The greatly deteriorated S.P. Kerr Building had failed structural columns in the basement which collapsed the 3 floors and roof above and broke out windows on the first floor terrifying the city. The building was slated for demolition, had an ominous spot on the 10 ‘most-endangered’ list issued by the State of Kentucky Historic Preservation Office. A local bank wanted to place a drive–through branch on its site because it occupied the most important corner of Main and Broadway in Winchester, Kentucky. Its ‘context’ to its streets, they felt, was irrelevant. The odds of this building ever returning to service were dim. Through the tenacious efforts of Mayor Dodd Dixon, a questioning City Council, and our firm, the project is now occupied with the lights back on and is adorned with a ‘Blue Grass Trust’ plaque on its face recognizing its significance. In 2005, the S.P. Kerr Building was honored with an Associated General Contractors of Kentucky ‘Build Kentucky Award’ for Building Restoration.
