Project Summary
Klingner worked with the City of Burlington to restore and reopen this architectural treasure as an event venue, rentable office space, and train and bus waiting station.
Designed by the famous Chicago architectural firm Holabird and Root and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, this 1940’s station had been largely abandoned due to safety concerns arising from flood damage. A temporary waiting area, which had been constructed in the great room, was still in use.
Referencing historic photos, Klingner’s architects made special effort to restore the building’s original, clean look. The ceiling was lowered slightly to hide new high efficiency heating / cooling and sprinkler systems, and linear LED lights recalling the modern aesthetic were installed. Because deteriorated wooden frames made the original windows a safety concern, new windows that match the original wood profiles were installed. The project also included a new roof and fascia, cleaning the bookmatched travertine marble walls, buffing the terrazzo floors, and installing a new electrical service to the offices and restaurant spaces for future tenants.
Klingner assisted the City of Burlington with several grant applications to fund the project including the Public Transportation Infrastructure Grant, Alliant Energy Rehabilitation Pilot Rebate Program. Overall, the grants covered a little over 70% of the cost to rehabilitate the building.
In 2017, the project was awarded the Rehabilitation Project of the Year by the Burlington Chamber of Commerce and was listed as one of 25 top architectural buildings to visit in the State of Iowa by USA Today in collaboration with the AIA in a January 17, 2017 article.
