Located in Marshalltown, the Willards-Hopkins Rehabilitation provides a notable example of rehab and adaptive reuse for two masonry structures constructed around 1868. Historically, the Willards building operated as a regional furrier while the Hopkins building was a Main Street commercial space with peculiarly small private “offices” on the two upper levels.
While being two distinctly separate buildings, these properties were configured as one consolidated building for the purpose of complying with modern building codes. The ground floor retains two commercial spaces, as it has been for over a century and a half. The upper floors have been converted to 13 apartments in sizes and configurations respectful to maintaining nearly all existing walls and openings.
Sustainability is inherent in the adaptive reuse of both the structures as a whole and the re-use of existing masonry envelope. Very few walls were removed and most original windows were repaired rather than replaced. The act of preservation saved the embodied energy of these structures for generations to come.
The amount of embodied energy saved during this project is equivalent to 225 tons of coal; enough energy to power a single-family home from 165 years; and 1,280,000 lbs./CO pollution avoided. Construction of a new building with energy conservations measures equivalent to 30% above energy star would take more than 50 years to equal the embodied energy of the building saved.
Iowa’s small cities have struggled to maintain Main Street economic viability in the age of internet commerce and big box stores. Challenges for the residents of Marshalltown are not only Locke’s invisible hand, but also mother nature. Main Street Marshalltown was battered by two significant weather events. In July 2018, Marshalltown was struck by an EF3 twister that decimated Main Street, with 95% percent of the Marshalltown Downtown Historic District suffering significant damage. Two years later, a derecho resulted in the loss of over a dozen buildings, some which were waiting to be salvaged from the 2018 tornado. Preservation of buildings is especially important to communities that have seen such devastation.
Redevelopment of the Willards and Hopkins buildings is a model for small town Main Streets. The design was respectful to the past and the community’s sense of place. It is respectful to the existing structure for stewardship and sustainability. Lastly, it is critically beneficial to keep a rural economic base dense, walkable and viable—hopefully attracting and spurring additional downtown growth.
Photo Credits: Cameron Campbell, Integrated Studio
