Jessica Bristow

Community members learn how to repair historic wood windows in a PS1 workshop funded by the City of Iowa City.

In 2019, PS1 went from renting a basement space to owning two historic houses that sit side by side at the intersection of Gilbert and Bloomington Streets. One had been home to nuns who worked across the street at Mercy Hospital; the other was a hangout for punk bands. 

A few years later, almost by accident, PS1 took possession of a third house: The Close House, an ornate brick home was built in 1874 by a wealthy manufacturer whose linseed factory was across the street. With three buildings all locally landmarked, PS1’s staff, especially Facilities and Gallery Director Hannah Givler, got to know Jessica Bristow.

The City’s Historic Preservation Planner, Bristow wants people to appreciate the value of older homes less as museum pieces and more as examples of how sustainable a building can be when well-crafted with durable materials. “One of the greatest values of PS1 having these historic buildings is making them accessible to a wider community,” she notes.

As artists with various craft and building skills, PS1 staff and members have been able to do a lot of repairs and upkeep themselves, including rehabbing old windows and refinishing floors. “That’s how it used to be,” says Bristow. “Owners or neighbors did the work on their own houses. There wasn’t the contractor industry we have now.”

Old houses come with a lot of work, and all three buildings need major repairs, including new roofs and plumbing updates. But what excites Bristow the most is a possible siding project. She is very curious to see what’s under the synthetic siding of 229 N. Gilbert. “It would be such an exciting excavation process!”