Designing with History: The Granary with James Dallman

The Door County Granary, built in 1901, carries a rich legacy – from its role in a bygone agricultural era to a near-demolition, and ultimately, a community-driven effort to save and repurpose it as a public gathering space. James Dallman, the lead architect behind the Granary’s ambitious restoration and transformation, was recently in town working on a model that will be unveiled to the public on Sept. 20. He spoke with Debra Fitzgerald about the political and technical journey that brought the structure back to life, the challenges of balancing historic preservation with modern functionality, and what it means to him to reimagine a building so deeply tied to the community’s identity and sense of place.