Chicago-based Omega Yeast, the largest supplier of brewer’s yeast in the U.S., has recently moved to its new 13,800-sf production facilities after the company outgrew its former space.
The company purchased an existing building a block away from the original space, but during the renovation, Omega Yeast realized it was already outpacing this new space as well. The company then purchased the lots behind the Phase 1 building to further expand the operations across the alley and to build a new building tailored to the unique business needs.
Because it is located in a residential area, the loud production facilities were pushed to the back of the building while the quieter lab spaces, offices, and the break room were moved toward the residential street front. Lab spaces on the second floor have wrap-around windows that are elevated to face the Metra platform on the east side.
Adjacent to the eastern wall are large silos for spent grain and dry grain, one of which is painted in brand colors. By the alley on the north side, a small patio faces a large glazed opening that exposes the brewing facilities.
The company’s recent rebrand informed the look of the building with white brick, black and white corrugated metal, warm wood finishes, and “Omega Yeast Blue” highlighting the design.
The build team included Valerio Dewalt Train (architect), J.T. Magen & Company (general contractor), Calor Design Group (civil, fire protection, and MEP), and Klein & Hoffman (structural engineer).
Related Stories
Contractors | Feb 6, 2015
Census Bureau: Capital spending by U.S. businesses increased 4.5%
Of the 19 industry sectors covered in the report, only one had a statistically significant year-to-year decrease in capital spending: the utilities sector.
Public Health Labs | Jan 29, 2015
Breaking out of the box: Pirbright Institute’s radical approach to biocontainment facility design
The novel scheme turns the typical containment lab building inside out, placing the high-containment spaces at the perimeter to provide researchers with daylight and views.
| Jan 21, 2015
Tesla Motors starts construction on $5 billion battery plant in Nevada
Tesla Motors’ “gigafactory,” a $5 billion project on 980 acres in Sparks, Nev., could annually produce enough power for 500,000 electric cars.
| Jan 2, 2015
Construction put in place enjoyed healthy gains in 2014
Construction consultant FMI foresees—with some caveats—continuing growth in the office, lodging, and manufacturing sectors. But funding uncertainties raise red flags in education and healthcare.
| Dec 29, 2014
'Russian nesting doll' design provides unique fire protection solution for movie negatives
A major movie studio needed a new vault to protect its irreplaceable negatives for films released after 1982. SmithGroupJJR came up with a box-in-a-box design solution. It was named a Great Solution by the editors of Building Design+Construction.
| Dec 28, 2014
Robots, drones, and printed buildings: The promise of automated construction
Building Teams across the globe are employing advanced robotics to simplify what is inherently a complex, messy process—construction.
| Dec 28, 2014
AIA course: Enhancing interior comfort while improving overall building efficacy
Providing more comfortable conditions to building occupants has become a top priority in today’s interior designs. This course is worth 1.0 AIA LU/HSW.
| Dec 2, 2014
Nonresidential construction spending rebounds in October
This month's increase in nonresidential construction spending is far more consistent with the anecdotal information floating around the industry, says ABC's Chief Economist Anirban Basu.
Sponsored | | Nov 6, 2014
Drilling deeper: On the ground insights from the Marcellus Shale region
The Marcellus Shale region is expansive, stretching from upstate New York through Pennsylvania to West Virginia. It’s an exciting time to live and work in the area. SPONSORED CONTENT
| Oct 27, 2014
Davis, Calif., latest city to join race to develop 'innovation hubs'
The city plans to develop two "innovation centers" with a total of seven million sf of commercial space geared for local research and technology companies.
