Our task was to simplify the scope and reduce costs, while improving the building’s appearance, accessibility, and desirability for a future tenant.
Our client purchased this early 1900’s concrete-and-timber building from a group who had designed and permitted a complete shell and core remodel with office improvements. That group then walked away from the project before construction could begin, based on the prohibitively high costs of the designed work. Our task was to simplify the scope and reduce costs, while improving the building’s appearance, accessibility, and desirability for a future tenant.
By meeting with the city early in the process, we were able to negotiate a reduced scope for the seismic retrofit work, saving a considerable amount of resources. We coordinated a greatly simplified structural design with the engineer and coordinated the addition of a parking level in the basement, a new elevator, and large rooftop deck. The interior was stripped back to the original heavy timber and concrete finishes, with new core containing bathrooms, elevator and storage for a future tenant improvement.
As with any remodel / rehabilitation, extending the building’s life is in many ways the “greenest” thing one can do.
Other conservation strategies include:
