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HISTORICAL
SIGNIFICANCE OF SJI
After World War I, a new growth surged in the heart of America, powered by the
booming auto business. In 1914, in an attempt to create a corridor to the
west, the Willys-Overland Company constructed a then massive, 6 story building
at 2300 Locust St.. The Willys-Overland Company was once one of the
largest automobile manufacturers in the world, hosting the first indoor Saint
Louis Auto Show in history. The Willy-Overland Auto Company slowly faded
however, as well as the area surrounding its location. However, 80 years
later promotions and consulting pioneer, SJI Companies, saw the potential of
this once great giant.
WHAT STAAT PROVIDED
Renovations began in 1999 after its official nomination into the National
Historic Register. Staat Tuckpointing was contracted directly by the owner
to by to renovate much of the exterior of the building, providing
tuckpointing, concrete patching, brick reconstruction, as well as protective
coatings to the concrete.
Being a historically significant building, as it was, great care had to be taken
while renovating. Like all of our historical preservation projects,
the SJI building restoration had to be coordinated with the
preservation briefs for historic masonry buildings set forth by the National
Park Service as well as |
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guided by the
Secretary of the Interior Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties
guidelines. The owners had their own set of standards to meet as well.
In
their restoration endeavors, SJI wanted the perfect match for the brick
reconstruction on their main entrance. However, due to the unique style
and age of the brick, a match which met these standards simply could not be
found. The solution was proposed that brick from a less noticeable area of
the building would be transplanted to their main entrance to give it the perfect
look.
This not the only thing which stands out about our restoration of the SJI
building. Perhaps the most memorable aspect was the intense work schedule.
In order for the owner of a historical renovation to receive their much needed
tax credits, work must be completed on an accelerated timeline. To ensure
the owner received these tax breaks, James G. Staat Tuckpointing had
nearly 75% of its tradesmen working on this one building. The
results were astounding. |
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WHAT OTHERS HAVE
SAID ABOUT SJI
In
June of 2000, Mayor Clarence Harmon held an awards ceremony at 2300 Locust
street. The focus of his attention...the new SJI building, which received
a Mayor's Spirit of St. Louis Award for historic renovation. He
congratulated the SJI Companies on the tremendous renovation efforts and their
contributions to the downtown economy. The SJI Companies grabbed awards
from other sources as well, including an award from the Landmarks Association of
Saint Louis, which recognized the 2300 Locust site as one of the
11 most enhanced buildings in St. Louis
Today SJI, which deals with big name clients such as Anheuser-Busch and Cartoon
Network, brings new opportunity to downtown, while still preserving a piece of
its history. |
