Adaptive Reuse: Turning Commercial Buildings Into Homes

Using historic photographs, architect Anthony Szekalski was able to restore many original features, including fish-scale siding, dentilated cornice detail, and a patterned front door. The firehouse’s hose-drying and bell towers were also recreated.

Make It Home:
• Old photographs and records from the local historic society provide a gold mine of restoration information, helping to nail down historically accurate measurements and details.
• You can't always tell the gift from its package, so when hunting for an adaptive reuse candidate, look beneath the surface appearance. In the case of the firehouse, unattractive imitation-brick asphalt shingles preserved the original clapboard siding.