Adaptive Reuse Profiles: Institional Uses

Property: Baptist Church
Location: Atlanta, GA
Project: Northeast Intown Y.W.C.A.
Completion: 1991

Contact:
Surber & Barber Architects, Atlanta; Carter-DeGolian General Contractors, Smyrna, Ga.

NOTES: The congregation left after 70 years, but the building still serves its community.  The YWCA houses day care facilities, meeting rooms, and exercise studios.  Exterior modifications were limited in this Remodeling Magazine 1992 award winning reuse, with the stained glass being replaced by clear glass, and a new, colorful entry.  A third floor was inserted within the volume of the sanctuary so that it does not interfere with the light from the tall windows.  The 1991 renovation costs were $58. per square foot.


Property: Orthodox Synagogue, Congregation Beth Jacob
Location: Miami Beach, Florida
Project: Sanford L. Ziff Jewish Museum of Florida; Home of MOSAIC
Completion: 1995

Contact:
Sanford L. Ziff Jewish Museum of Florida
301 Washington Avenue
Miami Beach, Florida 33139-6965
(305) 672-5044

NOTES: The 1936 Art Deco Building is on the National Register, now offers wheelchair accessibility, and ample parking.  The museum tells the story of 230+ years of Jews in Florida.  The restoration maintained the 80 stained glass windows, and made room for an archive with more than 7,000 items in its collection.  A video was made that tells the history of Florida Jewish life, the building, its former use as a synagogue, and the extensive restoration process.

Property: Oxford Street Old Emory Church
Location: Atlanta, GA
Project: Emory University, Oxford college
Completion: Unknown

Contact:
Marshall Elizer
P.O.Box 245
Oxford, GA 30054

NOTES: The church, built in 1841 with a rich history, used for exchanging vows, musical performances, and baccalaureate speeches of Oxford College graduates.  In disrepair, the building closed in 1996.  Fundraising has begun to raise $300,000 for stabilization including foundation work, window repair, and exterior painting.

Property: Santuario de Guadalupe
Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico
Project: The Guadalupe Historic Foundation
Completion: 1976

Contact:
The Guadalupe Historic Foundation
100 Guadalupe Street
Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501
(505) 988-2027

NOTES: In 1976, The Guadalupe Historic Foundation oversaw a $300,000 renovation for the adobe structure built in 1776 by Franciscan missionaries.  It had been remodeled in both the 1880’s and 1820’s.  The Foundation preserves and interprets Hispanic culture and history in the Southwest, and provides a location for local people and visitors to enjoy music and art.

Property: Mount Moriah AME Church
Location: Annapolis, Maryland
Project: Banneker-Douglass Museum
Completion: dedicated February 24, 1984

Contact:
Banneker-Douglass Museum
84 Franklin Street
Annapolis, MD 21401
(410) 974-2553 Museum
(410) 514-7600 Commission
(800) 735-2258 TTY/TTD

NOTES: The Museum is run under the auspices of the Maryland Commission on African American History and Culture.  The building is on the National Register (1973), and was saved from demolition after the county petitioned to raze the church in 1971.

The museum offers its collections, programs, exhibitions, library, space for community groups and research facilities.


Property: Orchard Street Methodist Church
Location: Baltimore, MD
Project: The Baltimore Urban League and African American Cultural Center and Museum
Completion: 1993

Contact:
KCM Architects
2508 North Calvert Street
Baltimore, MD 21218
(410) 889-2613
http://www.intandem.com/kcm

NOTES: The renovation was a co-winner in Commercial Renovation in 1993.  The 1882 vintage building had been vacant for 17 years, with a 1903 Sunday school annex.  The School building serves as offices for the Urban League, while the open spaces of the church are used for the cultural center and museum.  The 22,000 square foot complex was renovated for $3,700,000.  ($168./sq.’)

Contact:
Mark B. Thompson Assoc., Architects (Philadelphia) The Weightman Group

NOTES: The church space was converted to executive offices with room for expansion.  Two balconies were added in four of the six bays, leaving the alter area an unchanged space for reception.  A glass curtain wall was inserted in the interior to define the space and keep noise down.  Additionally, a large spiral staircase and an elevator were placed to give access to all levels.  Built in 1881, the building now houses 24,000 square feet. (unknown renovation cost)

Property: United Hebrew Temple
Location: St. Louis, Missouri
Project: Missouri Historical Society
Completion: 1992

Contact:
Theodore Wofford, Architect; or MHS

NOTES: The temple, whose congregation left the building in 1988 to move into the suburbs, also left a large and well kept building across the street from the cramped building of the Missouri Historical Society.  The society at the same time was the recipient of more funding so the two problems were ideally matched.  The architect designed a four level addition to the temple to house the receiving, processing, and conservation facilities, as well as storage space.  The temple itself was adapted to house the library and administrative offices.  The large dome room became the main reading room.  Two problems for the architect were the HVAC system and the control of sound reverberation in the dome. (unknown renovation cost)

Contact:
Chris Crossman, director of the Farnsworth Museum

NOTES: The Architects designed a system of sliding sail cloth screen panels across the sanctuary to hang the artwork and maintain the open feeling.  A former community room also became a gallery. Although it would have been cheaper to start from scratch, the building spoke of the community of the town, and it was decided that it was more important to preserve a piece of Rockland history than to build new.