Colman Yards
Rockford, Il
Projects
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Resilient Baraboo
The City of Baraboo selected Studio GWA and Redevelopment Resources to develop Resilient Baraboo, an economic resiliency plan that would help the community prepare, withstand, and recover from shocks to their economic system. While the plan was city-wide in scope, Studio GWA’s work focused on planning and redevelopment efforts in two Study Areas: Downtown Baraboo, and the South Boulevard corridor.
Old McHenry County Courthouse
Since 1857, the Old McHenry County Courthouse has been the centerpiece of the town square in Woodstock, Illinois. Consisting of the original Courthouse and Sheriff’s house, these landmark buildings are undergoing a complete renovation that will include retail, restaurant, event, and community spaces.
The Iconic Building
Studio GWA is providing architectural design and historic tax credit consulting services for The Iconic Building, a former newspaper publishing building that will be converted into mixed-use space. The most historic portions of the building were designed by famed local architect Jesse Barloga including a 7-story Art Deco news tower that has left an indelible mark on the downtown Rockford skyline.
Colman Yards
A former industrial campus will be reinvented as Colman Yards: a 23-acre, 10-building complex in the heart of Rockford’s Water Power District. Studio GWA is working on Building 5, which is prominently located along the South Main corridor.
Lock and Mule
The downtown historic district in Lockport, Illinois is home to a new craft brewery and restaurant: Lock and Mule. Developed by CL Real and Estate and operated by Tangled Roots Brewing, Lock and Mule pays tribute to Lockport’s role as the headquarters of the I&M Canal while honoring the history of the building’s original use as a Ford automobile showroom and garage.
Dawn Theater
The Dawn Theater has been successfully redeveloped into a new yet familiar use to the building: An event venue. Paying homage to historic craftsmanship in a way that complements the building’s new use is something we pride ourselves in doing. From community concerts to weddings, the Dawn has been reactivated and its original grandeur is on display, inside and out.
Keith Creek Corridor Study
Region 1 Planning Council partnered with Studio GWA, The Lakota Group, Strand & Associates, and Hey & Associates to conduct a corridor study of Keith Creek. The study creates a framework for improvements and developments throughout the Keith Creek watershed, which includes two branches of creek channel and over 14 miles of drainage area.
2-12 North River Street
The renovation of 2-12 N River St. includes the Hobbs Building, an 1895 landmark building originally built as a furniture store, and a three-story warehouse for International Harvester built in 1901 and 1912.
Lux Cuts
What once housed an acoustical dropped ceiling, wood and molding wrapped columns, dated flooring, and prefabricated wall panels is now an industrial and vintage-styled barber shop in the heart of downtown Beloit.
Haute Bridal Official
With specialized displays for high-end gowns, a runway space for showings, and a spa & salon beauty room, the transformation of this vacant storefront into a couture boutique has helped bring life to the continued development of the downtown Beloit region.
Rockford Public Library
The main branch of the Rockford Public Library has been located along the banks of the Rock River since 1902. Prior to the library’s construction the property was used as a gasification site. In order to remediate the site, the existing 88,000 SF structure needed to be removed, which entailed an extensive analysis of current and future needs as well as possible temporary and new locations for the main library.
Keefer Hotel
The historic Keefer Hotel was a social center for Hillsdale and many public and private functions were held there after its construction in 1864. Several well-known guests graced the halls of the hotel including Annie Oakley, John Ringling, and “Buffalo Bill” Cody. To date, the building serves as one of the most historically intact buildings Studio GWA has had the pleasure to work on.
Grant Hotel
The Grant Building is a ten-story historic structure located in downtown Atlanta. Built in 1898, the building was designed for office use and boasts an elaborate, detailed façade that resembles the Reliance building in downtown Chicago.
Sterling Riverfront
The Lawrence Brothers and Stanley-National complexes are former manufacturing buildings that have shaped the southern gateway to Sterling, Illinois for over 100 years. The success of each enterprise was manifested in the sheer size of their buildings; put together, the complexes have over 688,000 square feet of space.
Kennay Farms Distilling
Located on the iconic Lincoln Highway in downtown Rochelle, Illinois, Kennay Farms Distilling is an 8,500 square foot distillery and event facility that makes the most out of former theater space.
Hart Interim Library
The Rockford Public Library embarked on a challenging project: Repurpose a former department store turned detention center into an interim library while their main library site is being remediated of contaminated soil and readied for new construction.
Northern Illinois Hospice
Northern Illinois Hospice has delivered compassionate end-of-life care in the Rockford, Illinois region for over 40 years. The organization’s continued growth in services required an expanded facility to accommodate its administrative, clinical, and therapeutic services.
Company 251
Company 251 is a 20,000 square foot event space imbued with industrial charm and modern luxury. Formerly the home of the International Harvester Manufacturing Company, this 1908 industrial building in Aurora’s Middle Avenue Historic District retains a raw and historic character with ghost lines of the original building’s use.
The Standard
Originally built in 1916, 214 East State Street is Rockford’s first non-combustible structure and hosts impressive concrete structural columns that add to the grandeur of the space.
Madison Street Corridor
The Madison Street corridor is a key multimodal gateway into downtown Rockford with a variety of coexisting land uses. Small industries, recreational clubs, and landmark buildings like the Prairie Street Brewhouse support entrepreneurship, employment, and prosperity while providing a sense of cultural identity for residents and visitors alike.
Woodfire Brick Oven Pizza
Woodfire Brick Oven Pizza gained popularity with their mobile brick pizza oven, stationing it outside of breweries and within the Rockford City Market.
Metropolitan Hall Lofts
The history of Metropolitan Hall is intertwined with the history of Rockford. Built in 1856, this pre-Civil War building was the largest entertainment venue of its time and was host to a variety of speakers including Frederick Douglass and Herman Melville.
Prairie Street Brewhouse
Located on the east bank of the Rock River, the Prairie Street Brewhouse has become synonymous with the revitalization of downtown Rockford. Originally the home of the Peacock Brewery, this landmark building is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is one of the largest historic preservation projects in the region.
Wahl Clipper Corporate Headquarters
Wahl Clipper Corporation is a world leader in professional and home grooming devices. Founded in Sterling, Illinois over one hundred years ago, the company wanted to develop a new corporate headquarters building that could better respond to an increasing global demand for its products.