Green & Design - July/August 2009 - (Page 41)

tures like this one, so they might as well get them converted.” However, keeping the old grain elevator intact was eventually rewarding from many standpoints, among them the Once rezoning was complete, Turner and green building angle. “The fact that we Pfaeffle had to deal with myriad physical saved an old historic structure within an constraints associated with the industrial existing city infrastructure meant no new site. A crucial obstacle was taking down roads, sewers or sidewalks were added,” most of the approximately 160 old grain Turner says. He notes that adaptive reuse silos that stood adjacent to the elevator projects are often greener than the so that a parking garage could be congreenest of completely new projects structed, while leaving about 18 silos to because reusing an existing building is serve as corner bookends for the garage inherently more environmentally friendly. and its wrap-around enclosure. It wasn’t just the structural grid that was “You’re strategically removing silos that retained. Under the lobby sits a lower are about 16 ft. in diameter and stand in level referred to as The Catacombs, rows, by means of a very surgical demoliwhich was converted into a high-tech tion,” Turner explains. “In addition, health club with billiards and games, because grain dust is highly explosive, conference rooms, wine-tasting rooms, grain elevators are built to withstand and lounges. explosion.” While involved in the process of delicately razing some silos and allow- The lobby features 28-ft.-high ceilings and ing others to remain standing, “we had a “mushroom columns” that are octagonal number of flash explosions and fires.” at the base and spread much wider at the ceiling. In addition, Silo Point offers an Also daunting was the challenge of retroupscale fine-dining restaurant, wine bar, fitting a building designed for a very disgourmet-style deli grocery store, a spa, tinctive industrial purpose into something and a hair studio. livable and accommodating, Turner says. On the 19th floor, a 2,200-sq.-ft. Sky The atypical 16-ft. by16-ft. structural grid Lounge is equipped with two warming was kept and the existing footings, founkitchens for events as well as lounge dations, and pile caps were retained for areas, flat-screen TVs, fireplaces, and economic and aesthetic purposes and iPod stations. to maintain the structure’s integrity. But aligning the garage levels and other floor Of course, the development’s heart is its levels in the new building with the old residential core. Silo Point’s units are nickproved a major headache. named “bins”—a nod to the bins that July/August 2009 | www.greenanddesign.com 41 http://www.greenanddesign.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Green & Design - July/August 2009

Green & Design - July/August 2009
Contents
Editorial
Is Carbon Neutral Possible?
Products
Growing Green
Firmly Planted
The Energizer Effect
Natural Wonders
Above the Fray
Northern Exposure
Industrial Chic
Walking the Walk
Green Building Goes Global
Here Come the Lawyers
Do You Have to be LEED to be Green?
Ad Index

Green & Design - July/August 2009

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