Items Tagged ‘Texas’
LIVESTRONG Headquarters
Project Name:
LIVESTRONG HeadquartersLocation:
Austin, Texas, USACompletion Date:
February 2009Original Use(s):
warehouseNew Use(s):
officeProject Description:
History
The Gold Coast Paper warehouse was built in the 1950s and served the Austin, Texas, area for a number of years.[1]
(Re)Developer
The Lance Armstrong Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting and creating a “relevant, vibrant cancer movement based on evidence and strategic investment.” The Foundation helps to provide one-on-one support as well as cancer awareness and research funding advocacy.
Lake|Flato Architects was commissioned to develop and realize the adaptive reuse of the old warehouse. The firm focuses their work on six principles: land, light, craft, community, spaces between, sustainability.
The Bommarito Group was selected to provide programming direction, design and local knowledge of the city processes. The firm also acted as the project manager for the consultants hired for the adaptive reuse.
Outcome
After leasing corporate office space for over a decade, The Lance Armstrong Foundation now has a permanent home for the LIVESTRONG offices in East Austin, Texas. The headquarters is part of a larger revitalization effort within the underserved neighborhood of Austin. The adaptive reuse of this warehouse has provided new life and a commitment to the local community.
The renovated space provides a number of private office and meeting spaces as well as large open areas to host meetings for other local non-profits. The work has resulted in LEED Gold certification, codifying the Foundation’s concern for the environment. Additionally, the LIVESTRONG Patient Navigation Center (PNC). The PNC, opening in summer 2010, “will service people with cancer or at risk for cancer, with an emphasis on underserved populations in the Austin area. The PNC will work to improve access to all available support systems ranging from information and education to financial assistance and family support.”[2]
[1]FURFIN
[2]The Lance Armstrong Foundation
Images courtesy of Casey Dunn and The Lance Armstrong Foundation.
St. Edward’s University Doyle Hall
Project Name:
St. Edward’s University Doyle HallLocation:
Austin, Texas, USACompletion Date:
Spring 2009Original Use(s):
men's dormitoryNew Use(s):
faculty officesProject Description:
History
Doyle Hall was one of the first dormitories at St. Edward’s University in Austin, Texas. Built in 1960, the building served as a residence for men at the campus. A similar dorm, Premont Hall, was built opposite it and the two framed secluded basketball and volleyball courts between them.[1]
(Re)Developer
Founded in 1885 by the Congregation of Holy Cross, St. Edward’s University emphasizes critical thinking, social justice and ethical practice. The liberal arts school is situated on a hill overlooking downtown Austin.[2]
The project architectural firm was Specht Harpman, founded in 1995 by partners Scott Specht and Louise Harpman. Located in New York City and Austin, this modern design firm has completed projects in California, Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New York, Texas, and Italy.
Outcome
St. Edward’s needed to expand its residential capacity as well as provide new faculty offices. The school decided to build a new dormitory and move the residences from Doyle Hall to that new structure. By moving the students, Doyle Hall provided new space for the university. Rather than demolishing the building and starting from scratch, St. Edward’s decided to take a green approach:
- Most of the shell and interior walls are reused, saving resources and cutting down on waste in the landfill.
- A white roof reflects heat away from the building, reducing energy consumption.
- Construction waste such as steel, copper, aluminum, brick and concrete are recycled through salvage yards, keeping waste out of the landfills.
- New double-pane, “low -emissivity” tinted windows help control heat transfer and save energy.
- Existing trees are kept in place alongside hardy plants that need little water. Recycled materials such as decomposed granite and hardwood mulch are used in the landscaping.
- New roof insulation helps conserve interior heating and cooling, saving energy.
- New two-story addition uses less land area, leaving more natural landscape free to absorb rain and support plants.
- Energy-efficient lighting, heating, ventilation and cooling are used throughout. Smart sensors turn off lights automatically when people have left the building.
