National Trust - Excellence in Historic Preservation

St. Louis, Missouri

The 2015 National Trust/HUD Secretary’s Award for Excellence in Historic Preservation was presented at the 2015 National Preservation Conference in Washington, D.C. on November 6, 2015 to the 3010 Apartments Limited Partnership for rehabilitating and transforming a historic home for orphaned and abandoned boys into affordable housing.

The Award for Excellence in Historic Preservation recognizes efforts that both advance the Nation’s historic preservation goals and provide affordable housing and economic development opportunities for low- and moderate-income residents. Listed in the National Register of Historic Places as Father Dunne's News Boys' Home and Protectorate, the home was established in 1906 by Father Peter Joseph Dunne at 3010 Washington Avenue, St. Louis, Missouri. In 1907, the 3-story home with an attached two-story chapel over an institutional kitchen and a detached laundry building were completed. The facility was enlarged substantially in 1911 by a 3-story addition at the protectorate's east end. For over 100 years, this historic building complex provided shelter and care to the homeless, initially for orphaned and abandoned boys, and after the Salvation Army renovated it in 1970 as the Harbor Light Center, the facility served people affected by addiction, chronic homelessness and various disabilities.

The recent historic rehabilitation of the building complex, now known as 3010 Apartments, converted the existing barracks-like institutional housing into 58 one-bedroom, private residential apartments for low- to very low-income adult residents, with preference given to veterans and the disabled, especially the homeless. Rehabilitation was accomplished without drastically altering the interiors and retained several historic elements, such as the main entry and its broad staircase. The building complex's many stained glass windows, including those in private apartments, were also repaired and retained. The original hallways were preserved along with the rhythm of historic millwork: chair rails and slightly recessed, transomed wood paneled doors that now serve as entrances to many of the apartments. Additionally, the reception room, which contains columns and elaborate plaster moldings, was restored to its original appearance and is now used a communal lounge for residents.