ka was retained by Paran Management to develop a concept plan for renovating the Wick Pollock mansion and its grounds at the Youngstown State University campus. Built in 1893, the building was once operated by YSU as an inn and had undergone several outmoded interior remodels that did not respect its historical significance. Its 1970s-style addition, box-like and constraining, only further detracted from the mansion's original beauty and charm. Having fallen into disuse over the years, the Inn closed in 1998.

The object, therefore, was to design an adaptive reuse that would not only restore the building's antiquity, but also allow it to function once again as an inn and create a unique place for dining and University events. ka's plan for the mansion begins with removal of the unbecoming addition. The freed up space, now available fore guest parking to be tucked behind the mansion, alleviates the need for parking along Wick Avenue. In turn, this current parking zone will house a new hotel wing and garden space that will be connected by a porte cochere to the existing mansion. ka's plans for the site also prescribed renovating an existing carriage house and transforming it into a coffee shop and restaurant. Outdoor dining space will connect it to the hotel wing and look out over a refurbished ornamental garden.

The design meets Federal guidelines for historic preservation tax credits and will be LEED certified.

ka's involvement with the Wick Pollock Inn shows the company's ability to plan, conceptually, a project to make best use of its existing assets while identifying and handling any drawbacks.

Services Provided:

• Design Architect