Casa Di Vite Named State Semifinalist for Best Historic Preservation Project

July 7, 2023

The Downtown Excelsior Partnership, Inc. nominated Casa Di Vite, located at 216 Spring Street in Historic Downtown Excelsior Springs for the 2023 Missouri Main Street Connection Evening of Excellence Awards for Best Historic Preservation Project in the State of Missouri in 2022 and they have been named a semifinalist! Read the full nomination below. Special thanks to City of Excelsior Springs Neighborhood Specialist, Laura Mize for sharing her earlier nomination.

The Downtown Excelsior Partnership, Inc. would like to nominate Casa Di Vite for the 2023 Best Historic Preservation Project Award to recognize the outstanding preservation project at 216 Spring Street in Downtown Excelsior Springs, Missouri; formerly the Hope Funeral Home, and now the site of Casa Di Vite International Wine Café and Intimate Affairs.

Downtown Excelsior Springs boasts numerous historic buildings that now house thriving businesses. The former Hope Funeral Home had been vacant for more than three decades when Susan Blaser fell in love with the beauty of the building and obtained it for a daunting preservation and remodel project. Susan commented, “I just felt that this building deserved a new start. It has been a significant piece of architecture in this community, and it sat for years without being appreciated. When I looked inside the windows, I saw exactly how it would be laid out and what it was going to look like. I had drawn it in a home-bought schematic and now it is exactly how I had drawn it out.”

The rehabilitation plan was prepared by STRATA Architecture and Restoration. Rosin Preservation prepared the Federal Historic Tax Credit Application. The project investment totaled $425,000.00 prior to receipt of Federal Historic Tax Credits.

Kristen McSparren of Rosin Preservation said of the project, “The historic Hope Funeral Home is distinguished by handsome stone walls, tile roofs, original multi-light wood windows, and porticoed entrances. When the project started, the exterior was generally in good condition, but the interior had been mostly gutted. The adorable building was in need of serious love and attention, which Susan provided. Her vision for the building worked extremely well with the building’s historic configuration and materials, making good use of the open spaces and requiring little alteration. Susan was careful to keep any historic fabric that was in place including wood floors, the wood staircase, and original windows.

New finishes and materials that were installed to facilitate the building’s new use as a wine tasting venue and event space complement the building’s historic character. The project utilized state and historic tax credits and underwent review at the State Historic Preservation Office and National Park Service to ensure work complies with the Secretary of the Interiors Standards for Rehabilitation.”

STRATA Architecture prepared a rehabilitation plan for the project. Angie Gaebler of STRATA was asked to comment on the project. “After years of vacancy, the quaint Spring Street property is finally rehabilitated and enjoyed by the Excelsior Springs community. Past owners have had big plans for the rehabilitation of the historic funeral home and chapel, which initially was a sanitorium. The signature stonework, windows, and red roof have elicited dreams for future businesses and owners to once again make this property shine for decades. The building had been mostly gutted decades ago by previous owners who had begun a renovation and stalled. Over the years, the subsequent owner had plans for saving the building that could not be realized, but they recognized that Susan and her daughter Brittni had a dynamic vision to fill a gap in downtown services and agreed to sell the building. The Blasers have transformed the dilapidated building with exposed framing and dirt floors into a beautiful, updated venue, focusing on wine tasting, special events, and weddings. Their renovation has made them a catalyst in the historic downtown resurgence; they spend their time and talents not only promoting their unique range of services, but also as an integral part in promoting other local businesses.

“Work to the building included in-depth structural stabilization, all new mechanical, electrical, and plumbing services, new interior finishes, exterior rehabilitation of masonry, windows, and doors, accessibility improvements, and life safety building upgrades. The rehabilitation was designed and constructed to meet the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties – specifically for ‘Rehabilitation,’ making it eligible to receive historic rehabilitation tax credits. The building now houses a chapel for weddings, bridal party dressing rooms, tasting rooms, and event space. The tired building shines once again with new life and purpose. It’s a win for the Blasers and all of Excelsior Springs.”

Mrs. Blaser, who is an active board member of the Excelsior Springs Historic Preservation Commission, stated that the most difficult element of this project was the windows. It was a struggle to find a qualified craftsman to repair or rebuild the historic windows.

The new business has been active in the downtown economy, often collaborating with other downtown businesses for events such as weddings and showers. Lyndsey Baxter, Executive Director of the Downtown Excelsior Partnership, was asked about the project. “We are so fortunate to have Casa Di Vite in our downtown historic district. As the organization leading the revitalization efforts, we watched the property sit abandoned for many years, with fear it may never be utilized to its full potential. From the moment Susan reached out to share interest in the property, we knew we were finally headed in the right direction. Although the pandemic, construction timelines and many other obstacles tried to deter her progress, she was dedicated and committed to seeing the project through and we are so fortunate that she was able to display such determination during such unprecedented times. She has completely renovated this property and brought life into a space that we only thought imaginable. It now houses two businesses in our district, and we look forward to her future plans for the property.”

Please consider this worthy project for the Missouri Main Street Connection, Best Historic Preservation Project.