In The News
Ideas Abound for Future Use
Synopsis:
The Town of Amherst (Massachusetts) and leaders of the North Congregational Church are in talks to determine how to best reuse the church building. The congregation at North Church has become too small for the large building. They plan on either renting out a small portion for themselves, or turning the building over completely for a new use. While some talk has included the idea of another religious group taking over the space, many discussions have focused on adapting it for a new use.
The leaders of the church have stated that they do not support the building become condos or retail space. Office space is one consideration, but a lack of parking has stymied this idea. Another idea is for the congregation and the North Amherst Library to trade spaces, providing the library with much-needed room. The Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce has voiced its support for the building to be turned into an arts and performance center.
At this point, no plans have been set in stone. The church is awaiting a potential buyer who’s intentions for the structure meet their own desires.
New Life and Uses for a Movie Palace in Brooklyn
Synopsis:
The old Loew’s Pitkin Theater in Brooklyn will soon go through another adaptive reuse process, bringing new life to this long neglected property. Opened in 1929 with an 85-foot tower, the theatre was designed by Thomas W. Lamb and included 2,817 seats. After the theatre shut down, it was eventually turned into a church and later into a discount furniture store. This new adaptive reuse project, made possible by New Market tax credits, will see the structure transformed into a mixed use program with a charter school and retail space. Although it has not be designated a landmark, the developers intend to maintain most of the exterior but completely rebuild the interior. “An entirely new steel structural grid is going inside the existing shell,” said the project architect, Dan Garthe of Kitchen & Associates of Collingswood, N.J. The theatre’s neighborhood of Brownsville has seen significant economic decline, with the annual household median income at $15,700. The City however is taking an active role in reinvesting in this area, and this development will help to further that cause. The Ascend Learning Charter School will relocate from Rockaway Parkway in Brownsville to the theatre building and occupy 90,000 square feet. The program also calls for 60,000 square feet of retail space: 20,000 has been leased by a regional clothing store, 20,000 has been leased by a national clothing retailer, and the remaining 20,000 will be set aside for local businesses.
Death of the ‘McMansion’: Era Of Huge Homes Is Over
Synopsis:
R.I.P. McMansions. That’s what the real estate (and American public) are finally saying to this once highly-profitable but completely unnecessary building style. Thanks to the mix of an economic downturn and the concern over our environment, the demand for these 3,000+ sf homes is waining, even collapsing. The construction market is building far fewer homes of this size. But as is pointed out, we have a glut of these large and densely built houses. So much so that neighborhoods of McMansions sit vacant.
So what do we do?
There are a number of great examples in which people are finding ways to adapt these buildings into something more efficient. CNBC found examples of mixed-use spaces as well as social service providers taking up residence in these McMansions. What do you think is the best option to deal with these vacant expanses?
Though, given some of the poor quality of materials and craftsmanship, it begs the question, would it be better to just tear them all down and start from scratch?
A very good point – many of the McMansions developments are simple Levittown on steroids. The concept was to build large and fast in order to gain the highest profit margin. The concern for quality and length of life for these builders was on the back burner, the far back burner. These is where a feasibility analysis of the adaptive reuse of a McMansion comes into play. We need to not only evaluate the potential need that can be met, but does the building quality actually lend itself to being adapted? Is the structure adaptable enough that is can stand up to a few decades of new (potentially heavier) use? In some cases, we may find that the best option is to tear down a McMansion rather than adapt it. It just may be better for the neighborhood and the local environment to do so.
City Seeks Partners To Develop Three Downtown Properties
Synopsis:
Three buildings in Hillboro’s historic district have been designated as focal pieces to help redevelop the Oregon downtown. As the heart of the community, the city is dedicated to the district’s livelihood. The city issued a Request for Qualifications to determine the teams that will help to see this vision through. The three sites slated for redevelopment include a former Wells Fargo bank, redevelopment of the Wells Fargo bank site, and redevelopment of a city-owned parking lot. The two underutilized sites as well as the adaptive reuse of the bank building will help to bring renewed focus on the downtown and provide smart growth opportunities. By innovatively reusing the bank building, the project team will be able to showcase the potential of other adaptive reuse projects within the downtown area.
Co. Seeks To Turn Ex-Nursing Home Into Hub Hotel
Synopsis:
A former nursing home in the Jamaica Plain neighborhood of Boston may soon be converted into a budget hotel. The current adaptive reuse plan calls for adding two additional floors on top of the old Pond View Nursing Home. Watertown-based SMC Management hopes to repurpose the nursing home into a 40-room hotel which is conveniently located by the city’s Emerald Necklace, MBTA Green Line and the Longwood Medical area. These plans, as well as the purchase of the site, are dependent on whether SMC Management will be granted a zoning variance to add the additional floors.
