The Louis sullivan building

newark, ohio

Built in 1915, the Louis Sullivan Building of Newark was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. Commonly known as “The Old Home,” the building served a diverse array of tenants for over a century, including bankers, jewelers, and ice cream makers. Gifted to the Licking County Foundation in 2013, its re-opening in fall 2025 marks the culmination of extensive restoration, made possible through broad community collaboration and support. Reimagined as a visitor center and public gathering space, the building celebrates both the history and future of Licking County. As the local bureau for tourism, Explore Licking County will steward the building, ensuring its continued role as a historic and publicly accessible landmark.

Conrad Schmitt Studios has a long history of working with architectural treasures by Louis Sullivan across the country, providing deep insight into these iconic landmarks. In 2001, CSS was engaged to recreate ten cast-iron light fixtures, known as “electroliers,” designed by Sullivan and George Elmslie in 1890 for Ganz Hall at Roosevelt University’s Auditorium Building in Chicago. In Owatonna, Minnesota, CSS completed interior conservation at a historic bank building designed by Sullivan in 2017, returning four years later for stained glass restoration. Across these projects, CSS has been entrusted with both historic decoration and glass, preserving Sullivan’s built environments for future generations.

CSS became involved with the Newark project in 2016, conducting investigative reports on the murals, mosaics, and glass. Exterior renovations marked the beginning of this extensive restoration, followed by phased interior work. Collaborating closely with Rogers Krajnak Architects, Danis Construction, and other trade professionals, CSS helped develop the most effective restoration and preservation solutions.

Characterized as a “jewel box bank,” the Louis Sullivan Building is one of only eight in the Midwest designed by Sullivan later in his career. A rare detail is Sullivan’s own signature in gold on the left corner of the exterior mosaic. Though jewel box banks occupy small footprints, their interiors and exteriors are lavishly ornamented. The 2019 exterior restoration by CSS involved meticulous repair and stabilization of the mosaic tesserae. Approximately 66 glass tiles were missing, prompting CSS to draw from its in-house historic glass collection to ensure period-accurate replacement. Each piece was carefully installed, and original loose tiles were re-affixed to preserve the historic façade. Art glass restoration, including both leaded and opalescent windows, required disassembly of panels and transport to CSS’s Wisconsin studio for cleaning and re-leading.

The final phase focused on interior preservation. The building’s original wall and ceiling murals feature intricate, organic motifs, showcasing the artistry of Sullivan and his design team. While some areas required stabilization and in-painting to address paint loss, other sections were entirely missing. CSS artists recreated these segments using high-resolution photographs to generate new stencils, replicating Sullivan’s original process. Painted on canvas, the murals faithfully reflect the original layout and palette, resulting in a complete and historically accurate interior.