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This is not your father’s middle school or yours for that matter, to co-opt the 1989 Oldsmobile commercial. The new Florence Middle School has been mistaken for a university, as some find it inconceivable that seventh graders show up here for class.

Florence Middle School opened this year, and Lambert Ezell Durham Architecture of Florence received the 2019 Top Block Design Award from the Alabama Concrete Industries Association for the $34 million project.

The 180,000-square-foot building replaces Florence’s 1951 Coffee High School building. The cast stone exterior of the new school complements the original 1917 school that was replaced in 1951.

Says Calvin Durham of Lambert Ezell Durham Architecture in Florence: “They wanted a timeless, classic design that wouldn’t look dated in the coming years, and a secure building. I think we managed to achieve both.”

Safe Havens International – a non-profit group that helps schools improve crisis preparedness and campus safety – placed Florence Middle School in the top 5 out of 7,800 school reviewed for security, Durham says.

Security includes clear lines-of-sight, electronically controlled public areas and a gymnasium that doubles as a FEMA-rated storm shelter. In addition, the school can lock down so no one can go further than the lobby.

The design was organized around a central Commons that connects academics, fine arts and athletics. The façade of the two-story academic wing is west of the Commons, allowing it to be visible to traffic, and is surrounded by a courtyard with controlled access.

North of the Commons is the auditorium that anchors the fine arts wing that surrounds it. East of the Commons is the gymnasium that aligns with the existing high school competition gymnasium. Aligning the two facilities allows the school to accommodate larger athletic competitions.

Coffee High School’s theater was known for its excellent acoustics. The town didn’t want to be without a theater, so the new theater serves both the school and the community. Community partnership is a hallmark of Florence Middle School, which also shares its football stadium with the University of North Alabama.

Florence Middle School also includes a media center, collaborative spaces, a central locker area, and a cafeteria with a variety of seating choices including a covered outdoor option.

 

 

Image 1 -Florence Middle School was designed to be a secure, safe, modern state of the art facility for students while presenting a classical presence and sense of place for the public. The primary design objective was a classical-inspired façade, and priority given to security and safety.

Image 2- A view of the south façade from Hermitage Drive heading north along the west edge of the campus. The two-story academic building is to the left. The student drop-off canopy can be seen to the right along the gymnasium’s colonnade to the far right.

Image 3- The new 180,000-square-foot Florence Middle School replaces Florence’s 1951 Coffee High School building. The design was organized around a central Commons that connects academics, fine arts and athletics.

Image 4 -Along with being used for school assembly and other functions, the auditorium is used for year-round public events and was designed for optimum acoustics. Located north of central Commons area, the auditorium anchors the fine-art wing that surrounds it.

 

*Article By Jessica Armstrong and Images Courtesy of Lambert Ezell Durham Architecture

Beat the heat. No reservations required. That’s the message the city of Hoover is sending about its newly opened Explore Playground and Splash Pad located in the Hoover Met Complex.

Treat yourself free of charge to a multisensory, fantastical experience. The 15,000-square-foot playground – considered Alabama’s largest poured-in-place playground surface – and the adjoining 7,000-square-foot splash pad are universally designed to be used by everyone, including people with disabilities and mobility restrictions.

Goodwyn, Mills and Cawood provided architecture, landscape architecture, civil engineering and electrical design services for the $2 million project. J.A. Dawson & Co., a Pelham-based contractor specializing in parks and playgrounds, was also part of the team along with Gametime, a leading commercial playground equipment manufacturer. GMC coordinated the project and provided construction documents for the final design.

From the overall design to equipment selection, the end result is all-out fun in a safe environment. Vibrant rainbow colors, bursts of patterns and textures. Flowers that play music. Even Alice in Wonderland would be mystified.

The splash pad offers the perfect spot to cool off and is open from May 15 to Sept. 15 during Alabama’s hottest and stickiest days. Chlorinated water re-circulated through a filtration system sprays out in arches and large globules at varying heights. Throughout the pad are multicolored structures such as cartoon-like animals that spew water and invite revelers to play.

