Ryan Reed
Senior Historic Preservation Specialist
Ryan’s path toward historic preservation began on the backroads around his childhood home in Phelps County, Missouri. On weekends, his family drove the windy rural roads, pointing out old homes where ancestors had lived and visiting small cemeteries where they were buried. The familial connection to these modest properties created a sense of place for Ryan that grew into a lifelong passion for historic buildings. This interest led Ryan to pursue a Bachelor of Arts in History at the University of Missouri and a Master of Fine Arts in Historic Preservation from the Savannah College of Art and Design.
Ryan comes to Rosin Preservation with experience working in both the public and private sectors of historic preservation. His career started with the Landmarks Association of St. Louis, where he advocated for the retention and reuse of the historic built environment in the St. Louis metropolitan area. In 2012, Ryan accepted a position as a Landscape Historian with the National Park Service in Omaha, Nebraska, where he documented buildings and sites and recommended best preservation practices for historic resources in the Midwest. Prior to joining Rosin Preservation, Ryan was the Historic Tax Incentive Coordinator with the Nebraska State Historic Preservation Office for seven years.
Favorite historic building
My favorite building constantly changes. At this moment, it is Priory Chapel in Creve Coeur, Missouri. Designed by Gyo Obata of Hellmuth, Obata and Kassabaum (HOK) in 1962, the building pushes the boundaries of concrete and church form. The circular building has three tiers of whitewashed, thin-poured concrete parabolic arches that appear to float upwards from the landscape. The design reflects a period of transformation in the Catholic Church when liturgical reform created an openness to modern art and architecture.
I am a preservationist because…
Our built environment connects us to our shared history. As a witness to our aesthetic and cultural past, the built environment creates a sense of place. From the lofty skyscraper to the ubiquitous shotgun house, a collection of buildings reminds us of who we are and where we have come from. Advocating for their retention and reuse is why I am a preservationist.