Do older buildings have a soul? We think so! CraftWork receives ‘adaptive reuse’ award
Historic buildings contain embodied energy--the total energy needed for extraction, processing, manufacture, and delivery of materials to the building site, as well as energy for construction.
““The greenest building is the one already built,””
This quote means that while newer buildings benefit greatly from energy efficient technologies, existing buildings have already ʻpaid offʻ their environmental impacts from construction long ago.
This fact, is what makes the idea of Adaptive Reuse so compelling from a sustainability perspective. But as I argue in my book Building Small, adaptive reuse has another offering that might be even more compelling in towns like Healdsburg. And that offering is older buildings have a soul.
Building Small is all about how entrepreneurial developers, working at a local level, can create new spaces for new small businesses that add to the authenticity and economic strength of a local economy. The creation of CraftWork – both the business and the space in which it resides - is a great example of Building Small.
Originally built in the 1960ʻs, CraftWork was built as Healdsburg’s location for Crocker Bank. There were untold stories – and transactions – conducted in that space as it evolved, got bought by Wells Fargo and eventually moved to a freestanding building in the Vineyard Plaza shopping center. Over the next few decades it took on a range of uses from second hand goods to furniture store.
Before
After
In 2018 my partners and I took on the space and literally gave it a ʻnew lease on lifeʻ. A complete gutting of the space - removing years of sheetrock, worn carpet, miles of old phone and security cables unveiled an incredible shell of untouched wood ceiling, raw concrete floors and our signature ʻVaultʻ. Some clever re-purposing and adoption of a ‘refined industrial’ aesthetic resulted in what has become one of the coolest spaces in Healdsburg to host an event, meet with colleagues, or just put your head down and work.
The soaring 14ʻ ceilings were kept open with a clever strategy of insulating the roof – helping to bring the space up to current energy efficiency goals, while retaining the ʻsoulʻ of the place. The vault was reworked by literally sawing through 18” of concrete and rebar – and recycling five tons of concrete - to open it for more light. What was once a dark and claustrophic space has become our premium board room.
Before - The CraftWork “Lounge”
After - The CraftWork “Lounge”
New lighting – high efficiency LED fixtures on radio controlled dimmers with light sensors - add drama and energy consciousness. Upgraded heating and cooling utilizes roof mounted heat pumps. All of these design features are not only good for the environment, they greatly improve the comfort of the space. And as owner/ operator show up in greatly reduced operating costs.
Weʻre proud of what weʻve created with CraftWork – both as a community hub, and as an excellent example of Adaptive Reuse. And, while we are pleased with what we have accomplished with 445 Center Street, its always nice to have others recognize your work.
That’s why we were delighted to receive the 2023 Adaptive Reuse award from the Healdsburg Museum’s Historic Preservation Society. The Historic Preservation Committee consists of a historian, architectural historian and a realtor / architect. The award recognizes owners who choose to adaptively reuse structures while maintaining as much of the original historical integrity as possible.
Before - The CraftWork “Vault”
After - The CraftWork “Vault”
The repurposing of this space has saved tons of embedded energy by not having to build new. It has re-activated a sleepy, but well located center in downtown Healdsburg. And it has demonstrated through smart, high performance design that you can keep a buildingʻs soul while making it more friendly to the planet.
With so much building stock sitting underutilized in Healdsburg, and an increasing concern for our climate, we hope CraftWork serves as a model and inspiration – both for creative reuse as well as a way to preserve the community’s fabric while reducing our environmental footprint.