Queen City Preservation

05/20/2026

Thanks to all who participated in our Windows Worth Saving event with Marie Taylor from True North Preservation!

05/19/2026

A wonderful dive into this place we call home! Go support your local library 📕

Discover the stories that shaped the Ozarks — then see how they’re still being preserved today.

Our Preserving the Ozarks series highlights the people, places and events that define our region, with programs happening all throughout May.

Explore what’s coming up and plan your visit at thelibrary.org/preserve.

05/17/2026

In case you missed it, a lovely 1881 Victorian home located at 625 South Avenue is on the market for the first time in 40 years! It will have an open house next Sunday, May 24 and will be auctioned on Saturday, May 30. This property potentially could qualify for Federal and/or state tax credits for rehabilitation!

05/12/2026

This Friday night, Queen City Preservation is hosting a FREE public educational session on historic windows, energy efficiency, and repair vs. replacement. Then on Saturday, we’ll be hosting a hands-on workshop where participants will learn how to repair and maintain original wood windows themselves.

We’ve had several people interested in the workshop mention that cost has been a barrier, so thanks to generous community support, we’re able to offer a limited number of reduced-cost/sponsored spots for those who would genuinely like to attend.

If you’ve been wanting to come, send us a message — we’d love to help fill these remaining spots with people excited to learn!

Friday, May 15 | 6–8 PM | FREE Educational Session
Saturday, May 16 | 9 AM–3 PM | Hands-On Workshop- Lunch included

Know someone with an old house who would love this? Tag them below or send this their way!

04/30/2026

On this day … in 2019, Bailey School Lofts opened. But before it became the modern Bailey Lofts, Bailey School was one of Springfield’s most distinctive educational landmarks — a building with nearly a century of stories behind its brick walls.

Built in 1930–1931 during a major expansion driven by overcrowded and outdated elementary schools, Bailey was part of a bond-funded initiative overseen by architect William B. Ittner, adapted locally into a striking Jacobethan Revival–style design.

Bailey served generations of students in the Grant Beach neighborhood and even played a role in public welfare efforts during the Great Depression, when part of the building housed relief operations.

Over the decades, Bailey continued adapting to Springfield’s needs — eventually becoming an alternative high school that supported at‑risk students and provided a second chance for success.

With its architectural and social significance, Bailey School was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in November 2016.

Courtesy of the National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form

04/28/2026

The truth?
Historic designation is not a curse—it’s a framework that helps manage change thoughtfully. It doesn’t freeze your home in time; it preserves character while still allowing adaptation, updates, and modern living.

One of the biggest misconceptions is that owners lose control—but that’s simply not the case. You can still renovate, add on, and make changes to your property. The goal isn’t to prevent change, but to guide it so that it remains compatible with the historic architecture and the surrounding neighborhood. You wanna paint your house purple? Probably still allowed...

Another common concern is property value—but in reality, historic designation often has the opposite effect. Research from the National Trust for Historic Preservation shows that homes in historic districts tend to retain value—and often appreciate more steadily—than those in non-designated areas. By protecting against incompatible or destructive redevelopment, designation helps stabilize neighborhoods and support long-term investment.

Designation doesn't create "lifelong" restrictions. In truth, it simply means that major changes—like demolition or significant alterations—are reviewed, particularly when they impact character-defining features (sometimes only street-facing). In many cases, demolition is still possible, especially when there are safety concerns or significant deterioration—it’s just not automatic. This also is dependent on the type of designation your property has.

Beyond the individual property, there’s a broader impact. Well-preserved historic neighborhoods attract interest—from visitors, future homeowners, and the community itself. Preservation strengthens local identity, connects generations, and creates places people genuinely want to invest in and care about. Hello heritage tourism!!

Historic designation isn’t a punishment—it’s a tool. One that helps protect value, guide thoughtful growth, and build a lasting legacy.

04/23/2026

HAPPY EARTH DAY!!

Myth or fact? Tearing down to build new is greener. ❌
Myth! Studies say reusing buildings saves 50–75% of carbon emissions versus new... Adaptive reuse is often the green choice.

Also, what we choose to tear down—and replace—has a much bigger impact than most people realize.

In the U.S., nearly 1 billion square feet of buildings are demolished every year—roughly the equivalent of tearing down two cities the size of Branson annually. The National Trust for Historic Preservation has also cited research from the Brookings Institution estimating that about one-third of all existing buildings will be demolished and replaced between 2005 and 2030.

And where does it all go?
Construction and demolition debris is now the largest waste stream in the United States. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that over 600 million tons of building materials are discarded each year—more than twice the amount of household trash Americans produce.

Beyond waste, there’s carbon. Buildings are responsible for about 39% of global carbon emissions, according to the World Green Building Council—with roughly 11% coming from materials and construction alone.

