GREEN BAY, WI, December 4, 2007 — During an early November ceremony, Arketype was honored with a 2007 Mayor’s Beautification Award in the category of “Restoration of Large Buildings.”

Arketype received the recognition for its restoration of Grace Presbyterian Church, now the firm’s headquarters at 612 Stuart Street. Arketype converted the church into more than 17,000 square feet of office space while maintaining the architectural integrity of the turn-of-the-century building.

According to the mayor’s office, "The purchase of the building and its renovation reflect Arketype’s deep-rooted commitment, both to architectural preservation and to ensuring a vital downtown Green Bay.”

Additionally, the November issue of Metropolis magazine contained a piece about Arketype’s renovation efforts and included several photos. The magazine examines contemporary life through design — architecture, interior design, product design, graphic design, crafts, planning, and preservation.

The Grace Presbyterian church was founded in 1838 by the French, and the building was established in 1910, with an addition in 1929. Arketype invested heavily in the facility’s transformation in order to modify a turn-of-the-century building to accommodate today’s technology needs.

But not everything about the church’s reconstruction is new. The firm maintained the architectural integrity of the building while adapting it to their needs. The company salvaged, preserved, and reused much of the original architectural features and interior elements, some of which were refashioned in unique ways.

Church pews, for instance, were resourcefully reconstructed as bookshelves that line the firm’s in-house library. Other reinterpretations include rewiring, repainting, and reinstalling nine of the church’s Gothic-styled light fixtures. The building’s terrazzo floors and bird’s-eye maple floors were also painstakingly refurbished to their original luster.

Perhaps most impressive are the beautiful stained-glass windows, which were cleaned, repaired, and kept intact. In an inspiring move, Arketype designed its floor plan to be an open concept so that the windows can be viewed and enjoyed without obstruction.

The firm also uncovered a few surprises, including two additional stained-glass windows that were hidden behind a wall, which remain in first-floor view.

In all, 58 nominations were received for the 38th annual event and only 10 winners were selected representing various categories of beautification efforts.