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

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CHALLENGE

The historic Builder’s Exchange Building and adjacent Interstate Auto 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 buildings needed immediate repairs and stabilization. The 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 a certified historic project. 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. 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.