Historical Restoration Archives

Olio and Elaia

Posted on December 10, 2024

Bush (formally UIC) served as design-builder and developer for this new venture by our good friend, chef Ben Poremba. Olio, described as a “grown-up wine bar and eatery,” is located in a former 1930s Standard Oil station that had been covered in plaster and stood abandoned for over a decade. Following a careful uncovering and analysis of the existing structure to determine the original form and brick pattern, we were able to lovingly complete a rehabilitation of this iconic structure. Olio, and its sister restaurant Elaia, are now an important anchor for our redevelopment of the Botanical Heights neighborhood.

Climb So Ill at The Power Plant

Posted on October 1, 2024

When brothers and business partners David and Daniel Chancellor and partner Ian Anderson came to us they already had one of the best known and unique brands in the climbing holds and supply business, in So Ill, and wanted to launch an indoor climbing gym that would be on par with their holds business. Working with Bush (previously known as UIC), the team toured spaces across St. Louis, including abandoned malls and breweries, which were capable of holding up to 55 foot high walls and an existing massive bouldering wall. The final location selection was a truly one of a kind opportunity in the former Power Plant to what was the City Hospital complex south of Downtown. We worked with So Ill and the existing building owner to not only understand how the climbing gym could fit, but to also figure out how to insert an adjacent banquet hall and a two story roof top restaurants with a bar looking out over the top of the elite wall, all of which not only created a great facility, but made the project financially viable.

The result is truly one of a kind. Working with Bulgarian based climbing wall designer and fabricator, Walltopia, Bush and So Ill developed a design with vibrant walls contrasted against the rich patina of the carefully maintained existing structure. New elements, such as a series of balconies and stairs and a suite of custom casework and furniture, were designed to match this contrast of elements and to further embellish the unique scale and heights of the spaces.

Bush’s design team embedded themselves in the Climb So Ill team from the outset of the project and did everything they could to help David, Daniel and Ian realize their dream of creating one of the best indoor climbing experiences in the country. Starting with site selection, advising on their award winning business plan, working tirelessly to find the right mix of spaces and materials, and even donning climbing gear to adjust lights 60 foot in the air well into the night the day before opening, Bush became a part of the So Ill team and the success of our client.

Wilson Building

Posted on May 12, 2023

The historic Wilson Building originally built in 1914 has been redeveloped into a mixed-use development with 33 residential rental units and approximately 5,025 square feet of first-floor commercial space facing 5^th Avenue South in downtown Clinton IA.

The $11.45 million historic adaptive-reuse, mixed-use development will preserve and transform the Wilson Building into loft units and one and two-bedroom rental units ranging in size from 483 to 1,224 square feet. The remodel included structural repair to the exterior brick & terracotta. On the interior, all utilities were demolished and replaced. Apartments were shaped using as many original walls as possible, even keeping the original corridor doors where present. Windows were replaced with new, historically accurate units. We worked closely with the design team and the State Historic Preservation Office in order to keep the remodel as historically accurate as possible.

Will Hall and Law Building

Posted on May 2, 2023

In the spirit of a historic renovation, Bush Construction converted the beautiful Will Hall and Law building in downtown Aledo, Illinois. There are now three commercial units on the main floor and AirBnB units on the second floor.

Bush Construction also completed the historical renovation of the Carnegie Library in Aledo, Illinois at the same time. Built in 1915-16, the landmark served generations of community members until it closed in 2019.

The storefronts of the Perryton Law Building were restored for a more historic appearance, which the Bush Design team kept in mind when drawing up plans. On the first floor of this renovation, there is commercial space, and the second floor contains tenant space. This project required a finish date within a strict time frame and with diligent planning and strong trade partner relationships and communication, we were able to achieve this aggressive schedule.

The Hobbs Building

Posted on March 27, 2023

Apartments

The Hobbs Building is a historic 4-story building built in 1892. Bush Construction completed a restoration on this building. It has a total of 15 apartment units on the 2^nd, 3^rd, and 4^th floors with an unfinished “white envelope” on the 1^st floor, ready for a future tenant build-out. Additionally, we installed a new elevator in the Hobbs Building.

The two buildings adjacent to the original Hobbs Building house a total of 16 apartment units on the 2^nd and 3^rd floors. And the same concept of an unfinished “white envelope” on the 1^st floor of each building. All future tenant build-outs on the 1^st floor will be up to the owner’s discretion.

Onion Dome

The “onion dome” that sits on top of the corner window bay of the Hobbs Building is a trademark of the Aurora skyline. We rebuilt the dome out of fiberglass to replicate the original (made from wood.)

The 4th-floor roof and the underside of the 2nd-floor flooring required structural steel to support the new onion dome. The previous condition of the building was no longer able to support the original, which is why it was removed years ago. Members of the community had inquired about the reinstallation of the onion dome. When the new dome was being installed, they watched in awe!

