Facilities Restoration

National Historic Preservation Nomination

By Mary Beth Haas, Bybee Stone CFO

Bybee Stone Company has a long history of providing dimensional limestone for historical renovation projects. For the Pentagon rebuild following 9/11, for instance, we were the only fabricator in the United States capable of producing the finish to match its original facing. Our facility—and some of its original equipment—has been in service for over a century.

It only made sense then, when renovation work was needed for our office and drafting buildings—built in the early 1920s—we would use limestone custom cut in our mill.

We consulted with Bloomington, Indiana, historic preservation expert Cynthia Brubaker for listing on the National Register of Historic Buildings and, as it turns out, we are Cynthia’s very first project where the historic buildings are being used for their original purpose. Our facilities were built by the Matthews Brothers for the limestone industry, and continue to serve that purpose.

It is a great pleasure to announce that Bybee Stone Company has been nominated for the National Register.

After consulting with the preservation experts, we installed new, energy efficient windows in the office and drafting rooms that match the originals in appearance, and added limestone on the interior sills. Remodeled bathrooms include a limestone countertop, historical fixtures, flooring, and cabinetry. Roofs, guttering, and flashing were replaced to replicate the originals, as well.

Our facilities renovation has been small in terms of cubic feet of limestone used—in comparison with our largest historic renovation project, the replacing of weathered sandstone with limestone for the Iowa State Capitol—but it’s important to us. Our next project includes an exterior entrance that will bring the appearance of the front of the office building back to its original façade. That façade still features the faces of the original Matthews Brothers carved in relief, high on an exterior wall.