Our client wanted to stay true to the history of the building while creating a place that invited in community. This retail renovation added walls within an existing facility to create a hometown coffee shop where residents feel at welcome. Our first task was to do a code analysis and space planning for the existing building and tenants. We sought to optimize the existing spaces, allowing all current tenants to stay in the building while carving out a corner for this new coffee shop. We worked through the building code challenges and came up with solutions that actually added retail space while also allowing for the addition of the coffee shop. The interiors combine new materials and found antiques to give the space authenticity and make it feel as if it has always been there.

Riddleberger Brothers is one of the premier mechanical contractors in the valley. They have grown to over 500 employees and offer design/build hvac, building automation and controls, and industrial piping. The project we were invited to help with included adding office space and a training room large enough for their growing team. We documented existing conditions and evaluated options while maintaining egress requirements to protect the health, safety, and welfare of those working at their headquarters. The addition added over 7,500 sf of new space including 20+ offices, a training room, additional restrooms, and a breakroom. The addition is a slab on grade facility with metal frame and open web bar joists. We are thrilled to hear the space is often utilized for employee training and engagement which is vital to their company mission. 

In 1997, we were approached to design a shopping center along an entrance corridor to Charlottesville. Because the location is a gateway to the city, we wanted to relate the design to some of the historic structures in the area, while giving the design a contemporary update so that it was suited for a wide variety of service and retail tenants. To address visibility from both streets while still inviting pedestrian traffic, we designed the shopping center with a curved corner. The intricate brick detailing speaks to some of the historic structures in the area, while the bold blue steel between the columns integrates the development colors and gives the building a unique contemporary look. When developing the outparcel in 2013, we were asked to come back to the site to design the stand-alone building for Goodwill. We pulled in many of the same brick detailing so the shopping center achieves a cohesive look.