October 12, 2007

Preservation purists painstakingly restore Martin and Mason Hotel
BY JACI CONRAD-PEARSON, Black Hills Pioneer

This restoration is complete with big high ceilings, huge windows, wide staircases, fancy antiques and a long third-floor room that is nearly one city block long and can accommodate 222 people for receptions and gatherings.

With a passion for preservation and Deadwood-style determination, the inner beauty of the once-broke-down building has been made to shine. The suites are sweet. The Olympic Ballroom is of Olympic proportions, and both are filled to the gills with worldly wares. It's been a long time coming, but this weekend marks the unveiling of one huge historic save for the city of Deadwood and an even bigger milestone met for Blake and Melanie Haverberg, the owners and restorers of one of the city's most historic buildings.

With the ultimate goal of bringing the community's beloved building back to its former late-Victorian splendor, this Sunday's Grand Opening Celebration, which is open to the public from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., will clearly demonstrate that it's mission accomplished, a feather in the community's historic preservation cap, a commendable combined effort, courtesy of the building's owners and their tireless, dedicated crew.

Originally, the building housed the law offices of its original builders, Eben Martin and Norman Mason. According to Deadwood Historian, Mark Wolfe in "Boots on Bricks," what is referred to as the Martin and Mason Clark Block, came about in this fashion. "The announcement was made January 20, 1893 that attorneys Martin and Mason would build on their lot at this corner. Ground was broken Februrary 15, 1893. Architect Archibald designed both two- and three-story versions of the building, and the owners chose the two-story design. When completed in August, the local newspapers called it 'the handsomest and most modern building in the city,' with electric lights, bathrooms and steam heat. Martin and Mason occupied the three front rooms on the second floor and the balance was occupied by other professional offices. The main floor was leased by Hornberger's Grocery Store.

Work began on the third floor in September, 1897. The third story was already under construction by October and the roof was on by December. The third story was designed to be occupied by the Olympic Club, a fraternal and exercise club. They celebrated the opening of their new facility with a ball on February 18, 1898. Their club rooms featured a gymnasium/ballroom, library, card room, billiard room, and bathrooms. The Olympic Club was dissolved in 1909 and their lodge rooms were occupied by the International Order of Odd Fellows."

The sprawling third floor which housed the two clubs has been restored to its 1898 Olympic Ballroom grandeur and status, and entering it upon arrival in the brand new floor- to-ceiling quarters on white oak elevator is an absolutely astonishing experience. To be transported in such a first-class manner, only to abruptly enter the sprawling sea of a wooden dance floor, to be afforded the breathtaking views from the tall, oversized oblong windows, to walk the length of the room to end up in the other end of the grand hall, in its library room, is a surreal experience.

The second floor has been restored to eight lavishly appointed hotel rooms, consisting of five regular, but nonetheless, high-end rooms and three magnificent suites, highly reflective of the Victorian period. Each are complete with original bathtubs placed in intricately tiled bathrooms, period paint colors, new king-sized beds and sofas, with all fixtures and furniture original to the 1890s era, from the restored push-button lighting down to the antique area rugs on the floor. Deadwood can truly lay claim to a building fit for a queen, or even a king, for that matter.

Visitors will find the building that was once in such disrepair that it was close to being condemned, coming to the Haverbergs complete with a $50,000 historic preservation lien, today resembling a New York City Fifth Avenue hot spot or a venue that belongs on Chicago's Miracle Mile, alongside other historic hotels in that district. In Deadwood terms, the stakes have been raised as far as exclusive and truly historic hotel accommodations go - with a grand ballroom, to boot.

When Melanie and Blake Haverberg originally embarked on their pilgrimage to renovate and restore the Martin and Mason Hotel Building, located at 33 Deadwood St., 12 years ago, they approached the monumental

project as self-described preservation purists. Kevin Kuchenbecker, Deadwood Historic Preservation Officer backed this highly accurate self-assessment on the part of the two project managers.

"What was most impressive with this project was the attention to detail. From the exit lights to the grills, they did a wonderful job of paying attention to detail and following the Secretary of Interior standards. They did a lot of research on the project and the results are a complete rehabilitation of a historic resource. This is a great example of what historic resources can be renovated to, not only on the ground floor, but the upper floors, as well. It sets the bar for others to follow and from a historic preservation standpoint, the owners were a pleasure to work with," he said.