According to J.A. Dawson, the design for a first-rate playground had begun when the company was asked by the city to redesign the project in a way that would accommodate people of all ages and abilities.

Several features achieve this objective. The clubhouse is constructed in glass fiber reinforced concrete and designed for handicap accessibility on both the lower and upper levels. The family changing room includes a changing table that can hold up to 300 pounds to accommodate special needs parents and older children. It can also be raised and lowered to allow wheelchair-bound parents to change their child.

The park also has charging stations for both phones and motorized wheelchairs. And when visitors need to slow down a bit, there are areas to rest in the shade.

Image 1 – Jack in the Beanstalk-like vines climb on the entrance to the Explore Playground and Splash Pad in the Hoover Met Complex. The 15,000-square-foot playground and adjoining 7,000-square-foot splash pad are universally designed to be used by people of all ages and abilities.

Image 2- Slides, swings and climbing structures. The playground has something for everyone to enjoy, including innovative see-saw with four seats instead of the usual two, designed to accommodate users of all abilities.

Image 3 – Water shoots out in all directions in arches and globules to the delight of children in Hoover’s new splash pad, which is open from May 15 to Sept. 15. The playground is open year-round.

* Article By Jessica Armstong and Images Courtesy of Edward Badham Photography

André Holland has gained considerable success as an actor, including a significant role in Moonlight, the 2017 Academy Award for Best Picture. But the Bessemer native might best be known in his hometown for saving historic buildings.

He purchased the rundown Lincoln Theatre in downtown Bessemer and is turning it into a performing arts venue and cinema showing classic and first-run movies.

Built in 1948 as a movie theater for African-Americans, the building was purchased through the nonprofit Holland Project created by his family to preserve the Lincoln and other local historic properties.

Mary Holland remembers taking her son André to the children’s theater in downtown Birmingham, where he had one line in his first play. That experience “made such a difference in his life,” says Mary, who points out that an arts center is much needed in Bessemer.

Growing up in Bessemer, she remembers church on Sunday followed by a movie at the Lincoln. She says André plans to bring his actor friends to Bessemer to help run acting workshops for children in the restored theater.

The Lincoln Theatre will also celebrate diverse cultures with emphasis on African-American heritage, notes Glenny Brock of Birmingham Landmarks, Inc., who is consultant on the restoration.

Construction begins in 2020 with a goal to open in 2021. The Holland Project received a $21,000 design grant from the Alabama State Council on the Arts to help achieve that goal.

“We will use these funds to engage an architect for the entire restoration project and to begin work on the venue’s marquee and façade,” says Brock. Birmingham-based Studio 2H Design was selected to complete the project.

The city of Bessemer will also help fund the project through its community development along with federal dollars, says Abraham Ward, the city’s principal rehab specialist.

Designed by Birmingham architect Charles McCauley, Brock says one of the building’s loveliest details of the steel-framed structure is the facade of green and white glazed brick. She says the new marquee and signs will resemble the building’s original 1948 signage but with LED lighting.

“What we are doing is realizing Andre’s vision,” says Brock, who came on board with the project because she was “very moved” that he cared enough about his hometown to purchase its neglected theater.

Image 1- Of the 400-plus seats originally in the Lincoln Theatre, only about 60 in the balcony remain intact.  Image Courtesy of Donna Sanders Ware

Image 2- Since the mid-1970s, the Lincoln auditorium has been repurposed several times. These balcony seats over the years have overlooked an upholstery shop, a furniture store and a barber shop. Image Courtesy of Jeff E. Newman

Image 3- The Lincoln is located at 1926 First Avenue North in the Downtown Bessemer Historic District, designated on the National Register of Historic Places. A notable feature is the green and white glazed brick façade. Image Courtesy of Larry O. Gay

Image 4- This photo from the Jefferson County Board of Equalization was taken in 1948 when First Avenue North was occupied by thriving black businesses. The Lincoln was at the center of a black entertainment district that included beauty and barber shops, pool halls and cafes. Image Courtesy of Birmingham Public Library Archive

*Article By Jessica Armstrong 

First impressions apply to both human interaction and building design, and the Birmingham Zoo’s new Arrival Experience and Welcome Plaza makes an exciting first impression.

