Superior Street
Renaissance Project
Rebuilding an entire city street
The Weiland Block, along with the two-story adjoining Hayes building (named for original owner Rutherford B. Hayes), were phase 1 of a major undertaking to rebuild an entire city block, downtown Duluth. Over the years, both of these buildings were subject to numerous re-models and neglect. The buildings had compromised roofs, broken windows, filthy exteriors, and mountains of trash. The outer walls of both buildings have been saved, but windows, roofs, floors, and mechanical systems had to be upgraded, including HVAC, plumbing, and electrical. Elevators were added for ADA accessibility. The main lobby of the Weiland Block has been re-created, with small, hexagon tile flooring, coffered ceilings, wood-wrapped columns, and full-transom windows.
DSGW worked with local preservation groups to get their approval, and used photographs of the building to restore the storefronts—even those on the backside that had been converted to garage doors. The Weiland Block is so valued, that when workers washed the exterior, people expressed concern that the brick was being painted. In truth, workers were simply removing a century of pollution. Approximately 50% of the brick had to be tuck pointed. The building now looks as it did in 1889: strikingly rust-colored, with original terra cotta and carved sandstone highlights.
A & L rehabilitated the Weiland Block and Hayes building as Phase I of a larger project. Phase II is an addition/expansion of condos and retail that will showcase the Weiland Block as a jewel of this National Register of Historic Places district.