Hence, the countless hours of time and effort, the absolute attention to detail, the outpouring of patience, time and energy and the tireless tenacity, with which the project was completed. And completed is the key word.

Kuchenbecher believes the biggest challenge for the project was the overall time frame.

"Because a project of this proportion is a big undertaking, it involves a large time frame. It's difficult to make sure the project comes to fruition and gains a positive cash flow," said Kuchenbecker.

A slide show on Melanie's computer shows picture after picture of the absolute disrepair and disheveled status the building was in when the Haverbergs took ownership is evidence of how far the team has come. "This one is what the basement looked like when we purchased it. There were these steel structures placed here to shore the building up and keep it from collapsing. It was in ghastly shape. Most people would have seen this and just walked away, but Blake takes everything on as a challenge and this project was no different," explained Melanie.

The renovation

With an estimated cost of $3.5 million dollars, not including the rooms and rooms of historically accurate antique furniture, the project was done in three phases over 12 years. The first challenge Blake met was to secure and stabilize the building, which entailed rebuilding the foundation in four-foot sections, replacing the existing structure with steel-reinforced concrete walls in the basement. This entailed dropping a Bobcat and an excavator through the front window, to dig the basement down two feet to get started.

The stones on the building were also crumbling, so for one whole summer, Blake and his crew replaced cracked brick. "The people who have worked on the building were wonderful. They even went so far as to use old sand from the crumbled bricks to make the mortar and we couldn't find the original Hot Springs sandstone to match, so we had to go to Utah to get the same color. They really took to heart what we were trying to accomplish and all the workmen really took pride in the job they did," said Blake.

From there, the project continued on into its first five years, during which time Blake and Melanie identified and either removed or replaced anything that was not original to the structure, moving from top to bottom, and salvaging anything that was original and historic for future use or display. Two incredible finds are the original, massive boiler room door and the Oddfellows trunk, which holds all the organization's original meeting materials and remains upstairs on the third floor.

During the last six years, things such as the plumbing, electrical, walls and heating system were brought up to code and restored, but not in the usual restoration fashion that most are used to.

"Sometimes the construction workers would just look at me in disbelief, as I made decisions to keep the structure historically accurate as much as possible," Blake explained. "They weren't used to doing things this way because it's usually more expensive. For example, all the work is in the walls, not in the ceiling, which is what happens most of the time on these types of restoration projects. They drop the ceiling down and put the work in there, but that's not what we did. This enabled us to keep the ceilings at their original heights of 16 feet on the main floor, 12 and a half feet on the second floor and 14 feet on the third floor, and eight feet in the basement."

The three original skylights, the original ventilation shaft which runs the entire height of the building, which Blake refers to as "green air-conditioning," and the original heating system have all been refurbished and remain part of the building.

As part of the central hot water heating system restoration process, fan coil units were added to each room to provide air conditioning. The original lathe remains in the walls, as Blake preserved as much as possible, due to the fact that not many plasters are available, as plastering is a dying art. He absolutely cringes at the mention of drywall, which was avoided at all costs during the course of this restoration.

A relative blast from the past

Speaking with the Haverbergs, it seems as though the project has taken on a life of its own, as if it's a living, breathing entity that they truly respect, that they know every inch of, that they don't want to cheapen, as if the Martin and Mason Hotel Building is a long lost friend, with a heart and soul that must be cared for and preserved. Well, that's probably a pretty accurate description, as there could be a kindred spirit of sorts, lurking in the building's shadows, which may explain Blake's pull toward the building and its inevitable purchase.

As they say, history repeats itself, but what exactly are the odds of purchasing a building in Deadwood only to find out that a thrice-removed cousin one day owned your recent acquisition? It actually never occurred to Blake and Melanie Haverberg as they took a gamble on the Martin and Mason Hotel building, but what they ended up finding out on a fluke made their passionate endeavor a little more personal. "Blake is actually related to Eben Martin, who was a local lawyer and South Dakota legislator, who built the original building, back in 1893," says Melanie.

It seems that a love for the lot and the red sandstone beauty that's built on it was shared by the distant Deadwood relative and resident, of whom the details were unknown to Blake until shortly after purchasing the building. Melanie was doing genealogical research and came across the uncanny find. Eben Martin's sister was Blake's great-great grandmother. But it gets better.

