Shears Adkins Rockmore has blended the past with the present with the renovation the historic building at 1550 Wynkoop St. in Lower Downtown that it recently made its home.
The architecture firm occupies 5,474 square feet of space in the building, which originally was completed in 1889 along with a series of interconnected buildings between 15th and 16th streets.
During the demolition,
MAX Construction, Inc. uncovered steel beams that were installed in the building about 125 years ago.
"The beams are made of large angles and plates that are riveted together," says Dean Smith, an architect with the firm. "This structure was consistent with the new steel elements we had already designed for the space. Despite the challenges of bringing the old beams up to fire code, the team at MAX Construction was able to quickly adapt and deliver the project on our original timeline."
In addition to the steel beams, MAX Construction was able to keep much of the original heavy timbers, flagstone foundation and brick, which helped the space retain the character of its original design.
"We see this space as the perfect blend of nostalgia and forward thinking," says Mark McGann, vice president at MAX. "A big part of what makes LoDo so special is the unique architecture of these historic buildings, so the MAX Construction team did everything we could to respect the building's past while incorporating modern features that reflect Shears Adkins Rockmore's focus on innovative design."
Some of that modernization included significant structural work to remove sections of the first floor to allow nature light into the basement level. A two-stage "floating" staircase from the first floor to the basement level was added to create a new access point.
Contact Confluence Denver Development News Editor Margaret Jackson with tips and leads for future stories at margaret@confluence-denver.com.
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