Glumac’s team completed a feasibility study for an adaptive reuse of the existing 14-story office tower. With approximately 130,000 sf, the building was originally built in 1975. With a growing interest in converting office buildings to residential apartments, Glumac’s team was tasked with providing a review of the existing MEP systems and proposed systems for the conversion. The goal would be to fully convert the tower and provide approximately 202 residential units. The project includes a free-standing parking garage to the south, with plans to add a 4-story residential building with approximately 70 units above the existing garage.

This effort included reviewing changes needed to meet building codes, a review of what systems could be repurposed, and which would need to be replaced with new. With a focus on the facade, HVAC, electrical, plumbing, and fire and life-safety systems. Glumac’s Building Sciences Group also provided an energy, thermal comfort, and Title 24 energy code analysis on the existing
facade and potential design options of reskinning the building. This study assessed multiple facade options with varying glazing percentage, performance, and shade strategies.

In assessing the electrical infrastructure, it was found that the existing utility service size can accommodate the newly visioned program, but the majority was at the end of its useful life. Glumac recommended a complete removal of the system with a new system being a part of the renovation.

As with the electrical infrastructure, office to residential conversions require special considerations for MEP systems serving residential buildings. This includes rerouting to move HVAC and plumbing from centralized infrastructure that may only service one whole floor, to being divided up to service individual apartments within a floor.

Size: 130,000 sf
Start/End date: March 2023 / March 2024
Architect: Studio One Eleven
Owner: Palisades Capital Partners
Services: Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing, Energy, Thermal Comfort