flexiblefullpage
billboard
interstitial1
catfish1
Currently Reading

11 Tips for Breathing New Life into Old Office Spaces

11 Tips for Breathing New Life into Old Office Spaces

With the slowdown in new office building construction across the country, many design and construction firms are turning their attention to office building reconstruction and interior renovations—something Cincinnati-based Hixson Architecture Engineering Interiors has been doing since its founding, in 1948.


By By Robert Cassidy, Editorial Director | November 2, 2010
This article first appeared in the November 2010 issue of BD+C.

Building Design+Construction talked to experts from Hixson Architecture Engineering Interiors for their advice on renovating whole office buildings and office interiors: Colleen McCafferty, LEED AP, Corporate Interiors Team Leader; Bruce F. Mirrielees, AIA, SVP of Project Management; and John Hudson, Director of Client Development. Here are 11 lessons from their experience that may help you in planning your clients’ next office renovation projects.

11 Tips for Office Renovation Success

1. Ask the hard bottom-line questions first.

2. Take a realistic look at the surrounding neighborhood.

3. Look for local or regional economic incentives.

4. Develop an exit strategy for the property.

5. Create a communication plan for the current occupants.

6. Capitalize on the building’s strengths.

7. Determine what features can and should be saved.

8. Enhance the property’s curb appeal and interior finishes.

9. Have a clear picture of who the potential tenants might be, and design for their needs.

10. Don’t try to do everything at once. 

11. Make sustainability part of the process.

View all 11 tips on one page.

Related Stories

| Dec 19, 2011

Survey: Job growth driving demand for office and industrial real estate in Southern California

Annual USC Lusk Center for Real Estate forecast reveals signs of slow market recovery.

| Dec 16, 2011

Goody Clancy-designed Informatics Building dedicated at Northern Kentucky University

The sustainable building solution, built for approximately $255-sf, features innovative materials and intelligent building systems that align with the mission of integration and collaboration. 

| Dec 16, 2011

Stalco Construction converts Babylon, N.Y. Town Hall into history museum

The project converted the landmark structure listed on the National Register of Historic Places into the Town of Babylon History Museum at Old Town Hall.

| Dec 14, 2011

Belfer Research Building tops out in New York

Hundreds of construction trades people celebrate reaching the top of concrete structure for facility that will accelerate treatments and cures at world-renowned institution.

| Dec 14, 2011

Tyler Junior College and Sika Sarnafil team up to save energy

Tyler Junior College wanted a roofing system that wouldn’t need any attention for a long time.

| Dec 13, 2011

Lutron’s Commercial Experience Center awarded LEED Gold

LEED certification of the Lutron facility was based on a number of green design and construction features that positively impact the project itself and the broader community. These features include: optimization of energy performance through the use of lighting power, lighting controls and HVAC, plus the use of daylight.

| Dec 12, 2011

AIA Chicago announces Skidmore, Owings & Merrill as 2011 Firm of the Year

SOM has been a leader in the research and development of specialized technologies, new processes and innovative ideas, many of which have had a palpable and lasting impact on the design profession and the physical environment. 

| Dec 12, 2011

Skanska to expand and renovate hospital in Georgia for $103 Million

The expansion includes a four-story, 17,500 square meters clinical services building and a five-story, 15,700 square meters, medical office building. Skanska will also renovate the main hospital.

boombox1
boombox2
native1

More In Category


Urban Planning

Bridging the gap: How early architect involvement can revolutionize a city’s capital improvement plans

Capital Improvement Plans (CIPs) typically span three to five years and outline future city projects and their costs. While they set the stage, the design and construction of these projects often extend beyond the CIP window, leading to a disconnect between the initial budget and evolving project scope. This can result in financial shortfalls, forcing cities to cut back on critical project features.



Libraries

Reasons to reinvent the Midcentury academic library

DLR Group's Interior Design Leader Gretchen Holy, Assoc. IIDA, shares the idea that a designer's responsibility to embrace a library’s history, respect its past, and create an environment that will serve student populations for the next 100 years.

halfpage1

Most Popular Content

  1. 2021 Giants 400 Report
  2. Top 150 Architecture Firms for 2019
  3. 13 projects that represent the future of affordable housing
  4. Sagrada Familia completion date pushed back due to coronavirus
  5. Top 160 Architecture Firms 2021

Â