Red Wing Preservation Commission Award: Liberty’s Restaurant & Lounge
Tuesday, June 7th, 2022
Liberty’s Restaurant & Lounge and it’s owner Doug Noreen received an Award of Merit from the Red Wing Heritage Preservation Commission last month. Pope Design Group’s Dan Pollastrini attended the ceremony along with others from the project team.
Liberty’s building was destroyed in 2020 due to an automobile crash that caused a partial collapse of several floors. It was originally constructed in 1872 and has been restored various times, with its 1990s renovation returning it closely to its original appearance.
Shortly after the crash, the Star Tribune highlighted on the importance of the restaurant within the community (linked here).
“Liberty’s is a place where Red Wing comes together,” Mayor Sean Dowse said, in reference to the generosity of the local businesses and residents who aided in the fundraising of the damaged building.
As the recent restoration commenced, there was a commitment to honor the original appearance and detailing of the historic site. This included salvaging as much as possible, and only making minor changes to the original construction and architecture. Elements were designed to match existing materials, and much effort was placed on finding an almost perfect match for the current brick.
The Awards of Merit from Red Wing’s Heritage Preservation Commission seek to create an awareness of the culturally significant architectural sites that are part of the city’s heritage. This is done through permit review and education of the public in order to protect designated buildings from alteration or destruction of their original structures.
Congratulations to the other award recipients and all involved in Liberty’s restoration!
Learn more about the Liberty’s project and this year’s other recipients from this feature, linked here.
Check out more information on this restoration project on our project feature page, linked here.
PROJECT TEAM
- General Contractor: Bauer Design Build
- Architect: Pope Design Group
- Structural Engineer: Tekton Engineers
