J. Rieger & Company Distillery and Event Space

GastingerWalker&

Recognitions: 2020 Central States Region Awards (Historic Preservation or Restoration)

Project Description

In the late 1880s, the original Distillery was founded and located on the "Wettest Block in the World" in its urban location. While across town, a brewery company was founded in the industrial East Bottoms. By 1920, Prohibition caused both operations to close their doors. Ninety years later, an idea was conceived by the distillery founder's triple great-grandson to house the Distillery operations in the historic brewery. After four years of operations in a warehouse adjacent to the property and growing demand for their product, the owners purchased the historic Brewery Bottling Plant with plans to restore and convert the 63,000 square foot facility for a large-scale expansion of their distillery operations. Using the Secretary of the Interiors Standards for Rehabilitation, the building was successfully rehabilitated into what has become a destination locale and overall catalyst of renewal for the long-forgotten urban neighborhood. As part of the exterior rehabilitation of the building, the project scope included restoration of all of the facades' salient features through new windows with all original historical profiles, masonry tuck-pointing, and hand-cleaning of the brick and stonework. New exterior lighting was installed and designed to highlight the architecture's rhythm and symmetry, as well as new signage and branding for the Distillery. The project's primary design strategy is to weave the architectural character of the historic brewery with the history of the original family company into a working distillery, event space, and location where people can learn this history and enjoy local Whiskey. In turn, the expansion will become an accelerator for reviving the neighborhood and establishing the Distillery as a premier destination.