The new entrance concludes Phase 2 of the $18.6 million Renew the Zoo Capital Campaign. Goodwyn, Mills and Cawood GMC served as the project architect and landscape architect for the Arrival Experience, which includes a two-story building, restrooms, two plazas, outdoor classroom, natural play areas and an event lawn.

“The goal was to design a modern facility that complemented the existing zoo and incorporated natural materials in an interesting way,” explains project manager Bob Gray. “The materials used were regionally inspired. The stone is quarried in central Alabama; steel was used to highlight Birmingham’s history as a major steel producer; and the wood is from tree species that are native to Alabama.”

A design challenge was the world map in the Hugh Kaul Plaza, Gray adds. The map is created from the shapes of animals and is a centerpiece of the new entrance.

“This proved to be much more complicated to manufacture than you would think, but it is now a centerpiece of the new plaza… It took a lot of coordination with the contractor, manufacturer and the graphic design team at Scout Branding to come up with something that would work. The end result, however, was well worth it.”

Queuing and ticketing were expanded, and beyond the gates is now a plaza with seating and views into the exhibits. The larger restroom building has a sensory inclusive room for children with autism. The event lawn and green park area replaced two ponds and former fish hatcheries near the front entrance and provides a venue for zoo events.

Parking was expanded and improved while preserving 70 percent of the existing trees. An entrance path underneath a shaded tree canopy is where visitors begin their zoo excursions.

Education was factored into the design with multipurpose indoor space for animal encounters and other educational programs. The project also created ways to increase revenue, with a larger gift shop, event lawn and multipurpose space rented for events.

Animals were protected during construction. “We tried to minimize not only the impact of the construction on the thousands of visitors that come to the zoo each year,” says Gray, “but minimize any disturbance to the animals living there.”

Image 1-Materials used were regionally inspired such as the stone is quarried in central Alabama and the wood is from tree species that are native to Alabama. The project includes a two-story building, two plazas, outdoor classroom, natural play areas and an event lawn.

Image 2- A design challenge was the world map in the Hugh Kaul Plaza. The map is created from the shapes of animals and is a centerpiece of the new entrance.

Image 3- The new Arrival Experience and Welcome Plaza is part of the Birmingham Zoo’s Phase 2 of the $18.6 million Renew the Zoo Capital Campaign.

*Article By Jessica Armstrong and Images Courtesy of Goodwyn Mills & Cawood

Situated on the shores of Wheeler Lake is Joe Wheeler State Park in Rogersville in north Alabama where visitors enjoy world-class fishing and boating on the state’s second largest lake.  Guests can access the 2,550-acre resort park by land or water.

The park features a waterfront lodge with a restaurant and convention facilities, a championship 18-hole golf course, full-service marina with docking slips, modern and primitive camping, lakeside cottages and cabins.

Joe Wheeler State Park was treated to a $1 million facelift, thanks to the passage of Amendment 2 that allowed for long overdue improvement projects to Alabama’s state parks. Seay, Seay and Litchfield designed the new interior, which includes the lobby, dining room and guest rooms. SS&L’s objective was to revitalize the space while keeping the park’s rustic ambiance intact.

Not to be missed as guests enter the renovated lodge lobby is the eye-catching new reception desk. A resin-based panel in the façade of the desk contains twigs that lend a dramatic outdoor feeling to the interior. The desk is backlit, which creates an even more striking effect. The lobby was also treated to new windows and new furniture in keeping with the modernity-meets-rural-charm scheme.

Guest rooms were also upgraded with new furniture, along with new bedding and window treatments. High-quality vinyl tile flooring that simulates the appearance of wood was installed in the pet-friendly rooms.

Outdoor furniture was installed, though this was a separate project and not part of the SS&L design. The old rocking chairs at the Lakeside Cottages were replaced with new Adirondack-style rockers. Landscaping improvements were another component of the overall park makeover and were completed by Joe Wheeler State Park staff and a separate contractor.

