Masonry Design | 53
Originally intended as a multi-use concept, the
building went back to the drawing board a bit.
Instead of multiple venues taking up the ground
floor, Duluth Trading Company signed on as an
anchor tenant. The space would not only be quite
large, it would be their first in a more metropolitan
environment. The retailer leased 15,000 square
feet of space on the main floor of 111 W. Main St.
Significantly, this marked the first retailer in
Whiskey Row.
In Duluth’s space, new arches were put in in
order to meet code. Below Duluth, a
traditional speakeasy, aptly called the Speakeasy
Bar, will open to the public. Just above Duluth,
two tenants will occupy office space. Because
there were not windows in the original walls of the
building, skylights were installed to allow in
natural light. Above the office space, two levels
of the building are designated for residential
use, with apartments ranging from 600 to 1,500
square feet in space. During our tour, it was clear
that these apartments were something special.
Each unit, depending on its placement, could
have unique features to the brick, such as original
stairwell markings or colorations.
CONCLUSION
Whiskey Row is clearly one of America’s
Treasures, and after years of being dormant and
abandoned, new life has been breathed into the
area. Despite a devastating fire that left
developers and construction teams wondering
whether they were looking at a demolition or
revitalization.
Thankfully for the country and local community,
the durability of the masonry and ability to
salvage large parts of the project seemed to be
what pushed the project forward. Whiskey Row is
a sight to behold, and knowing the story behind
its revitalization makes it worth visiting. For many
reasons, one of them being the fact that it was
the home of bourbon for a period, this is an
American Treasure.