The Ensenberger Building in downtown Bloomington was the last building renowned architect Arthur Pillsbury worked on. Though he never saw it to completion, decades later as his successor firm we had the privilege to help restore it. The building originally opened May 11, 1926 as a retail furniture store and ultimately closed in 1995. The building lay vacant until its restoration and reimagined purpose as downtown condominiums. The project required the preservation and restoration of many historic elements, as well as upgrades for critical components to align with building codes... all while maintaining its character. The combination of steel framing on the front half and wood framing on the back half of the building posed a unique opportunity to provide safety through a new sprinkler design, windows and additional fire reduction measures. Careful attention to detail was taken to preserve and restore the unique design details including the ceilings, wall medallions, and trim to its original glory.
- Organization: Ensenberger Condominiums
- Type of Organization: Multi-Family Dwelling Real Estate
- Type of Project: Commercial Historic Preservation
- Project Years: 2005-2008
Learn More about the History of the Ensenberger Building through online resources from the McLean County Museum linked below: