July 06, 2025
Local News | The Times
Local News

Ottawa’s Reddick Mansion begins $1.2M renovation

Renovation may be complete by end of 2019

By Brent Bader

Stephen Berlinger, of Heritage Restoration and Design Studio in Peoria, begins taking out the fourth-floor windows Monday at the Reddick Mansion in Ottawa. The $1.2 million mansion renovation started this week, and will include exterior work in the coming days. (Tom Sistak)

The Reddick Mansion Association (RMA) began a top-to-bottom $1.2 million renovation of the historic mansion on Monday.

Work commenced as crews from Heritage Restoration and Design Studio, of Peoria, took out windows from the mansion's fourth floor at 100 W. Lafayette St., Ottawa.

RMA President Lorraine McCallister said the windows will be taken back to the Peoria studio where the professionals in historic restoration will remove lead from and restore the window sashes using methods approved by Anne Sullivan, the architect hired by the RMA to oversee the historic aspects of the restoration. The windows will also be reglazed and glass will be replaced as necessary. Until they're returned, the openings will be boarded up.

The restoration is expected to go into full swing this week with scaffolding going up as Valor Technologies Inc. will be removing asbestos from the caulking around window frames on the other floors before Heritage Restoration and Design Studio removes lead from the paint on those window sashes and frames as well.

The RMA found the two groups after looking for companies to pre-qualify with historic restoration qualifications to maintain the historical accuracy of the building and finding none in the local area.

Following the lead and asbestos work, the building's balconies are also on the list to be restored. The balconies will not be safe for use besides routine maintenance due to weight limit concerns but will retain the historically accurate railings and design.

The RMA agreed to pay for a $700,000 renovation when they purchased the building in August 2017. The cost increased to $1.2 million after asbestos and lead removal costs came in.

It's expected the renovation will be completed by the end of 2019, with a possibility of extending into spring of 2020.

During this time, the RMA expects to remain open and offer tours through the renovation but access to the building's grounds may be limited due to safety concerns during restoration work.