Amana Colonies
Upper South
Hotel-Preservation
Planning
The Upper South Hotel was constructed in 1884 near a railroad depot serving the Amana Society. The historic building had fallen into disrepair after the Society was disbanded and was later acquired by the Amana Colonies Historical Sites Foundation in 2016, with the intent of finding a new use and owner for the building. Immediate repairs were conducted to the roof and exterior envelope until a more thorough assessment could be performed. RDG was tasked with developing prioritized recommendations based on existing conditions observed at the site.
RDG's architectural team thoroughly documented the existing materials and structure of the building. Floor plans were developed to supplement the photographs, and a structural engineer also added observations and recommendations to the final Recommended Preservation and Restoration Action Plan. Recommendations followed the preservation philosophy: preserve rather than repair, repair rather than replace. Recommendations included masonry and structural repairs, doors and windows stabilization and were classified as Immediate, Short-term, and Long-term priority. These repairs will further stabilize the structure pending future redevelopment and rehabilitation.