The historic Funderburg House in Belvidere, Illinois has been a community staple for more than 100 years. And after some recent renovations, it looks like the home will continue to be an architectural fixture for the next 100 years or more.
Located on the outskirts of the city’s downtown corridor, the Funderburg House was built in 1906 and has since changed hands just once — the craftsman-style mansion was purchased in 1934 by Hugh K. and Alice Funderburg, whose family owned and operated K-B Farms, Inc., which was a prominent local business.
The Funderburg family recently donated the 8,000 square-foot mansion to the Belvidere Historical Society to be used as a museum of regional history, community gathering space, and private event venue. However, in order to serve the community in this way, the Funderburg Home required some significant restoration work to preserve the property for Historical Society use, particularly to the roofing system, which was largely untouched since the home’s original construction.
With much of the original interior and exterior still intact, the primary challenge was integrating updates to the existing architectural features using modern technology and materials while still maintaining the historical accuracy of the property.
“Historical integrity was of the utmost importance to the entire Funderburg House project,” said Anna Pivoras, Executive Director of the Boone County Historical Society. “Every detail of the project was carefully planned, and we did our best to select products that matched the existing features as closely as possible.”
boone county historical society executive director Anna pivoras outside the funderburg house following the property's restoration
The need to use roofing materials that closely resembled those found in the original design and construction — not to mention the ability to preserve the roof system for generations to come — is what led Pivoras to partner with Renaissance.
“Renaissance Historic Exteriors has a long-standing reputation of being the best in the area for complex historic restorations,” said Pivoras. “The roofing component of the restoration was the largest financial component of the project, and I knew we needed Renassiance’s skill and expertise to get the job done right.”
Our in-house fabrication capabilities — in particular those used in restoring various copper elements of the roof — and the superior craftsmanship of our restoration technicians combined to restore the property’s:
- Soft roof metals
- Flat roofing
- Copper roofing accents
- Gutters and downspouts
Pivoras believes the care and attention-to-detail of our roof restoration specialists were critical in successfully executing these updates.
“Those of us who own a historic structure and appreciate the integrity and craftsmanship of a bygone era understand that one cannot cut corners when it comes to this kind of restoration,” Pivoras says. “With Renaissance, I was confident their experienced and knowledgeable workers would do the best possible job.”
When undertaking the Funderburg House restoration, Pivoras also understood the importance of a high-quality, durable roof in protecting and enhancing the visual appearance of a historic property, and that our track record of success spoke volumes about our ability to breathe new life into the Funderburg House.
“We all know a good roof is absolutely imperative to the wellbeing of a home, so I wanted to make sure we were in the best of hands.”
You can experience our dedication to historically accurate home restorations by visiting the Funderburg House at 605 North State Street, Belvidere, IL, 61008. Or, contact us today to learn how we can help you restore your historic property.
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