Bringing historic buildings back

At CoMo Preservation’s 7 p.m. Aug. 22 meeting, Tanner Ott of Alley A Realty will provide a behind-the-scenes look at the work of a historic preservation firm that has rehabbed more than 25 different buildings in Columbia, Missouri.

The meeting will be in the Friends Room of the Columbia Public Library. All of CoMo Preservations are free and open to the public. 

Tanner is the general manager of Ott Historic Rehab/Alley A Realty, a firm that has renovated buildings ranging from an old funeral home to a meat packing plant. Tanner will show photographs from the various projects and discuss the ups and downs of historic preservation. 

Alley A’s newest project is bringing back Columbia’s old City Hall/Jail on Ninth Street.

Prior to returning to Columbia in 2014 to join Alley A, Tanner worked in Ely, Minnesota completing nine different historic preservation projects there. His parents, John and Vicki Ott began rehabbing buildings in 2004 and branded their firm Alley A Realty in 2007. The company’s renovations in the North Village Arts District were instrumental in that area.

Alley A’s recent projects have included the Atrium on Tenth, the former Koonse Glass that now houses Acola Coffee and Le Bao in the North Village Arts District, the Diggs Meat Packing building that houses Ozark Mountain Biscuit at 1204 Hinkson Ave., and Pasta La Fata, Party Perfectly and Nail Couture at 1207 Rogers.