Adaptive Reuse
Since 2008 Birmingham, AL has seen unprecedented growth, a development renaissance. Whereas many southern cities saw urban renewal decimate the existing building stock, Birmingham surprisingly did not suffer the consequences of urban renewal at the same rate. As a result, our existing turn of the century building stock is robust and useful. At a time when the building industry is responsible for most of the world's refuse, and new construction doesn’t always support the urban scale and proportion of our city and its streets, the argument for reuse makes good sense philosophically and financially.
We have a significant desire to foster the design and development of these existing buildings to support the character and quality of our city. We have documented and completed projects receiving Historic Tax Credit approval at the State and Federal levels while providing due diligence services to support a variety of programs from restaurant to mixed-use. Poole and Company has the unique experience and skills to design Adaptive Reuse projects requiring an understanding of existing buildings and their innate architectural, infrastructural, and jurisdictional and code compliance challenges.
Featured Projects
2121 Building Renovations
As the 2121 Building’s envelope and systems began to show signs of significant aging, the county engaged Poole & Company to assess the building. Ultimately, following a Poole & Company assessment, the County opted to completely restore the ‘60s-era building and began a multi-phased renovation and restoration. The first phase was a core replacement, the second phase was a roof replaement, the third phase was an exterior seal, and the fourth phase is an ongoing 95-spot parking deck renovation. The building remained fully occupied during mechanical and electrical replacements, lobby and common area renovations, upgrades to comply with high-rise code requirements, and the complete renovation of the building’s envelope.
Skin Wellness Dermatology
Our team worked closely with the clinic’s owner to determine preferred layouts, features, and finishes of his other locations to incorporate into the new tenant space. The new clinic is part of a retail shopping center converted into a medical service center including allergists, orthodontists, physical therapists, and imaging. The resulting 4,200 SF dermatologist space includes a sleek and bright lobby/reception area with custom lighted product display cabinets, behind which sits a well-organized configuration of exam rooms, lab, and practice pods to create an efficient workflow.
Serra Hyundai
The Serra team asked Poole & Company to help update their aging existing facility to align with the latest Hyundai branding initiatives for aesthetics, flow, and quality. Our process allowed us to reconcile sometimes conflicting requirements with the local owner and corporate management while creating a coherent, affordable solution. The existing, lean structure posed several challenges to the program and aesthetic, but the new metal and glass exterior and open showroom/office provide a welcoming presence for customers and a beautiful, efficient workplace for staff.
