OF WORK: Federal & Missouri Historic Tax Credit Applications
CLIENT: Collateral Services Properties, LLC
INVESTMENT: $976,000
COMPLETED: Fall 2006
AWARDS: Kansas Preservation Alliance Rehabilitation Medallion Award, 2007
The six-story, brick building at 528 Delaware was constructed in 1908 for wholesale hardware business operated by J.W. Crancer & Company. Later, the Montgomery Wards department store occupied the building from 1930 — 1970. The building is listed in the National Register as a contributing resource to the Leavenworth Downtown Historic District.
The current owner purchased the building to house its corporate offices and approached the rehabilitation with a light touch. All historic materials and the open floor plan of the interior were retained. Paint was removed from wood columns and beams. The brick walls were left exposed. Wood floors were patched and refinished. Non-historic windows were replaced with new windows that matched the original windows, as depicted in a historic photo.
The most dramatic aspect of the project was restoration of the storefront. During the 1960s, the original storefront had been replaced with a modern aluminum system. The original transom, with rare Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Luxfer prisms, remained but was badly deteriorated. The aluminum storefront was removed and replaced with a new historically appropriate wood-framed storefront, and the distinctive transom was fully restored, using salvaged Luxfer prisms to replace missing and damaged elements.
Rosin Preservation facilitated the tax credit application process, working closely with the owner, the architect, and window contractors to ensure retention of historic fabric and the appropriate design of new elements.
J.W. Crancer Building before restoration
J.W. Crancer Building after restoration
J.W. Crancer Building storefront after restoration