River Market Adaptive Reuse

The Challenge

What Made This Project Difficult

The building had 24-inch brick bearing walls, no windows on two elevations, and floor-to-floor heights that varied from 11 to 16 feet. Historic tax credit review required preserving the original timber columns and the exterior brick, and the client needed leasable retail space at grade with offices above.

Our Approach

How Mavrix Solved It

Our design team developed a scheme that preserved all original timber columns in place while adding a new steel moment frame to resist lateral loads, which allowed us to cut two large window openings into the previously blank elevations without compromising the brick. Ground-floor retail was designed with storefront glazing and a separate utility metering point, and the upper floors received new MEP systems routed through existing chases.

Outcomes

• Historic tax credits approved, covering 20 percent of eligible costs
• All original timber columns preserved and exposed in finished space
• Retail space leased before certificate of occupancy was issued
• Design-build delivery saved an estimated nine weeks versus design-bid-build