ADAPTIVE REUSE PROJECT OF THE TIPS IRON AN STEEL BUILDING FOR A CULTURAL CENTER Presented to: Professor W. Lawrence Garvin Division of Architecture Texas Tech University In part i a 1 fu1f i11ment of the requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Architecture by: Catherine Nored Schaffer June 24, 1985 DEDICATION I wish to dedicate this program to my husband, Tony. Thank you, Tony, for your loving support, prayers, and under­ stand i ng. ACKNOWLEOQHENTS I wish to thank all of my family for their support and guidance. To my father and mother a special thanks for making my goals and dreams possible and also to my sisters for their love and faith in me. n TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Ded i cat i on ,- Acknow1edgments 1 1 GOALS AND OBJECTIVES 1 BACKGROUND 3 Project Statement 4 Project Justification 6 Definition of Conservation - Techniques .... 8 Cultural Malls in Historical Environments ... 10 Background and Location of Austin 11 History of the Tips Iron and Steel Building . 20 The Existing BuiIding 22 New Growth and Its Effects 26 Conclusion 34 Endnotes 36 m IV Eaa» ACTIVITY ANALYSIS 38 Introduction 39 The Retai1 Environment 39 The Office Environment 43 Museum Environment 44 Social Environment 45 Conclusion 49 Reference List 50 Public Activities 5 1 Retai1 Activities 64 Office Activities (Administrative) 79 Leasable Office Activities 85 Museum Activities 89 Endnotes 96 SITE ANALYSIS 97 Introduction 98 Images 103 Zoning 103 Utilities 103 Soil 103 CI imate 107 Topography 109 Conclusion 109 Endnotes 112 SPACE SUMMARY 113 Reference List 114 Leasable Retail Space 116 Office Spaces 120 Museum Spaces 123 Public Spaces 126 Net to Gross Conversions 127 Total Existing Building Net Square Footage . 128 SYSTEMS PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 129 Introduction 130 Foundations 13 1 Superstructure 132 Building Envelope 133 Partitions 135 Interior Finishes 135 Circulation 137 Electrical Systems 14 1 Lighting 142 Mechanical 145 Conveying Systems 146 Fire Safety Systems 147 Security Systems 148 CofTwnun i cat i on System 148 Endnotes 149 VI BaoA COST ANALYSIS 151 Introduction 152 Case Studies 152 Projected Area Square Feet 155 Preliminary Cost Analysis 156 Project Investment Analysis 157 Annual Tax Cash Flow 160 Endnotes 161 DETAILED SPACE LISTS 162 Leasable RetaiI 163 Food Service 168 Entertainment 172 Administrative Office Spaces 173 Leasable Offices 180 Museum 185 Public Areas 190 Endnotes 192 vn Pagg CASE STUDIES 193 Introduction 194 Case #1 - South Street Seaport 195 Case #2 - Pioneer Square 198 Case #3 - The Cannery 201 Endnotes 204 Comparative Analysis 206 Endnotes 213 BIBLIOQRAPHY 214 vm LIST OF FIGURES Ffaure EaOfi 1 Surrounding Historical Areas 5 2 Location of Austin 12 3 Pecan Street 14 4 Trolley Routes 19 5 Tips Engine 21 6 Tips Iron and Steel Building 23 7 Existing Buildings 24 8 Population Growth 27 9 Unemployment Rate 28 10 Austin's Regional Market 30 1 1 Age of Population 32 12 Distribution of Age Groups 32 13 Hotels in Area 42 14 Major Activities 99 15 Existing and Proposed Land Use .... 100 16 Potential Redevelopment in the Area 101 17 Traffic Patterns 102 18 Parkland 104 19 Town Lake Zone 105 20 Utilities Surrounding the Site .... 106 21 Sun Angle Diagram 108 22 Elevation of Area 110 GOALS * To help balance the need for cultural retail and outlets for artists and entertainers. • To preserve a part of Austin's heritage in a way that Austinites and visitors can enjoy and learn. • To demonstrate that adaptive reuse can be a viable alternative in urban environments. * To use the environmental influences of the sun, wind, humidity, and precipitation to an advantage. OUICTIVEl * To provide spaces to give the user a unique environ­ ment to encourage his/her talents. * Encourage the development of activities that will be intei—supportive and evident. * Increase the downtown employment rate. * Promote an energy efficient design in both old and new structures. * Restore the site to its original character and con­ struct any new structures with sensitivity to the old. BACKGROUND BACKQROUND Pro.Uct Stmiimnmni' This program is an adaptive reuse project. The project is located on the site of the Tips Iron and Steel Company in Austin, Texas. The design will include the renovation of three existing buildings, design of two new structures, and landscape design throughout the site. The facility will be a cultural mall, a "creative corner", or "artists' nook", and will include art galleries, specialty shops, restaurants, areas for entertainment, offices for related professionals, and a small museum. The intent of the historical aspect of the project is to preserve the character of the structures and contribute to surrounding historical atmosphere (Figure 1). The intent of the cultural mall is to fulfill Austin's growing need for such facilities caused by a high quality population growth combined with the large number of talented persons in the area.