New Life for Old Structures: Adaptive Reuse

NEW LIFE FOR OLD STRUCTURES:

ADAPTIVEREUSE

BEFORE

PENDER COUNTY HAMPSTEAD ANNEX WILMINGTON, NC This project transformed an iconic 1924 high school into an active hub for community activity. The stately two-story brick building, designed with natural light and ventilation in mind, now houses county departments such as Health and Human Services, Planning, Community Development, Permitting and Inspections, Veteran’s Services, Parks and Rec, and the Sheriff’s Department.

The prominent centralized location offers better community access and opportunities for interdepartmental collaboration. The project also restored a 236-seat auditorium and stage, which will serve as a multipurpose space for civic meetings, performances, and event.

BEFORE

OAK CITY OUTREACH RALEIGH, NC The new home for Oak City Outreach, a multi-service center providing core aid services including housing referral, mental health services, and coordinated intake services to the city’s homeless population, provides a safe environment with centralized pedestrian access.

The design converts an existing 1950’s warehouse into a welcoming and secure facility. A new envelope provides a greater sense of transparency, and the design addresses upgrades to structure, site grading and flood-resistant detailing. The facility is managed in a unique partnership between Wake County, the City of Raleigh, and Catholic Charities to serve the needs of a vulnerable population.

BEFORE

ELEVATION CHURCH AT LAKE NORMAN CORNELIUS, NC This new 41,600 SF church transformed a former cineplex in Cornelius, NC into a state-of-the-art worship center for its growing congregation. As the anchor tenant for this revitalized development, the design re-energizes an underutilized facility, providing community space to engage the Cornelius and wider Lake Norman community.

The new church features a 1,200 seat auditorium with integrated audio/visual technology, and two 150 seat Children’s Theaters. The auditorium is the largest of its kind in the area, and is available for community use outside of worship services.

BEFORE

ATHENS CHURCH ATHENS, GA This 1,200 seat worship center provided a permanent space for a young, steadily growing congregation. In the spirit of environmental stewardship, the church reclaimed an abandoned “big box” store and retrofitted it for the church campus. LS3P designed a master plan for the 108,000 SF facility, as well as the 48,000 SF first phase of construction.

A central gathering area serves as the building’s hub and provides access to children’s and youth ministry spaces. Each ministry space features a large group meeting area with break-out rooms, while the youth area includes a gaming and lounge pre-function space for informal interaction.

BEFORE

NEWBERRY COUNTY CENTER AT PIEDMONT TECHNICAL COLLEGE NEWBERRY, SC This design converted an existing Walmart into a state-of-the-art higher education facility. Part of a larger urban renewal effort, the project expands the college’s continuing education programs. The renovated facility creates a collegiate look and feel and serves students, educators and the wider community. The program features a community auditorium, patient care and training centers, flexible industrial arts workshops, a veterinarian technician wing, library, and testing center in a space which encourages collaborative learning.

The LEED certified building incorporates daylighting, high-efficiency heating and cooling systems, and a site design which reduces the heat island effect with green spaces.

BEFORE

HEALTH SCIENCE BUILDING AT CENTRAL CAROLINA TECHNICAL COLLEGE SUMTER, SC This project entails the complete renovation of an existing +/69,000 SF structure into the health-education facility for Central Carolina Technical College. The program includes a 9-station patient simulation lab, 10-bed associate degree nursing lab, a 5-bed licensed practical nurse lab, and a 9-station massage therapy lab. The allied health program is further complimented by a medical-assistant office and practice labs, phlebotomy medical and blood draw labs, and a surgical-technician suite with two mock operating rooms, and sterile processing lab area. Medical gases, patient headwalls, medical equipment, lighting, and communications will be integrated to provide a healthcare setting for training the students.

MUSEUM OF ART AT SAVANNAH COLLEGE OF ART & DESIGN SAVANNAH, GA The SCAD Museum of Art rests on a historic abandoned railroad complex. The project restored the historic warehouse, infilling a glass and concrete structure to create a museum and classroom building which has become an anchor building for the campus.