Many of the units still hold features that were originally in the Hobbs Building. To achieve this, Bush:

Reinstalled the beadboard ceiling to match the existing.
Maintained “faux” doors are all throughout the building to represent doors and passages that used to be there.
Restored all windows, by hand, to their original condition.

Solutions!

Bush struggled to find a local contractor to install the structural steel. We had to reach out to a local contractor in the Quad Cities that was willing to travel to Aurora. The installation did not go according to plan. The Bush team had multiple meetings with engineers, the steel erectors, the fabricators, and the City. Our connections, transparent communication, and experience enabled us to work through all of the steel issues to get the steel and the onion dome installed and looking great.

Carnegie Library, Aledo, IL

Posted on September 22, 2021

Bush Construction completed the historical renovation of the Carnegie Library in Aledo, IL. Built in 1915-16, the landmark served generations of community members until it closed in 2019. Former residents, Crista and William J. Albertson, purchased the library and renovations began in early 2020.

The Albertson’s vision was to turn the library into a center for technology, education, and recruiting.

Project Details

Restored original bookshelves and refinished original floor.
Refurbished exterior lamp posts and replaced light fixtures and handrails.
Exterior updates including tuckpointing, replacing windows and storm windows, refinished the original exterior door and replaced the roof.
Installed modern HVAC and communication technology.
Added a conference room and kitchen in the lower level to help support new coworking space and tech center run by High-Tech Small Town.

The library has gained national attention and received the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation National Preservation Award, an award that celebrates the in historic preservation, adaptive reuse, and the re-imagining of historic buildings for the future.

Hershey Lofts

Posted on June 16, 2021

The Hershey building was built in 1908 in Muscatine, Iowa, and was home to Hershey State Bank. In 2018, Bush Development purchased the property and renovated the five-story building into 25 market-rate apartments and commercial/retail space.

Residential amenities include:

Full-size fitness center
On-floor storage
Kitchen with stainless steel appliances
In-unit laundry
Business lounge

If you are interested in living at the Hershey Lofts, click here.

Home to Local Businesses

Anchored by Sycamore Printing, the building also offers 15,000 square feet of commercial/retail space on the first floor and lower level of the building. Click here to learn about available commercial leasing opportunities.

Rock Island Arsenal | Building 250

Posted on February 13, 2019

Building 250 on the Rock Island Arsenal was a vacant, deteriorating building that required extensive renovation in order to make it ready for industrial use. Bush Construction was able to work with the Rock Island Arsenal Development Group (RIADG), a group that represents a public/private partnership, whose mission is to provide civilian businesses a cost-effective option while restoring existing, un-utilized government buildings.

The renovation of this historic facility began by coordinating with the owner’s abatement contractor to develop a phased start to the project as the abatement and remediation efforts were carried out. Historic preservation guidelines needed to be in followed during the major building envelope modifications. New office spaces, a break room, restrooms, and a locker room were also added.

Bush also faced a myriad of changes to the original scope of work, over the course of this project, including the discovery of deteriorating pyro-bar roof panels, which necessitated their replacement, and the replacement of a large area of woodblock floor with a hardened, reinforced concrete topping. Bush Construction accommodated these significant changes to the project with schedule modifications and were able to overcome these conditions, turning the vision of the RIADG into reality.

St. Ambrose University | Ambrose Hall Exterior

Posted on February 12, 2019

Bush Construction rose to the challenge on this project to completely restore the exterior facade of St. Ambrose Hall, the fully-occupied campus icon of St. Ambrose University built in 1885. This renovation served two purposes: to repair the deteriorating facade of the building and to return the structure to its original configuration based on construction plans that were developed 128 years ago. This complex project required daily coordination and cooperation from both the project team and the university faculty. Countless hours were spent in pre-planning the coordination, delivery, removal, and replacement of each of the 370 custom window units.

Other major construction activities included the replacement of all deteriorated brick and stone, tuckpointing of all masonry joints, restoration of all wood soffit, fascia and cornice work, replacement of the majority of the existing roof material, restoration of the existing clock tower, restoration of the existing dormers, and removal and infill of the existing exterior fire escapes. Mansards were restored to their original condition with the use of natural slate and copper flashings.

Bush Construction also built North Hall, a new residence hall, for St. Ambrose University in 2012.

Davenport Central Fire Station

Posted on February 12, 2019

The Davenport Central Fire Station was originally built in 1902. The main building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This fire station is the oldest operating fire station west of the Mississippi River. Over the course of its life, the Central Fire Station has had two additions, 1940 and 1951, and several renovations. Because of its age, space and access problems, the City of Davenport hired Bush Construction as Construction Manager to demolish the 1940s – 1950s additions, to build a 20,000 SF innovative and modern addition, as well as to renovate the 10,000 SF original historical section of this facility in accordance to historical regulations.

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Historical Restoration

Olio and Elaia

Climb So Ill at The Power Plant

Wilson Building

Will Hall and Law Building