^ The center will provide outlets for the artists in the area, and provide unique shopping and entertainment for Austin. historical structures SURROUNDING HISTORICAL AREAS fig.1 ProJaet Juattftoatton Austin Music Advisory Committee through research of cultural related activities in Austin has found a defi­ nite need for additional facilities that offerZ-. •outlets for artists of all disciplines •Cultural related shopping for Austinites and visitors •Areas for entertainment. - The Downtown Revitalization Task Force (DRTF) after research, reports that they encourage development of downtown entertainment, cultural, tourist and civic act i vi t i es-3 . - The DRTF also encourages the protection and enhancement of unique downtown features and to preserve the histori­ cal, architectural, aesthetic and cultural herltage4. The overall economic development plan states that undei— developed tracts or underutilized industrial tracts along the old railroad yards should be studied to de­ termine the feasibility for consolidation to form tracts of land suitable for development of an environmentally attractive business5. - The economic plan also states that unique franchises and enterprises should be encouraged. The city should encourage the development of unique enterprises which would create jobs and attract residents and tourists to the area. Such enterprises should include an arts center^. many differing versions of adaptive reuse being proposed and executed with various degrees of success. It is difficult to understand the complexities, contra­ dictions, and ambiguities involved in the sensitive adaptive reuse of an historic structure. The adaptive reuse project requires the architect to work with two different sets of priorities: those of the restorationist and those of the designer. A restoration architect makes use of a different range of talents than the architect who is commissioned to create a new design. To ensure the restoration's authentic­ ity, it is imperative that caution is taken with architectur­ al imagination and originality. The identification and ranking of goals in this process should consider the impacts of all issues uncovered during the evaluative phase. The Secretary of the Interior issues a set of RehabiIitation Standards,^ which are goa1-oriented: 1) Every reasonable effort shall be made to provide a compatible use for a property which requires minimal alteration of the building, structure, site, or environment, or to use a property for its original intended purpose. 2) The distinguishing original qualities or chai— acter of a building, structure, or site and Its environment shall not be destroyed. The removal or alteration of any historic material or distinctive architectural features should be avoided if at all poss ible. 3) All buildings, structures and sites shall be recognized as products of their own time. Altera­ tions that have no historical basis and which seek to create an earlier appearance shall be discourag­ ed. Deflnl-t^fon pf Conservation - Technfouea With the new-found popularity of historic buildings has come a multitude of terms that are a source of confusion to both the layman and the professional. Basically the field of architectural conservation is made up of four disciplines: restoration, preservation, renovation, and reconstruction. By definition, a "restoration" seeks to restore what once was in regard to original appearance and purpose, to any one period in that structure's history. "Preservation" advocates the stabilization and restoration of important architectural features without restriction to any one period in that build­ ing's history. "Renovation", "adaptive reuse", and "rehabil­ itation" all refer to the practice of selective restoration and preservation combined with new construction for the purpose of accommodating the functional requirements of a contemporary use. Restoration usually involves the highest investment in terms of time, resources, money, and maintenance and is usually reserved for those structures bearing the highest architectural or historic merit. What fate does this leave for historic structures that are not individually qualified to take their place in this upper echelon, yet are Irreplace­ able in their collective representation of various eras? For example, a historic warehouse? The practice of adaptive reuse is most often put forward as the proper treatment for historic structures in these and other predicaments, with 4) Changes which may have taken place in the course of time are evidence of the history and development of a building, structure, or site and its environ­ ment. These changes may have acquired significance that shall be recognized