The Door County Granary, a 2,285 SF historic structure restored by Greenfire, recently served as the site of an architectural photo shoot. Photographers Kevin Miyazaki and Mike Roemer captured the building’s unique textures, materials, and waterfront setting. Architect James Dallman of LA DALLMAN, who designed the adaptive reuse of the building, directed the shoot and met with visitors to share background on the Granary’s transformation and future use. The engineering of the building’s renovation was done by Beane Engineering, whose founder Jeffrey Beane is a Sturgeon Bay Native.
Located along the Sturgeon Bay waterfront, the Granary is one of the last remaining grain elevators on the Great Lakes. Built in 1901 and saved from demolition by the Sturgeon Bay Historical Society Foundation (SBHS), the Teweles and Brandeis Grain Elevator has been preserved and repurposed into a seasonal public gathering space as part of the city’s larger waterfront redevelopment efforts.
Greenfire managed the construction in two phases. The first phase involved relocating the structure and installing new foundations. The second phase included restoring both the exterior and interior, building a catering kitchen and restrooms, and completing landscaping and site improvements. The project incorporated salvaged materials, including 100-year-old reclaimed siding from a dismantled granary in Superior, WI, to maintain a historic aesthetic and keep a unique façade.
Mike Roemer’s drone photography captured these exterior finishes from the sky, while Kevin Miyazaka’s interior photography snapped the original timber construction that has been activated into a destination interior / exterior event space, now complete with modern amenities.
These modern improvements were made without compromising the building’s original character. Greenfire installed an in-floor heating system to serve the unconditioned event space. Also integrated into the floor is unique upwards lighting that accentuates the wooden character at night. Greenfire’s cost savings during buyout allowed for upgrades, including an expanded outdoor patio to better serve events held in the space.
With the space now active, the Granary has become a public venue and historic marker of Sturgeon Bay’s agricultural heritage. The SBHS are currently fundraising to expand public access to upper levels of the structure.
Visitors can learn more about the Granary and the SBHS Foundation’s further activation efforts here, or by visiting the site in-person in Sturgeon Bay, WI – which we highly recommend!