The museum, a vibrant center for university activities, boasts a glasswalled art gallery where there were once railroad tracks. The design culminates in an 86’ steel and glass lantern over the atrium which serves as a beacon in Savannah skyline. The program includes an auditorium, galleries, classrooms, and art curation and restoration space. The design won an AIA Institute Honor Award for Architecture in 2014.

BEFORE

DUKE INSTITUTE FOR BRAIN SCIENCES AT DUKE UNIVERSITY DURHAM, NC This project transformed 11,000 SF of abandoned basement mechanical into a light filled, creative, and collaborative work space for the Duke Institute for Brain Sciences. The interior draws upon the industrial character of the former chiller space, while a glass entry pavilion at the plaza level reflects the more refined campus setting and lets natural light into the renovated space.

Additional glass skylights at the plaza level allow additional filtered light in to the space below. At night, the entry pavilion and skylights illuminate the plaza and the main pedestrian path to the building.

BEFORE

ADVANCED MANUFACTURING TRAINING CENTER AT CCTC SUMTER, SC The original structure featured expansive high-bay space but offered little visual or spatial definition. A weathering steel and corrugated metal exterior, galvanized steel canopy, and edgy balance of sleek and gritty materials integrate with exposed structure to create a contemporary workplace vibe. Large curtainwall inserts and skylights bring natural light deep into the interior, while punches of color and whimsical wallcoverings add visual interest to the space. Custom furnishings made from reclaimed docks and barns, refurbished white metal lamps, and artwork tailored to the space all contribute to the company’s unique energy.

BEFORE

COMPLEX FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AT TRIDENT TECHNICAL COLLEGE NORTH CHARLESTON, SC This adaptive reuse of an existing warehouse created leadingedge training facilities for Trident Technical College’s Culinary, Hospitality, and Tourism department. Program spaces include production, catering, baking, teaching, and demonstration kitchens; a housekeeping lab and mock hotel room; a 15,000 SF multipurpose room with a pre-function area; and administrative offices. A teaching dining room and restaurant offer a contemporary learning environment for skills training, and have become a popular place for students and faculty to dine. Additional educational spaces support the school’s Information Technology and Electro-Mechanical Skills departments.

BEFORE

HUSK SAVANNAH, GA This historic preservation of a blighted, fire-damaged structure transformed the former residence and Elks Lodge into the newest iteration of internationally recognized restaurant Husk. The original building, vacant and open to the elements for years, was so decayed that it was featured on ghost tours. The project restored the main building, reconstructed a side porch and historic facades, restored multiple fireplaces and a grand staircase with pillars, and upfitted the interior for accessibility and for modern restaurant use. The new space not only restores the structure to its former charm, but also secures it for a vibrant new chapter.

BEFORE

ARTILLERY SAVANNAH, GA Artillery Bar’s historic Venetian Gothic storefront dates back to 1896, when the building served as an armory for the Georgia Hussars. The building spent years as a car dealership and then as a tchotchke shop before its most recent incarnation as an upscale cocktail bar. The new design pays homage to the building’s past while incorporating the owner’s polished contemporary style.

The renovation exposed existing interior brick walls which, with the addition of steel frame windows and doors, now enclose the wine cellar. Interior arches create an expansive yet intimate space with rich finishes such as the marble bar, historic dark woodwork, and herringbone tile ceiling.

BEFORE

THE PUBLIC SAVANNAH, GA The Public Kitchen and Bar, a contemporary restaurant concept, reimagined a 1888-era structure occupying a prominent but dilapidated downtown Savannah location. The design reclaimed an underutilized retail space with an eroded corner presence, restoring the storefront with sturdy granite base, rhythmic awnings, generous windows, and warm mahogany woodwork. The compact 2,187 SF footprint accommodates a full kitchen at the rear, with patron space extending to the sidewalk and rooftop dining area. A sweeping arched mahogany soffit over the bar creates an intimate scale while concealing mechanical systems. Sleek finishes blend modern function with a timeless aesthetic.

