COVE APARTMENTS
Historic commercial buildings converted for downtown living

LOCATION
CLIENT
CONSTRUCTED
PROJECT DATE
PROJECT SCOPE
PROJECT SIZE
Duluth, MN
Roers Companies
1910 and 1923
2018-2021
Historic tax credit certification, masonry assessment, design guidance for historic building redevelopment
65,000 sq. ft., 48 units

FOUNDATIONS ARCHITECTURE
FOUNDATIONS ARCHITECTURE

architect

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