Kenton County Administration Building

Building Architecture- Large Scale (>10,000 sf)

Project Narrative

Historical buildings are capable of serving modern-day needs. They not only have undeniable beauty but also a specific kind of expertise needed to renovate and re-design the old bones of a once-great structure. Instead of letting a brewery that came alive during Cincinnati's economic beer boom and a multi-level nightclub that was open for over 30 years crumble to dust, Kenton County wanted it transformed into a functional and interesting administration building.

The brewery giant, often referred to as Bavarian Brewery, had prospered with around 80 years of production. Being located near the beer metropolis, downtown Cincinnati, it even survived prohibition. The complex of buildings, located at 522 W. 12th St. in Covington, was occupied until 1966, when the brewery closed due to lingering prohibition money issues. Construction started on most of the complex as it is known today in 1903.

Jillian's nightclub took residence eventually, but as the business that came before, it closed due to financial reasons in 2006. Many of the features from when the building was occupied by Jillian’s were still in the space when Kenton County purchased it, which had been vacant for more than a decade.

This high-profile, $24M county administration building is located along Interstates 71 and 75 and is a historical landmark serving its community once again with several different functions. The new design is about balanced juxtaposition. The existing brewery building is eclectic with ornamental masonry, partially crenelated façades, diverse shape and window patterns, and erratic roof lines. In contrast, the new addition is a streamlined, orthogonal, mono-planar façade of glass and metal. It is a mindful dance between old and new, eclectic and utilitarian, and human scale and monumental—a promise of longevity and an anchor for the community.

                 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Project Details -

Submission Category

Building Architecture- Large Scale (>10,000 sf)

Date of Completion

November, 2019