BEFORE

COTTON SAIL HOTEL SAVANNAH, GA This historic preservation and renovation of an antebellum cotton warehouse transformed a massive five-story structure spanning Savannah’s Factor’s Walk into a charming high-end hotel. The original construction included angled walls which likely took advantage of specific light conditions; this historic novelty contributed to major structural issues which required extensive stabilization and repair.

The new design integrates modern finishes with original exposed brick, and reclaims 200 year old heart pine roof beams as guest room floors. A new roof monitor references the building’s industrial past while incorporating a distinctive architectural element that respects the scale and texture of the original construction.

BEFORE

VERNON MALONE COLLEGE & CAREER ACADEMY RALEIGH, NC This renovation of an old Coke Bottling Plant transformed a vacant space into a state-of-the-art facility for career and technology programs, offering a new model of education to area high school students. The design provides space for career programs such as culinary arts, electrical systems engineering, biopharmaceutical technology, health sciences, cosmetology, and business information technology. Support spaces include administrative offices, classrooms, labs, and a student commons area.

The program is centered around a dynamic bright orange wall that slices through the original building, adding a sense of vitality and movement beneath the new light wells which fill the space with daylight.

BEFORE

MOVEMENT CHARTER SCHOOL CHARLOTTE, NC Once a big-box anchor store, this high-performance charter school for grades K-2 transformed a vacant retail space into a joyful, engaging learning environment. To help manage renovation costs, the design reused the existing building and covered walkway structure, and brought consistency to the clean lines and modern concept through exterior recladding. Bold geometry brings energy and flow to the corridors. Skylights and circular glass windows allow natural light into the classrooms, and link the energetic environment of the classroom with the active corridors. The program includes classrooms, auditorium/gymnasium, media center, library, cafeteria, conference rooms, and administrative offices.

BEFORE

BOOMTOWN CHARLESTON, SC This dynamic new headquarters for Boomtown, a fast-growing real estate software company, anchors the mixed-use Pacific Box and Crate development. The 10-acre, formerly industrial site housed a fertilizer company and a box and crate company; the design pays homage to the area’s gritty history.

Boomtown occupies 50,000 SF of an existing 80,000 SF warehouse.

The structure was solid, with high-bay space and huge potential; strategic interventions transformed the drab yellow brick building into a thriving contemporary workplace. Designers wrapped portions of the warehouse with two-story office space, and clad other portions of the façade with weathering steel. The rusted patina offsets the high-tech interior vibe.

BEFORE

MONTEITH BUILDING RENOVATION WILMINGTON, NC This adaptive reuse project for Monteith, the first LEED Gold building in New Hanover County, created one of the most environmentally conscious and energy-efficient buildings in Wilmington. Located in the 1941 L. Shrier’s building, the contemporary workspace features custom modern furnishings of maple and steel set against the rich fabric of historic brick. Bold splashes of red accent the three-story space, while industrial pendant lighting on each floor complements both original and contemporary architectural details. Hand-stamped metal ceiling tiles line the main lobby of the building, recalling a bygone era.

BEFORE

LE CREUSET HEADQUARTERS CHARLESTON, SC The North American Headquarters Building for Le Creuset, an international cookware company, transformed a dilapidated seafood restaurant into a world-class workplace to house growing staff and showcase the client’s brand. The sleek, contemporary, brightlycolored products inspired the design.

The rotted existing structure exhausted the majority of the project budget, leaving a fraction of the original budget for interiors. With the beautiful marshlands providing the backdrop, the economical and beautiful design not only highlights the client’s product but also celebrates the surrounding environment. Spaces include open and enclosed offices, conference facilities, teaching/demonstration kitchen, fitness center for staff, and outdoor event space.

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