Bywater Art Lofts
Project Information
- Owner HRI Properties
- Design Rozas-Ward Architects
- Size 40,000 Square Feet
- Budget $6,600,000
- Completion December 2008
In the News
- Blue Plate to Be Converted into Artist’s Lofts
7 Apr 2011 - Bywater Art Lofts II is Underway
9 May 2011
A former garment factory in the Bywater neighborhood was converted by the team at Woodward Design+Build into 37 affordable apartments and marketed to working artists of all disciplines. The interior of the building was completely gutted and built back to new floor plans consisting of 31 one bedroom apartments, 6 two bedroom apartments, a leasing office, and a community area. The building was designed to incorporate an industrial element, as illustrated by the apartment’s exposed ceilings and ductwork, sealed concrete floors, and brick walls. The conditioned community area, located in the center of the building, was designed as a place for artists to work and to display their art. It, too, incorporated the structure of the building to provide the unique look of the project.
The historic restoration of this project was carefully monitored by the National Park Service. The exterior restoration included reuse and replacement of steel windows to match the existing steel windows on the building, restoration of the brick and metal facades, installation of new apartment storefront within existing openings, and new landscaping. New sidewalks and parking lots were installed to accommodate the tenants. The unique feature of the parking lots was the inclusion of salvaged fans from the old warehouse into the new CMU fence surrounding the lots.
The project was awarded a South Central Construction Best of 2009 Award of Merit in Architecture and the Award for Best Renovation.
