Before Tornado
Nicollet County Courthouse Restoration / Renovation
St. Peter, MN
Beginning with the design of a new L.E.C. in 1982, Steve Johnson led fourteen projects for Nicollet County over two decades.
Just a year after the completion of a first phase in the restoration of the county’s original 1880 courthouse, a tornado devastated the community of St. Peter. On the south edge of the tornado’s path, the courthouse was severely damaged when its six story tower collapsed into lower portions of the building. The next day, Steve began working with county officials in surveying the damage, assisting with arrangements for clean-up and establishing options for reconstruction.
The resulting project involved significant coordination with the State Historic Preservation Office. Work included the reconstruction of the historic tower using contemporary construction means, the removal of a 1960’s vintage entry addition, new windows to match the original and a reconstruction of the building’s interior to accommodate modern-day county functions.