In the summer of 2014 the City of Lanesboro approached AWH Architects inquiring about the possibility of expanding the city’s existing National Historic District. Having recently been named one of the Top 12 Small Town Art Communities and resting on it’s laurels of preserving a large swath of the city both of which have created an exuberant and vibrant tourist destination, the city wondered if the last swath of the original downtown to the north might also be worthy of historic designation. AWH Architects dug in based on previous reports, research and discussions with the State Historic Preservation Office and concluded that the expansion proposal was worthy of a nomination. The re-nominated and expanded Historic District was approved by the NPS in 2016.