The city of Pacific, Missouri, has begun a search for an architect who can renovate the long-closed Red Cedar Inn restaurant along Route 66 and transform it into a local history and welcome center.
According to the Washington Missourian newspaper:
The city has published a request for qualifications (RFQ) through newspapers and the American Institute of Architects St. Louis Chapter to begin the search for a renovation design expert.
Officials say they want a firm with a strong track record in repurposing historic structures such as the 85-year-old Red Cedar Inn building. […]
“We have to preserve the building with as much historic accuracy as possible,” said Herb Adams, aldermanic liaison to the tourism committee which helped to fund the purchase and an outspoken advocate for the structure. […]
Members of the city tourism commission and museum genealogy committee have been working together to design a plan for the best use of the space.
The city also will apply for a grant from the St. Louis County Municipal Parks program to make improvements to the building. The program previously awarded grants to the city to buy nearby Jensen’s Point — another Route 66 landmark — and improve it as a city park.
In September 2017, the city bought the Red Cedar Inn for $290,000 after being rebuffed in 2007 and 2012.
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Red Cedar Inn closed abruptly in 2005, with its owners citing rising insurance costs.
The Smith brothers built the restaurant in 1932, then the tavern addition a few years later, from logs cut from the family farm. The restaurant and bar were a favorite for many travelers on Route 66, including baseball legends Dizzy Dean and Ted Williams.
(Image of the Red Cedar Inn in 2004 in Pacific, Missouri, by original uploader was Kbh3rd (talk) – Transferred from en.wikipedia to Commons by Xnatedawgx using CommonsHelper., Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6312740)