When I am out and about, whether covering events or grocery shopping, the most common question I get is, “What’s going on this week?” — until recently.
These days, longtime Cassville residents tend to want to know one thing: “What are you doing with your building?”
Well, let me tell you.
Last year, we began working with the Cassville Community Foundation and its new Downtown Restoration Fund to initiate what we hope will be the first step into realizing the potential of our 125-year-old building that has not seen significant work in more than 60 years.
My wife and Cassville Democrat Co-Owner Jordan Troutman and I purchased the building at 600 Main St. in the summer of 2023, and plans began immediately. Last spring, we started an interior remodel. We finished the new flooring in the lobby and my office two days before the May 2024 windstorm tore a hole in our old tar roof and dumped enough water in the building to force us to close it for two months while we awaited repairs.
Despite the difficulty in that time, we came out on the other end, and those who frequent the office always hit us with a, “Wow, it looks a little different in here,” when they see it for the first time.
With the interior renovation largely done, we were trying to decide our next project. Our two big plans are to split the bottom floor into two offices and provide another commercial space on the square, and to renovate the second floor — which has been abandoned since the 1950s — into short- or long-term rentals.
Facade restoration was not necessarily on our mind, but opportunity struck in the form of the Downtown Restoration Fund.
In November, we tore down the dilapidated signage and weathered metal covering the second story, exposing the stucco, pilasters and windows for the first time since 1964. For weeks after that, there was a buzz about the change and questions about what the final facade would look like. At that time, I didn’t have an answer. I knew what we wanted to do, but precise plans were to be determined.
As we’ve gone through the architectural and engineering design process, we weathered another bout of infiltrating water. Parts of the facade at the bottom of where the metal hung were not dried in anymore, and on a deadline Tuesday, we arrived at the office mid-thunderstorm to find water leaking in at the lobby bay windows and my office window. Passersby might notice this week that the plastic affixed over the trouble spots has been removed as we enter the next phase of the remodel. I, for one, am glad to have my window back, not covered by bright white plastic.
Carl Schell, with Schell Construction, a name many of you longtime residents most certainly recognize, is out this week prepping the facade for its final transformation in May.
So, how will it look? Our vision, with the help and guidance of the Cassville Downtown Restoration Fund, is to transform the worn, dated stucco into a brick veneer inspired by the history of downtown Cassville.
The two-story section of the building will be covered in new EFIS (exterior insulation and finish system), which will look similar to stucco. After that, a three-color blend of split brick will be installed in between the pilasters and new windows, all the way down to the sidewalk, giving the entryway an entirely new feel.
On the one-story of the building, the existing stucco will get a facelift, and the metal lean-to roof will receive a new coat of paint, most likely black.
From there, a canopy over our inset entryway is in the works, and a new circular projecting sign with building-affixed illumination will be installed. Given how many office visitors we’ve had who walk in with a confused look and ask if they are in the right place, we’re incredibly excited to get our signage back.
By June or July, hopefully, the work will be completed and our historic building will have a breath of new life in its lungs. No one is more anxious than Jordan and I to see the finished product.
We also hope other businesses and building owners on the square take note. This is only the first project for the Cassville Downtown Restoration Fund, and myself and the fund managers are anxious to see who next can benefit from a highly localized grant geared toward improving the look of our county seat square.
If you’re reading this and own a downtown building, or you know someone who does, reach out to me.
The next downtown facelift could be just a phone call away, and we’d love to see it!
Kyle Troutman has served as editor of the Cassville Democrat since 2014 and owner/publisher since 2023. He was named William E. James/Missouri Outstanding Young Journalist for daily newspapers in 2017, and he is a twotime ISWNE Golden Dozen award winner. He may be reached at 417-847-2610 or ktroutman@cassville-democrat. com.
