Today, The Assembly is a state-of-the-art life sciences research and innovation facility. But the century-old building began as a Model-T assembly line and showroom for the Ford Motor Company in the Bloomfield neighborhood of Pittsburgh.
Developed by Wexford Science & Technology, The Assembly opened earlier this year and more recently achieved LEED Gold certification for its design, construction, and operations practices, which focused on improving environmental and human health. The Assembly is the University’s 18th project to earn a LEED certification since 2005, when it received its first LEED Gold certification for the McGowan Institute of Regenerative Medicine.
The newest LEED Gold certification aligns with the school’s and the community’s larger sustainability efforts, including the Plan for Pitt, the Pitt Sustainability Plan, and a commitment to third-party certified green buildings. The university intends to reach carbon neutrality both on- and off-campus by 2037.
Designed by ZGF and built by Turner Construction, The Assembly diverted nearly 90% of construction waste from the landfill. Of its renovation materials, 56% were regional and 32% recycled. Close to public transit, The Assembly provides bicycle storage and changing rooms, as well as 30 electric vehicle chargers.
The Assembly is part of a 355,000-sf life science redevelopment complex in the former Ford plant. The research taking place at The Assembly includes cancer biology and immunology, among other areas.
Constructed in 1915, the Ford Motor Company Assembly Plant housed Model-T production, showroom, and sales until 1932. As a dealership, it remained in business until 1953, then sat largely vacant. In 2018, the original building was named to the National Register of Historic Places, and the University of Pittsburgh and Wexford acquired the property and announced redevelopment plans.
On the Building Team:
Developer: Wexford Science & Technology
Capital partner: Ventas
Design architect and architect of record: ZGF Architects
MEP engineer: AEI
Structural engineer: Thornton Tomasetti
Construction: Turner Construction
Related Stories
Adaptive Reuse | Jul 27, 2023
Number of U.S. adaptive reuse projects jumps to 122,000 from 77,000
The number of adaptive reuse projects in the pipeline grew to a record 122,000 in 2023 from 77,000 registered last year, according to RentCafe’s annual Adaptive Reuse Report. Of the 122,000 apartments currently undergoing conversion, 45,000 are the result of office repurposing, representing 37% of the total, followed by hotels (23% of future projects).
Urban Planning | Jul 26, 2023
America’s first 100% electric city shows the potential of government-industry alignment
Ithaca has turned heads with the start of its latest venture: Fully decarbonize and electrify the city by 2030.
Multifamily Housing | Jul 25, 2023
San Francisco seeks proposals for adaptive reuse of underutilized downtown office buildings
The City of San Francisco released a Request For Interest to identify office building conversions that city officials could help expedite with zoning changes, regulatory measures, and financial incentives.
Sustainability | Jul 13, 2023
Deep green retrofits: Updating old buildings to new sustainability standards
HOK’s David Weatherhead and Atenor’s Eoin Conroy discuss the challenges and opportunities of refurbishing old buildings to meet modern-day sustainability standards.
Multifamily Housing | Jul 11, 2023
Converting downtown office into multifamily residential: Let’s stop and think about this
Is the office-to-residential conversion really what’s best for our downtowns from a cultural, urban, economic perspective? Or is this silver bullet really a poison pill?
Adaptive Reuse | Jul 10, 2023
California updates building code for adaptive reuse of office, retail structures for housing
The California Building Standards Commission recently voted to make it easier to convert commercial properties to residential use. The commission adopted provisions of the International Existing Building Code (IEBC) that allow developers more flexibility for adaptive reuse of retail and office structures.
Adaptive Reuse | Jul 6, 2023
The responsibility of adapting historic university buildings
Shepley Bulfinch's David Whitehill, AIA, believes the adaptive reuse of historic university buildings is not a matter of sentimentality but of practicality, progress, and preservation.
Multifamily Housing | Jun 19, 2023
Adaptive reuse: 5 benefits of office-to-residential conversions
FitzGerald completed renovations on Millennium on LaSalle, a 14-story building in the heart of Chicago’s Loop. Originally built in 1902, the former office building now comprises 211 apartment units and marks LaSalle Street’s first complete office-to-residential conversion.
Multifamily Housing | May 23, 2023
One out of three office buildings in largest U.S. cities are suitable for residential conversion
Roughly one in three office buildings in the largest U.S. cities are well suited to be converted to multifamily residential properties, according to a study by global real estate firm Avison Young. Some 6,206 buildings across 10 U.S. cities present viable opportunities for conversion to residential use.
Multifamily Housing | May 16, 2023
Legislators aim to make office-to-housing conversions easier
Lawmakers around the country are looking for ways to spur conversions of office space to residential use.cSuch projects come with challenges such as inadequate plumbing, not enough exterior-facing windows, and footprints that don’t easily lend themselves to residential use. These conditions raise the cost for developers.
