1901 City Hall and Jail wins state preservation award
The historic preservation of Columbia’s first City Hall and Jail at 107 N. 9th St. captured a Preserve Missouri Award from Missouri Preservation, a nonprofit dedicated to preserving Missouri’s cultural and historic resources.
Built in 1901, it is the oldest known city office building in Columbia. It was renovated by Alley A Realty of Columbia, which is owned by John and Vicki Ott and their son Tanner Ott, renovated the building. This is only Columbia’s fourth building to receive an award from the state organization since 2002. The other buildings honored were the Virginia Building at 111 S. Ninth St. in 2002, Central Dairy at 1104-1106 E. Broadway in 2008, and another Ott project, the Berry Building rehabilitation at Walnut and Orr streets, in 2011.
The Otts received the award at the 2025 Honor Awards Ceremony, which was held on April 29, 2025, in the Rotunda of the Missouri State Capitol.
The 107 N. 9th St. building now houses Endwell Taverna on the ground floor and offices on the second floor. From 1901 until 1907, it housed the city’s first city hall, first fire department, including the two horses that pulled the fire wagon and the police department and the jail.
City then, the building has housed other occupants and been underutilized in recent decades. The Otts purchased it in 2022. Tanner Ott managed the project, which involved extensive repointing and repair of the masonry throughout the interior and exterior of the building.
According to a news release from Missouri Preservation, the project included removing paint from the front wall, replacing missing or deteriorated windows with historically correct profiles, and retaining and restoring the bars and steel interior shutters from the original jail windows. This rehabilitation project used state and federal historic tax credits to return the building to its earlier commercial use.
The Otts have completed roughly two dozen historic preservation rehabilitation projects in downtown Columbia, ranging from turning an old gas station into the Café Berlin to transforming an old Quonset hut that housed a seed and feed store at Park and Tenth into Acola Coffee.
Related articles:
Columbia Missourian, May 1, 2025, “Missouri Preservation awards honor Columbia residents.”
CoMo Preservation, Oct. 22, 2024, “A Conversation with Tanner Ott.”
Photo courtesy of Missouri Preservation.
CoMo Preservation is devoted to helping homeowners, landlords, and institutions prevent the destruction of historic architecture. Original period styles might be replicated, but will forever lack the social history of authentic structures. The preservation of historic places and spaces gives people a sense of place and boosts Columbia’s economy. You can get involved by becoming a member, volunteering, signing up for our mailing list, attending an event, or donating.
Questions? Suggestions for speakers or events? Email CoMoPreservation@gmail.com
