Cincinnati Preservation Corporate Member Spotlight: MSA Design
MSA Design believes design has the power to make the world a better place by helping clients dream big with a structure that creates a lasting impression. They accomplish this through the following departments in collaboration: architecture, interior design, graphic design, and historic preservation. With offices in Cinicnnati and Columbus and the company started in 1985 and is the 13th largest sports architecture company in the US. Madeline Williams, MS HPRES, LEED AP is the Director of Preservation & Historic Rehabilitation, a role MSA added in 2022.
MSA is special because they have architects, designers and preservationists working together to understand the evolution of our society. They often ask themselves, how can we contribute, preserve and move forward while making sure that historic spaces are around for future generations?
Recent standout projects include:
- Collaboration with Mount St. Joseph University to successfully register Mater Dei Chapel on the National Register of Historic Places.
- City of Lebanon’s Architectural Review Overlay District Expansion and Revised Historic Standards
- Dragonfly Foundation Carraige House Restoration
The Dragonfly Foundation is located in the 1906 Hauck-Heine House at 506 Oak Street. Located a few short blocks from Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, the 0.68 acre property includes a main house (11,720 sq. ft.), a carriage house (3,082 sq. ft.), ample parking, and a beautifully-wooded yard. The Hauck-Heine House was the home of Emilie L. Hauck (John and Catherine Hauck’s daughter) and her children.
Similar to the John Hauck House (Cincinnati Presrevation’s homebase in the West End), the Hauck-Heine main house includes breathtaking ceiling murals, painted kitchen tiles, and original finishes. For the restoration of the Carriage House, MSA created a first floor space for volunteers and a second floor space for families and programming. By keeping historic materials exposed such as glazed interior bricks, tile work, and the board and batten ceiling, MSA ensured that they preserved everything they could per the foundation’s request. Key features like the second floor hipped roof with the joists exposed and salvaged clay roof tiles were featured on the interior.
“Preservation is so much more than bricks and mortar,” noted Madeline Williams. She continues, “MSA values our communities’ identity, environment (social or built), and our diverse cultural sites, because when we leave, we are leaving it to someone else.”
Madeline’s favorite buildings are by Daniel Burnham, and she loves walking down Dayton Street and feeling like she’s in a different time period… being engulfed in historic character and envisioning what has taken place here.
She adds, “Our work is a constant conversation with the building. When new meets old, what is the dialogue the materials or styles are having? How can we make sure the past voices of the buildings are being respected and heard?”
Preservation & Historic Rehabilitation Department at MSA
We believe that architecture is an important part of our nation’s heritage. We provide in-house preservation and architectural services that streamline historic projects from concept to completion. We help with building research, Federal and State Historic tax credits, grant research and applications, National Register Nominations, Local Landmark listings, historic design consulting, and rehabilitation and adaptive reuse. We work directly with local governments and the State Historic Preservation Office to ensure your project meets all the required guidelines. Let us help you carry out your vision and preserve our nations legacy.
