Catholic Pastoral Center

BBS Architects | Engineers

Recognitions: AIA Iowa 2022 Design Award

Project Description

In 1990, amidst the savings and loan crisis, Home Federal Savings and Loan failed and the fate of this 1962 Mies van der Rohe building was in jeopardy. Two years of broad public support culminated in the purchase and donation to the current ecclesiastical owner by anonymous community members. With the planned demolition of the connecting skywalk in 2014, the owner sought to address decades of deferred maintenance. The design team, with assistance from historical preservationists, developed an in-depth assessment to evaluate current condition and use, as well as the original vision and intent of Mies. At the exterior, stunning black paint had faded to a peeling gray; stone cladding had cracked and been replaced with mismatching panels; and the plaza’s granite pavers had heaved and cracked, endangering pedestrians. Original curtainwall had rusted, shifting out of place; transom windows had been divided; and the remainder of the original quarter-inch plate glass had failing seals and stops, contributing to significant occupant discomfort. These issues were addressed with total removal, repair, and replacement to match the original design, wherever possible. From the selection of a new exterior paint system, in lieu of discontinued graphite paint; to the replacement of plate glass with stronger, quieter and more insulative laminated glass, which preserved the single plane of reflection that an IGU cannot. Within the building, use of the basement, second, and third floors remained as office and storage; requiring little more than a refresh of historical finishes and retrofit of original light fixtures with LED lamping. To accommodate the first floor’s new assembly function, single-user restrooms were expanded within the confines of the Miesian grid, and full-height cabinetry was recreated and relocated, providing storage and screening for catering. The success of this lightest-touch approach has been recognized by Docomomo and the National Historic Register.