After even further research, the two were advised to contact Eben's grandson, Eben Finger, for more information, who, unbeknownst to the duo, is a fellow resident of Northern Michigan, and just so happens to live within 30 miles of the Haverbergs. "Yes. Eben Finger has become our very good friend and resides in a place we've driven through and by hundreds of times and never even thought twice about it. He's now in his late 80s and has come to visit the Hotel twice now," explained Melanie.

Who are the history-loving Haverbergs?

Blake, a math major, who graduated from the University of Michigan, is no stranger to the area, with strong ties to South Dakota. His father attended the S.D. School of Mines and Technology and later moved to Michigan to work in the auto industry and his mother is originally from Murdo, located in central South Dakota. Melanie graduated with a graphic arts degree from California State at Fullerton. Because of Blake's ties to Eben Martin, each of the eight hotel rooms is named for members of that family.

"This originally started out as a hobby," explained Haverberg, who counts nine other historic preservation projects across the country among his own. "While Melanie and I were touring Europe, we noticed what countries like France and Spain had done to preserve their historic structures, their castles and such, and that's what really got us started."

The Haverbergs emphasize that it has truly been a pleasure working with everyone on the project and thank everyone for being so supportive. Blake and Melanie's main line of business is a beach towel company based in Honolulu, which the two work on as team also, with Melanie using her graphic design background to design the towels they produce. The couple has three children and plan to split their time between Honolulu, Northern Michigan and Deadwood.

"A project moves from the top floor to the bottom," explained Blake. "That way, you just flush everything out the basement at the end." And that's where the project is right now, with an expected completion date for the basement set for the end of the year. Future plans for the basement of the building are still being discussed, while the second floor hotel rooms are available for reservations, as well as the third floor ballroom. To make reservations, call 605-722-3456 or visit www.martinmasonhotel.com for more information.

"When you get into Historic Preservation, it's not about time or money," said Blake, as he sifts through the day's e-bay inventory received in the mail. Today's cache includes antique door hinges and brackets. "Blake gets on e-bay for relaxation," said Melanie. So impassioned is Haverberg about the intricate details of the historic nature of the building, that he actually relaxes finding period light fixtures, door peep holes, antique exit signs, the list goes on and on. Much like the couple's passion for preserving the past and Blake's description for the project's future. "This is a never-ending process. It will continue to go on and on."

Shedd's musings on Martin and Mason

Local jeweler shares fond remembrances

DEADWOOD-From newspaper delivery to cutting a rug on the Odd Fellows Hall dance floor, there was a time that Jim Shedd, the owner of Shedd Jewelers on Main Street since 1972, spent a part of each day at the Martin and Mason Hotel building when he was a youth growing up in Deadwood. He also spent time on the building's dance floor as a young man.

Between the ages of 10 and 13, back in 1935-1938, Shedd delivered The Denver Post to apartment dwellers on the second floor of the Martin & Mason building. "I delivered papers to six or eight people on the second floor and really didn't give it much thought back then. It was just something I had to do each day," he remembers.

But one aspect of the building does stick in his mind. Both sets of stairs leading to the second floor. "On the Sherman Street side of the building was the upstairs entrance, where the newly constructed black staircase going downstairs is now. There were steps I'd say, oh, about 10 feet wide, that led inside and went up. I just remember climbing those wide steps," said Shedd. "And then, back by Shankar, was another entrance and those stairs were really steep," he added.

Shedd remembers a long list of tenants that occupied the building over the years, the first coming to mind was the Old Style. "I don't know if many people realize it or not, but the Old Style used to be located in the part of the building that is now the Wooden Nickel Casino. Buckingham had a dock there and Mumford's, who ran the Pioneer-Times at one point, had a Ford garage in there, too. They started a parts department in the basement. In later years, Crotteys had a flower shop in there. When I was in the basement of the building in the 1970s, we found Ford parts, complete wheel sets, sets, brand new in the package, just laying there. It was quite a find, but I really don't know whatever came of it," said Shedd.

Spending time upstairs when the Odd Fellows held dances at the Olympic Ballroom, was more of a leisurely time for Shedd. "The Woodmen of the World met up there on the third floor and over the years it was a meeting place for other clubs and organizations," said Shedd.

Back in the day, the late 40s and early 50s, there was a small group of around 40 area residents, who gathered in the Ballroom to dance, usually to the tune of an old Wurlitzer. "We'd two-step, polka, waltz, a little jitterbugging, but not much at that time. Gee whiz, it was a nice floor. It was an enjoyable place to go," said Shedd.