Description
WALTON COUNTY, FL 2018
2018 AIA Merit Award
Historic Preservation
Northwest Florida Chapter
The historic renovation of one building can ignite a movement.
Our client tasked us with overseeing the historic renovation of a one-story building located in the historic town square of DeFuniak Springs. The town square has seen its ups and downs, but the demise of the railroad and the expansion of 1-10 have drastically impacted the commercial success of this area. Ironically enough, Tesla’s new Supercharger station is now breathing renewed interest and life into the downtown. Our client wants to take advantage of this renewed need for places to shop and eat while cars charge and purchased a storefront.
The building (and the entire streetscape) had been dramatically altered during the 1980s. Storefronts were changed or completely removed In many cases the old brick was covered with stucco and the interior had been changed from a traditional mercantile to small office spaces connected by a hallway and drop ceilings.
Historical documents dating as far back as the 1920s and 1930s revealed metal roofs with columns that lined the street, which was a practical design. It would protect shoppers from sun, rain and the dust from the streets. Once we began implementing this design into the building we were delighted that it became the prototype for the entire streetscape.
Because of the progress and ongoing improvements being made to these buildings, a Main Street Association has now been created.
Services
- Commercial Preservation & Renovation
- Historic Reasearch
- Design
- Documentation of Existing & Proposed
- Park Service Coordination
