Gary Anderson & Studio GWA - ROCKFORD’S BOOSTER CLUB

Preserving great architecture that honors the past and plans for the future takes dreamers, visionaries and achievers. This combination of talent is what makes architect Gary Anderson, founder of Studio GWA, and his partners, Ashley Sarver, Jennifer Spencer and Aaron Holverson, Rockford’s Booster Club.

For more than 40 years, Anderson and his firm have renovated historic buildings, transforming them into vibrant spaces of residence, commerce and learning.

“When we save old buildings, we drive economic development and provide future generations with a piece of history,” he said. “I think we need to educate the public much more on the value of these historic structures.”

Studio GWA’s agility in handling a variety of projects is evident throughout the Rockford community.

“Our passion for a project influences our work beyond the scale of the assignment,” Sarver said. “The Prairie Street Brewhouse building, our office location, shows how powerful a smaller historic renovation can be; while the large Colman Yards project is a tribute to our community’s industrial past and provides an economic stimulus for the future.”

“People don’t understand the economic impact of tearing a building down and leaving an empty lot,” Anderson said. “All the buildings we’ve renovated, including Edward’s Apple Orchard, Stewart Square, The Standard and Woodfire Brick Oven Pizza, have a positive impact on our local economy.”

One of Studio GWA’s upcoming builds is the construction of a new Rockford Public Library (RPL) along the Rock River.

“We envision the new library as a downtown reading park with gorgeous river views and outdoor terraces that merge the urban and pastoral,” Spencer said.

For Anderson, advocating for historic buildings is an ongoing quest: “Part of our vision is how to inspire the next project.”