That’s what we call embodied energy—the energy already invested in extracting raw materials, manufacturing products, and constructing a building. Organizations like the International Energy Agency and the World Green Building Council emphasize that this embodied carbon can make up a significant portion of a building’s total lifetime emissions.

When we demolish a building, we don’t just lose the structure—we lose all of that embedded energy. We start over from zero... In fact, research from the National Trust’s Preservation Green Lab shows that even highly efficient new buildings can take 10–80 years to offset the carbon impact created during construction.

Reusing an existing building avoids most of that upfront cost—environmentally and economically.

Old doesn’t mean replace. Old means rethink.

04/19/2026

Understanding: Preservation, Restoration & Adaptive Reuse
These are some of the most common terms we hear when talking about historic buildings—but they’re often used interchangeably.

The truth is, they each mean something very different. And understanding those differences helps us make better decisions about what we keep, what we change, and how we move forward.

Preservation focuses on protecting and maintaining what already exists.
• Retains historic materials and features
• Prioritizes repair over replacement
• Prevents further deterioration
• Keeps the building’s evolution visible
Preservation = maintain + protect
Best for buildings that are still in good condition, with strong original materials and a focus on long-term stewardship.

Restoration aims to return a building to a specific moment in time.
• Removes elements from other eras
• Recreates missing historic features
• Uses evidence-based documentation
• Focuses on historical accuracy
Restoration = bring back a moment in time
Best for museums, cultural landmarks, or projects where historical accuracy and interpretation matter most.

Adaptive Reuse gives historic buildings new life—and a new purpose.
• Converts old buildings into modern uses
• Retains character while upgrading systems
• Integrates old + new for continued relevance
• Often paired with historic tax credits
Adaptive Reuse = old bones, new purpose
Best for underutilized or vacant buildings, neighborhood revitalization, and commercial or mixed-use redevelopment.

BONUS CREDIT: Two other terms we hear all the time (thanks, HGTV) are renovation and rehabilitation—and while they sound similar, they’re not really the same.
• Renovation is about making something feel new or updated- It doesn’t have to be historic, and it may or may not retain original character.
• Rehabilitation is about making a building usable again—while respecting its character. It allows for updates and modern use, but works to preserve what makes the building significant.

In everyday conversation, people use “rehab” and “renovate” interchangeably. But in preservation, design, and policy contexts, they mean different things—and that difference actually matters.

RECAP: Side by side, each approach plays a different role in keeping our history alive... think of it like this:
• Preservation = MAINTAIN what is there
• Restoration = RETURN to a moment in time
• Adaptive Reuse = TRANSFORM for new life
• Rehabilitation = REPAIR + ADAPT for continued use
• Renovation = UPDATE (not necessarily historic)

Thoughts?

04/15/2026

The truth?
Original wood windows were built with old-growth lumber—dense, naturally rot-resistant, and designed to last a century or more with basic care.
But one of the biggest misconceptions is that old windows are the main source of energy loss in a home. In reality, the biggest losses usually come from elsewhere. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, heat loss can come from attic/roof insulation (up to 25–45%), exterior walls (up to 35%), and even leaky or poorly insulated ducts (up to 60% of conditioned air).

That draft you feel near your sofa?
It’s often not the window itself—it’s air leaks, failed glazing, worn weatherstripping, or deferred maintenance. And in most cases, those issues are repairable!! (Learn how to fix these issues at our upcoming Windows Worth Saving event)

Meanwhile, modern replacement windows are often made with fast-growth wood, vinyl, or composites that cannot be repaired once seals fail. Over time, that leads to replacement cycles—and waste. In fact, millions of windows end up in landfills each year, many of them less than 20 years old (City of San Antonio Office of Historic Preservation).

There’s also the cost factor. Research from the National Park Service and the U.S. Department of Energy shows that energy savings from replacement windows can take decades—often 40–60+ years—to offset the initial cost, which is longer than many replacements actually last. Improvements like air sealing, insulation, and storm windows often deliver better performance at a lower cost.

We’re not here to shame anyone who has replaced their windows—or plans to. Sometimes replacement makes sense. The goal is simply to help people make informed decisions, rather than assuming replacement is the only option.

And for those buying or selling historic homes—it’s worth noting: buyers often say they want “new windows,” but what they’re really looking for is comfort, efficiency, and something that feels well cared for. They think they want new windows because that's what they've been told they want & need. But is that always true?

Original windows offer something more than function:
• architectural authenticity
• craftsmanship that’s hard to replicate
• neighborhood character
• && can function just as efficiently as new windows

These are the features that make historic homes desirable in the first place.

Old doesn’t mean obsolete. Old means it was built to last.