Heritage Restoration and Design Studio

Heritage Restoration has performed restorations in several United States historic or national landmarks,[2] such as the woodwork in architect Frank Lloyd Wright’s Unity Temple[3] and the clock tower of the Livingston County Courthouse in Pontiac Illinois.[4] The company has been owned by the Berlinger family for six generations.[5]

Heritage Restoration and Design originated in 1820 in Bavaria, Germany when Alois Berlinger formed a small stone carving and construction company called Steinhauer Berlinger.[5] By the family’s third generation Alois’ grandson, Edmund Berlinger, expanded the company by purchasing land that contained natural sandstone deposits.[5][6] He then established a quarry and began mining resources that the company needed for its stone works.[4][5] Edmund's tenure as head of the company saw Steinhauer Berlinger expand into the markets of interior plastering and whitewashing.[5]

Berlinger family stone-workers constructing a building in Bavaria, Germany, 1820.[6]

The Berliger family's fourth generation consisted of Edmund’s three sons; Alois, Gustav and Herman.[6] They added interior finishing and precast concreting into their company's brand.[5] Alois married Helga Lehmeier who merged her family’s woodworking and glassworking skills into the Steinhauer business.[4][5] Alois and Helga decided to immigrate to the United States,[4] as the economy of post-World War 2 Germany was not ideal for their new family.[5] In 1965, Alois Helga and their two children, Michael and Willibald, set sail from Bremerhaven aboard the S.S. Berlin.[5]

On June 19, 1965, Alois and his family arrived at Chicago where he started a small painting company.[4][5] After a time, Alois decided to form the American branch of Steinhauer Berlinger.[5] He named his new company the Berlinger Decorating Company.[4] At the age of eight, Alois eldest son Michael became involved with the business, serving as both a translator and workman.[2][5] The inclusion of Michael brought the fifth generation of Berlingers into the company.[4] In the decade that followed, the Berlinger Decorating Company shifted its focus onto restoration work combined with woodworking, painting, and stonework expertise.[1][2][5]

During the 1970’s the company decided to move to Peoria, Illinois to set up a permanent base of operations.[2] As the business became more settled in its new location, Michael Berlinger succeeded his father as head of the company.[5] He shifted its focus further into historical restoration and preservation.[2][5] In the early 2000s Berlinger Decorating Company rebranded as Heritage Restoration and Design Studios Inc.[5][6] In the years that followed, Michael’s four sons Stephen, Christopher, Joseph and Anthony joined the company, forming the sixth generation of Berlingers to inherit the business.[5]

• Natural History Building of the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign.[2]
• Livingston County Courthouse in Pontiac, Illinois.[4]
• Third District Appellate Courthouse in Ottawa, Illinois.[4]
• Unity Temple in Chicago, Illinois.[3]
• Reddick Mansion in Ottawa, Illinois.[7]