Interestingly, the article also notes that the former Cleveland Circle Cinema in the Brighton neighborhood of Boston may soon become a hotel as well. Although Goodison stated the hotel is planned for the theatre building, she clarifies that its really only the site that will be used as plans call for the demolition of the old building. There are no details provided as to why the developer for this other project, Boston Development Group, found it more advantageous to build new rather than reuse.
$25.5M Brooklyn Navy Yard Museum Underway
Publication Date:
August 9, 2010Written By:
Crain's New York BusinessSource:
McGraw-Hill ConstructionRead more...
Synopsis:
The redevelopment of the old Brooklyn Navy Yard will also include a new $25.5M museum. With funding coming from city, state, federal and private sources, the visitors center is currently under construction. The developers will be utilizing a 9,300-square-foot historic building on the site and adding on a 24,000-square-foot addition. Along with a an exhibition space that will detail the site’s role in America’s history and its future in advancing green manufacturing, the adapted and expanded structure will also house a job training and placement facility.
Spring Target For Building At Silk Mill
Synopsis:
After two years of planning since the city’s approval for the project, construction is slated to begin this spring to convert the old A.H. Rice Mill in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. Rees-Larkin Development of Boston has already received some funding through state and federal historic tax credits, but the biggest hurdle has been to get the award of $8.1 million in affordable housing tax credits from the commonwealth’s Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD). Making up a large portion of the projected $13 redevelopment costs, this funding has been integral to start the process. The developer is certain that they will receive the funding which will be announcing later this year.
The old silk mill, vacant for five years, will be adapted into 45 units of affordable housing as the new Rice Silk Mill Apartments. The project will help to provide much-needed affordable housing within the community as well as encourage further revitalization of the Morningside neighborhood where it is located. A majority of the mill will be utilized in the redevelopment, though a small, non-historic structures will be taken down to allow for the creation of a courtyard and green space.
Developer Turning Old Boot Factory Into Trendy Commercial Space
Publication Date:
(undated)Written By:
Melinda DaltonSource:
The Record via Canada's Technology TriangleRead more...
Synopsis:
From manufacturing to commercial space, the old industrial buildings along King and Breithaupt Streets in Kitchener, Ontario, are going through a renaissance. These six buildings date back to as early as 1903 and have since had their heavy machinery removed to make way for new life. The first phase, The Breithaupt Block, will provide 175,000 sf of new commercial space marketed to the high-tech, research and creative sectors. The facades of the buildings will be maintained while new courtyards and driveways are incorporated to provide division to the buildings. While some parking will be provided on ground level, the developer is incorporating below-grade parking in some of the basements.
Looking Ahead At Adaptive Reuse: Designing For The Gain Factor
Synopsis:
Bob Chisholm discusses the future for architects and interior designers after the fall out from the Great Recession. As he mentions, hopefully this economic failure will lead these two fields to think twice at brand new mega projects. He suggests that the future for these fields isn’t ending but shifting – and one area of shift is towards adaptive reuse. Buildings, if built and designed properly, can constantly experience a “gain factor” but being flexible to varying uses. Learning how to redevelop the presently built space can make that space more productive while at the same time help to limit the resources and costs necessary to just build from scratch. He also points out the cultural difference between the U.S. and Europe. Chisholm finds that Europeans are more apt to reuse buildings due to a cultural desire and proclivity to “adapt to functional use and design based on what is frugally available.”
“The future of our design disciplines and service philosophies should bring a demand for increased ingenuity in design, flexibility, durability, and longevity in our buildings. The throw-away/disposable times should be over, as far as a lot of our culture is concerned, and it will definitely apply to the design and construction industry. There will be a focused expectation to return to basic fundamentals of rational approach, to problem solving and solutions, and clients in a new a new time of sobriety will demand it.”
Old San Francisco Mint To Become A Gorgeous Green Museum
Synopsis:
The vacant U.S. Mint in San Francisco is ready to go green once again. A green renovation is currently being planned for the building by HOK. Built in 1874 and vacant since 1995, the structure will be converted into a cultural hub that will include a San Francisco Bay Area history museum, an interactive learning center, a visitor information center, restaurants, retail, and a green roof garden.
The building significant amounts of space along with a sense of security. It survived the 1906 Great Earthquake thanks to the floating foundation design that Alfred Mullet had incorporated – a design that is still used today.
A number of green features are being planned for the adaptive reuse project: passive ventilation will remain in the original design, a courtyard will act as a rainwater catchment area, take advantage of natural sunlight and building’s high thermal mass. The project team for The Mint plans to earn LEED Platinum certification.