16th Annual Ken Kringle Historic Preservation Awards Announced

DUBUQUE, Iowa – The Ken Kringle Historic Preservation Award was established in 2002 by the City of Dubuque Historic Preservation Commission to recognize excellence in historic preservation. Awards are announced annually for the best preservation efforts located in the city of Dubuque. The award is named after the late Ken Kringle for his dedication to historic preservation through his involvement as a member and past chairperson of the Historic Preservation Commission, president of the Bluff Street Neighborhood Association, resident of the Cathedral Historic Preservation District, and member of the Old House Enthusiasts Club.

The City of Dubuque Historic Preservation Commission will present the 16th Annual Ken Kringle Historic Preservation Awards at a public reception and ceremony on Tuesday, April 10, beginning at 5:30 p.m. at the Millwork Marketplace, 333 E. 10th St. Beginning at 6:30 p.m. the following people will receive awards in recognition of their outstanding preservation achievements:

This dwelling was first listed in the Dubuque City Directory in 1856 and is a well-preserved example of a workingmen’s residence. Ken Lin restored this two-story, Italianate style, brick dwelling. Prior to Mr. Lin’s efforts, this property was in very poor shape. The interior was completely gutted. New electric, plumbing, insulation and framing was added. The layout opened up with the removal of some interior walls. The roof was completely replaced and the attic was reinsulated. The brick exterior was tuckpointed throughout and the windows were replaced with new energy efficient wood windows. A new porch was created in the front and the rear addition received a new roof, siding, and paint. This is not Mr. Lin’s first foray in restoration, nor is it his first Ken Kringle award. This project is yet another example of Mr. Lin’s commitment to adapting historic and underutilized spaces into new uses in keeping architecturally with their past. 

This early 1870s two-story, Italianate style residence was occupied in 1875 by John Pope of Wybrant and Pope – a boot and shoe manufacturing and dealing shop. This property appears to be one of the earliest built in the neighborhood as per the lithographic map, ”1872 Birds-Eye View of Dubuque.” Peter and Cynthia Alt injected life back into this building which fell into disrepair over that last 70 years. The Alts’ efforts, and those of general contractor Clyde Kay, have restored character to the building. The first-floor windows were replaced and painted, while the second-floor windows were able to be scraped and painted. The front door and storm door was removed, and a new wooden door was installed. The shake siding was scraped and painted, and the craftsman style porch was reworked to include a new set of stairs, fresh looking white railings, and white tapered column posts. This project is one of many efforts undertaken by the Alts, which demonstrates their commitment to preservation. 

This property, known as the J. C. Garland House, was built in 1906 and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. It is an example of late 19th century and early 20th century Colonial Revival architecture. Paul and Pamela Peckosh have long resided in this magnificent home and have been great caretakers of its history and architecture. Most recently, in a process that took over two years, the Peckoshs replaced an aging fence with a new wrought iron fence worthy of the home’s period and design. With the help of Stewart Iron Works out of Covington, Ky., and local contractor, Jeff Davis, the magnificent wrought iron fence and gate was installed and ornaments the property. The fence and gate were crafted and installed by Stewart Iron Works on a foundation and wall built by Jeff Davis. The new Stewart Iron Works fence replaced an existing 1880s Stewart Iron Works fence that was installed by Mr. Peckosh in the 1970s. The Peckoshs installed enlarged posts on the corners and adjacent to the gate openings which maintains the overall design of the fence but adds a level of grandeur befitting this historic property. 

The Fannie Stout House was built by Henry Stout circa 1893 and given to his daughter Fannie as a wedding gift. It is an example of eclectic architecture combining features from Queen Anne, New England, and Byzantine designs. Gary and Chris Stelpflug and Gary Carner saw this building as another opportunity to restore one of Dubuque’s most treasured buildings back to its grandeur. They spent over two years restoring and preserving the Fannie Stout House. It was important to them to preserve all the unique features, inside and out, that make this historic building special.

The property consists of three above-ground apartment units, two basement apartment units, a bed and breakfast, and an event center. The interior of the apartment portions of the property were completely renovated, while the bed and breakfast and event center interiors were preserved as much as possible. All the original woodwork was preserved and restored. Despite difficulties, they went as far as to get the original plumbing fixtures in working condition. The amenities throughout the house are reflective of the times when Fannie Stout occupied the home. On the exterior, the entire building was scraped and painted. The windows were scraped, puttied, and painted. The rear turret windows were replicated, replaced, and painted. A new copper roof was installed and stonework was cleaned and repointed. As is often the case with this Stelpflug-Carner partnership, no expense or detail was spared. This building is once again a highlight of Locust Street. 

The Novelty Iron Works building is a 260,000-square-foot complex that takes up a full city block within the Historic Millwork District. It consists of 76 apartments and 50,000 square feet of retail marketplace space including restaurants, taproom, bars, an event center, and food market. This project exemplifies the idea of live/work/play. It also represents Bethany Golombeski’s and Robert Johnson’s vision for turning underutilized historic spaces into modern uses. They make spaces that were once considered a blight, an amenity for the entire community. 

There are five distinct buildings within the complex that date from before 1880 through 1919. Exterior projects included cleaning and tuckpointing of all exterior brick, removing blocked up openings, and replicating nearly 400 windows. All the door openings required new doors except for two. Roofing was replaced, and skylights were installed. The parapet walls were tuckpointed and repaired. The concrete section rebar was removed and replaced, the concrete was patched with a special epoxy, and all the concrete was repainted. The four-story catwalk was completely restored with newly fabricated railings, new decking, a new roof, and every piece of steel was painted. 

This was an extensive project that helped to invigorate a sense of place and community in the Historic Millwork District. The owners’ amazing contributions to preservation can be seen not only in this building, but throughout the downtown and along the bluff. 

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