Historic Preservation Awards Announced

Published on April 25, 2025

AMES, Iowa – Recipients of the 2025 Historic Preservation Awards Program were recently honored by the Ames City Council at its meeting held on April 22. Three properties received awards.

The Ames Historic Preservation Commission’s Preservation Awards Program annually recognizes a variety of historic preservation activities that have been accomplished within Ames. The intent of the Awards Program is to encourage the continuation of preservation activities in the future and to assist in promoting historic preservation and educating the public about preservation’s cultural and economic benefits. Mayor John Haila presented the awards:

• Building award category of “Renewing the Past (Rehabilitation),” to the Ames Historical Society for rehabilitation of the former Ames Pantorium building, now part of the Ames History Museum at 416 Douglas Ave.

“Renewing the Past” (Rehabilitation) acknowledges the need to alter or add to a historic property to meet continuing or changing uses while preserving those portions or features which convey a building’s historical, cultural, or architectural values. Rehabilitation encourages the continued use of a building for its original purpose or its adaptive reuse to accommodate a new function.

As part of the Ames History Museum's building expansion, the historic Ames Pantorium building underwent significant rehabilitation. The majority of the work focused on removing non-historic walls and alterations to restore the building’s original character, while making minimal changes necessary for its new function as part of the museum.

The Ames Pantorium now serves as the main entrance and lobby of the museum. On the second floor, a non-original apartment was removed to create space for a gathering hall and an office. Key historic elements, including terrazzo and wood flooring, interior wood doors, and the tin ceiling were carefully restored.

Exterior improvements include replacing infilled openings and non-original windows with historically accurate designs, restoring the iconic Ames Pantorium neon sign, and performing minor tuckpointing to preserve the building’s masonry.

• Building award category of “Keeping the Past Alive (Preservation),” to Shellie Orngard for historic preservation of her single-family home at 928 Burnett Ave.

“Keeping the Past Alive” (Preservation) focuses on the maintenance and repair of existing historic materials and retention of a property’s form as it has evolved over time. Keeping a historic building – one that has survived without detrimental changes or deterioration – in good condition by sustaining the existing form, integrity, and materials of an historic property.

This Craftsman style house features half-timbering with stucco on the second story, molded window crowns, multipaned windows, narrow clapboard siding on the first story, and a roof pediment with brackets over the front entrance. The four-color paint scheme highlights the architectural details of the structure.

The house was built in 1916 and is believed to be a catalog house, although documentation to confirm this is not available at this time. Today’s appearance of the structure points strongly to the Craftsman style of architecture and maintains the original form, integrity, and materials.

Purchased in 1997, no exterior changes have been made to the structure, other than adding the four-color paint scheme and other routine maintenance. Inside, original oak floors and trim remain. The structure remains in excellent condition 109 years after its construction. It remains an outstanding example of Craftsman architecture and contributes to the historic fabric of the Old Town Neighborhood.

• Building award category of “Keeping the Past Alive (Preservation),” to Karen Lasche for historic preservation of her single-family home at 911 Burnett Ave.

“Keeping the Past Alive” (Preservation) focuses on the maintenance and repair of existing historic materials and retention of a property’s form as it has evolved over time. Keeping a historic building – one that has survived without detrimental changes or deterioration – in good condition by sustaining the existing form, integrity, and materials of an historic property.

This stucco house features brick pillars and steps at the front entrance, a brick chimney on the south side, molded window crowns over multipaned windows, and a one-story sunroom on the south side. The approximate date of construction is around 1925. The house is representative of architectural styles from that time period, and the property owner has maintained the original form, integrity, and materials used at the time of construction.

Purchased in 1980, a rear deck and a detached garage, with access off the alley, have been added. These new features were constructed in a manner that is sensitive to the architecture of the house and the neighboring properties.

The exterior has been diligently maintained, including repairs to the stucco exterior, as well as exterior painting. On the interior, care has been taken to maintain the oak floors, mantel, bookcases, and trim.

The house remains in excellent condition today and contributes to the overall character and architectural fabric of the Old Town Neighborhood.

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Building award category of “Renewing the Past (Rehabilitation),” to the Ames Historical Society for rehabilitation of the former Ames Pantorium building, now part of the Ames History Museum at 416 Douglas Ave.

Building award category of “Keeping the Past Alive (Preservation),” to Shellie Orngard for historic preservation of her single-family home at 928 Burnett Ave.

Building award category of “Keeping the Past Alive (Preservation),” to Shellie Orngard for historic preservation of her single-family home at 928 Burnett Ave.