- Low-toxin paint, sealants and adhesives are used throughout the renovation.
- Sun-shade panels shield windows and a new outdoor walkway from the Texas sun.
The renovated building now contains the School of Behavioral and Social Sciences, the Offices of Human Resources, Auxiliary Services, as well as three new classrooms. An addition was included in the project which brings Doyle Hall closer to Premont Hall and in doing so allowed the school to incorporate a shaded gravel court for dining and studying.[3]
[1]Metropolis, March 2010
[2]St. Edward’s University
[3]St. Edward’s University
Images courtesy of Specht Harpman.
Tyler Adopts Existing Building Code
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Tyler Adopts Existing Building CodeLocation:
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The City of Tyler, Texas, adopted new a new code that will help to encourage the reuse of older existing buildings. By approving the International Existing Building Code, the City is providing property owners who possess an older existing building to utilize this new code rather than codes written for new construction. While the IEBC still requires that buildings meet safety standards, the code provides a different method to achieve safety points. A special task force arraigned by the City examined the potential code and ultimately recommended that the City adopt it. Tyler hopes to see the majority of impact in its downtown where there are a number of historic and older buildings. Reuse of the buildings will be less cost-prohibitive while still providing safety as well as revitalizing the downtown.
Abandoned Site In Leander Gets New Lease On Life
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Abandoned Site In Leander Gets New Lease On LifeLocation:
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An 80,000 sf whirlpool factory in Leander, Texas, is undergoing a major transformation. When Aquatics Industries Inc. shut down in 2009, the city lost 101 jobs and gained a vast abandoned lot. The $5 million project to adapt the factory hopes to revitalize and renew the site while at the same time bring back lost jobs. Once completed, the mixed-use building will be home to a community theatre, a private elementary and middle school, and retail and office tenants. The metal buildings, dating back to Aquatics founding in 1983, are part of the first phase of the project and will become the retail/office component. Way Off Broadway Community Players has signed a 10-year lease to take 10,000 sf in the adapted space. This cultural piece will be joined by Sterling Classical School who will add an educational aspect to the mixed use project. The renovated site should have a bright future thanks to its ability to adapt, low rent, and various uses.
Revitalization Workshop To Be Presented
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Revitalization Workshop To Be PresentedLocation:
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The Downtown Wichita Falls Development and the Small Business Development Center in Wichita Falls, Texas, is hosting a Revitalization/Preservation workshop on Friday, Feb. 26. The presenters will be Kate Singleton and Tony Eeds, principals of CRS (Community Revitalization Strategies) Group of Dallas Texas who will lead a discussion on how the area residents, professionals, and officials can reuse the current vacant inventory of buildings.
Deadhorse Honored for Enlivening Vacant Space
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Deadhorse Honored for Enlivening Vacant SpaceLocation:
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The Deadhorse nightclub in San Angelo, Texas, was recently awarded the “Adaptive Reuse of the Year” Development Award by the city. The club revamped the building next to its original space, allowing it to nearly quadruple its capacity. The award “is geared toward reducing urban sprawl caused by the abandonment of older buildings.” (This may have been misinterpreted by the journalist – urban sprawl creates abandoned older buildings, its not caused by the vacancy.) The Development Awards are a way for the city to “recognize people who have been proactive in beautifying the community through architecture, landscaping, and planning.”
Aloft Debuts Adaptive Reuse
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Aloft Debuts Adaptive ReuseLocation:
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The Starwood specialty select brand, Aloft, has opened its first adaptive reuse hotel in Dallas. The company’s philosophy is to provide hotel rooms and guest common spaces with high ceilings and lots of light. The adaptive reuse of old commercial and industrial spaces fits right in with their philosophy. The company has shifted to focusing their new hotels on adaptive reuse projects, as a way to gain new market share in downtown districts that do not have the available land for new building construction. While the company admits the move into adaptive reuse is opportunistic due to the economic and sustainability focuses lately, this venture was in the business plan.