Historic Dorr House nearly done with second of three phases in major renovation process
The Dorr House at the UWF Historic Trust is in its second phase of major renovations to preserve its historical touch while still updating its infrastructure.
The Dorr House was built in 1871 for Clara Barkley Dorr during a time of economic prosperity in Pensacola and serves as an example of Greek Revival Architecture in West Florida, according to the Historic Trust.
Pensacola’s economic prosperity was in large part due to the area’s bustling lumber industry at the time. Dorr was the widow of a lumber tycoon and had the house built for her and her five children to live in. The house still stands where it was originally built at 311 S Adams St. facing Seville Square.
The Historic Pensacola Preservation Board purchased the property in 1975 after it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in October of the previous year.
Ross Pristera, historic preservationist at the Historic Trust, has been attempting to get state preservation grants to support the project’s development since 2016. His last attempt at receiving grant funds for the project was in 2021, when the Historic Trust won a Special Category Grant for $45,000.
“I’ve been trying for years to get a grant for new windows in Dorr House,” Pristera said. “Most of the windows are from the time period. We’re going for the highest level of preservation.”
The Historic Trust was going to match the Special Category Grant to fund the Dorr House’s renovations and begin the development before a price point higher than they initially planned for derailed their timeline.
The Historic Trust has split the Dorr House’s restoration project into three phases.
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Phase one consisted of repairs to the building that were completed last year. Phase two of the project has been focused on the preservation of the Dorr House’s windows and doors.
The Historic Trust has been working with Orlando-based company Austin Historical for the restoration process of the Dorr House’s windows. Austin Historical specializes in historic window restoration and replication as well as door restoration.
Austin Historical took the Dorr House's windows to their warehouse in September in order to complete the project. The company is expected to return the windows this week and then the installation process will begin.
The next and final phase will comprise of restoring the building’s outside paint, replacing its shutters as well as cleaning the interior of the house and adding new wallpaper to fix damage from Hurricane Sally.
Pristera said that the needs for preservation vary depending on the area of the house. The standard for preservation is also why the Historic Trust entrusted Austin Historical to work on the project, as it requires a specialized skillset and team to accomplish the restoration without changing the character of the historic house.
The Dorr House hasn’t undergone a major restoration project like this in about two decades, according to Pristera.
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Historic Dorr House renovations at UWF Historic Trust almost done
