Built in 1963, the 32,000-sf 200 Fillmore building in Denver housed office and retail in a drab, outdated, and energy-splurging shell—a “style” made doubly disastrous by 200 Fillmore's function as the backdrop for a popular public plaza and outdoor café called “The Beach.”
In 2005, the owner, Western Development Group, determined to pluck 200 Fillmore out from its Class C office space doldrums. To do that, a Building Team headed by the Denver office of Chicago firm 4240 Architecture came up with three goals: maximize the leasable area, improve the building's energy usage, and enhance the appearance of The Beach.
The team ran head-on into problems. First, they discovered the building already exceeded zoning limits on area, so any expansion had to stay within the building's original footprint. Their best option for expansion, then, lay in the cantilevered concrete slab that extended around the outside as part of the original façade. Field tests showed the slab could support a new exterior wall, but only one weighing less than 10 pounds per face square foot. The solution: A terra cotta rainscreen system that gave the building an inviting appearance at a low weight.
This part of the project required better-than-average organizational skills. The terra cotta tiles were not flat, nor did they have clean, straight edges. To make sure the rainscreen was installed with a 3/16-in. joint throughout, the team experimented with a full-size mockup. All this was going on even as ground-floor retail was open and the upper three floors were gutted.
Bumping up the building's energy efficiency led the Building Team to, of all places, the restrooms, which had claustrophobically low seven-foot ceilings that were constrained by undersized air handler units stored in the space above. The team junked those floor-based units in favor of one large roof unit that served the whole building. The result was not only a more efficient HVAC system, but also a person-friendly restroom design—with ceiling heights raised to eight feet.
Improvements to The Beach include tall grasses and seasonal flower landscaping that wrap around the retail and plaza edge. A new wood and steel entry canopy complements the terra cotta rainscreen and steel window treatments, while simultaneously connecting the lobby and outdoors and reducing the building's scale.
All these changes resulted in a radically different building—both inside and out. Gone is the '60s-era façade with its set-back windows framed by a mesh grille and crossed by vertical support bars. In its place are new flush windows on the second and third floors, and a balcony on the fourth floor, which is now residential space for the building's owner. Horizontal trim at the tops of the windows mimic the balcony's railing system.
The Building Team was able to accomplish this complete overhaul—from original design to completed construction—in 12 months. Although the project went $300,000 (7.5%) over the original $4 million budget, the overrun was negated by the fact that the new 200 Fillmore was fully leased on opening day.
Related Stories
Office Buildings | Jul 19, 2022
Austin adaptive reuse project transforms warehouse site into indoor-outdoor creative office building
Fifth and Tillery, an adaptive reuse project, has revitalized a post-industrial site in East Austin, Texas.
Office Buildings | Jul 12, 2022
Miami office tower nears completion, topping off at 55 stories
In Miami, construction of OKO Group and Cain International’s 830 Brickell office tower is nearing completion.
AEC Business Innovation | Jun 15, 2022
Cognitive health takes center stage in the AEC industry
Two prominent architecture firms are looking to build on the industry’s knowledge base on design’s impact on building occupant health and performance with new research efforts.
Sustainable Design and Construction | Jun 14, 2022
For its new office, a farm in California considers four sustainable design options, driven by data
The architect used cove.tool’s performance measurement software to make its case.
Office Buildings | Jun 13, 2022
San Antonio’s electric utility HQ to transform into a modern office building
In San Antonio, Tex., the former headquarters of CPS Energy, the city’s electric utility, is slated to transform into 100,000 square feet of office and retail space on San Antonio’s famed River Walk.
Office Buildings | Jun 8, 2022
Former L.A. Times newsroom/printing plant remade into office campus
Phase 1 of The Press, an adaptive reuse project that is converting an old Los Angeles Times facility into a modern office campus, was recently completed in Costa Mesa, Calif.
Office Buildings | May 19, 2022
JLL releases its 2022 Office Fit Out Guide
JLL’s 2022 Office Fit Out Guide report provides benchmark costs to build out a range of office types across major markets in the United States and Canada.
Headquarters | May 10, 2022
JPMorgan Chase’s new all-electric headquarters to have net-zero operational emissions
JPMorgan Chase’s recently unveiled plans for its new global headquarters building in New York City that is rife with impressive sustainability credentials.
Building Team | May 6, 2022
Atlanta’s largest adaptive reuse project features cross laminated timber
Global real estate investment and management firm Jamestown recently started construction on more than 700,000 sf of new live, work, and shop space at Ponce City Market.
Office Buildings | Apr 28, 2022
A 48-story office tower to rise over boomtown Austin
In downtown Austin, Texas, a planned 48-story office tower, The Republic, recently secured its first major tenant—allowing for the groundbreaking by midyear.
