New residential units reactivate three underutilized commercial buildings in the heart of downtown Duluth.

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CHALLENGE

The historic Builder’s Exchange Building, adjacent Interstate Auto Company, and the Hockin Furniture Company are located in the National Register-listed Duluth Commercial Historic District. New owners planned to complete a renovation of the underutilized buildings using state and federal tax credits, but the Builder’s Exchange and Interstate Auto buildings needed immediate repairs and stabilization. These two buildings had also been connected at the interior, adding a layer of complexity to a historic tax credit certification project.

SUCCESS

New History worked with the ownership and design team to plan and execute certified historic projects at the three buildings. New History completed a masonry assessment to facilitate emergency repairs, and navigated the historic tax credit application process, helping to integrate historic preservation approvals into the project schedule and coordinating the three separate historic tax credit applications required for this project. Through creative problem-solving, New History worked with the project team to develop solutions to difficult design and construction challenges, resulting in a finished project that retains the historic character of these historic commercial buildings.