1930’s Historic County Highway Garage Transformation

Door County Community Center

Door County, WI

Services Provided: Electrical, Fire Protection, Lighting Design, Mechanical, Plumbing, Structural, Telecommunications

To consolidate efforts and resources, a historic Sturgeon Bay highway garage was transformed into a new home for multiple community facilities.

The existing Door County garage was just shy of space to accommodate four community services under its roof. A small addition to the north, plus renovations to the existing vehicle bays, provided ample space to accommodate the EMS Headquarters. The south portion of the building houses the Senior Center and an Aging and Disabled Resource Center (ADRC).

Exterior restoration work, including tuckpointing, roof replacement, and repair of the exterior shell, returned the building to its 1936 glory. The original structure’s stone-bearing walls and arched roof were repaired and restored. The bowstring trusses were evaluated for new utilization; restoration included repairing damaged or rotted sections in a manner that complemented the building’s architectural intent.

A new garage addition was engineered, and rusted steel columns and lintels at the existing garages were repaired. A new office addition was also engineered, which combined minimum initial cost with long-term performance and durability.