Improvements made to the marina include new gas pumps. The park’s Daniella’s Restaurant was also upgraded, along with the park staff offices and the General Golf Course, an 18-hole championship course designed by Earl Stone. Repairs were made to the docks and piers, and the pool area and children’s splashpad was resurfaced. In addition, an upgraded security system was installed as well as new signage along the park road.

Image 1-The recent renovation of Joe Wheeler State Park in Rogersville included improvements to the lodge lobby. On the shores of Lake Wheeler, the park was established when the state purchased land from the TVA in 1949.

Image 2- As they enter the renovated lodge lobby, visitors are treated to the striking new reception desk. A resin-based panel in the desk’s façade contains twigs that are backlit to create a dramatic effect.

Image 3- Guests rooms were upgraded with new bedding, window treatments and flooring. The minimalist décor gives the rooms a tranquil feeling.

Image 4- Outdoor furniture was also part of the overall renovation. High-quality Adirondack-style rockers replaced the older outdoor furniture.

*Article By Jessica Armstrong and Images Courtesy of Joe Wheeler State Park

Small towns across Alabama are reinventing themselves and it’s happening with zeal in Camden, located in the Black Belt region and seat of Wilcox County. It indeed takes a village to revitalize a town – grants, municipalities and initiatives that organizations such as DesignAlabama offer. Yet it’s the private citizens and investors who ultimately restore a fading town.

“The rich cultural and artistic heritage of the community has made a resurgence, thanks in part to the success and recognition of the Black Belt Treasures Cultural Arts Center and the Gee’s Bend Quilt Collective,” says Sulynn Creswell, founder and executive director of Black Belt Treasures, which supports regional arts.

Since DesignAlabama held a Visioning Workshop in Camden, several improvements have occurred. The 1889 Wilcox County Jail building is slated for renovation and was purchased by private citizens, who also bought the Williams Pecan Company building on Broad Street. The completed main floor renovation includes retail space and a restaurant. The second floor is being converted into a wine bar.

Improvements are being made to other downtown properties. A local florist partnered with Wilcox Artworks, the local arts council, to provide downtown exhibition and event space. Camden’s water tower was recently painted by mural artist Eric Henn and depicts the area’s abundant fishing and hunting opportunities.

Several projects in the planning stage include installing of eight Black Belt Quilt Trail mural signs created by local students under the supervision of Black Belt Treasures Art Programs Director Kristin Law. This is Alabama’s first quilt trail, which will expand to 19 counties through a Creative Placemaking grant from South Arts.

Black Belt Treasures has also received a grant to place 10 concrete benches downtown with mosaic designs created by local residents. Alabama Department of Transportation is being consulted about a mural location along the right-of-way into downtown Camden, an area identified during the Visioning Workshop. The Downtown Revitalization Team is also exploring ways to improve landscaping.

Of all Camden’s assets, Creswell notes, “The people are the greatest reason Camden is special. While the community has its challenges, its people are resilient, creative, accepting, untiring and motivated to bring new life and energy to downtown.”

Image 1-  Formerly the home of Williams Pecan, this two-story 1920 building was purchased by Ryan Dunagan and Chris Bailey, who transformed it into a gourmet food market and restaurant.

Image 2-  The first floor of The Pecan on Broad is renovated for use as a restaurant and retail space. Plans are under way to convert the second floor into a wine bar.

Image 3 – Mural artist Eric Henn specializes in creating murals on tall structures, such as Camden’s water tower. The tower depicts bass, deer and a turkey which represents the area’s rich nature resources for hunting and fishing.

Image 4- The Black Belt Quilt Mural Trail consists of eight mural signs, including one that depicts the Old Shoe Shop Museum in Camden, operated by Betty Anderson whose father ran the shoe repair shop. Anderson’s mother and grandmother made many Gee’s Bend quilts that date from 1920 to 2011.

*Article By Jessica Armstrong and Images Courtesy of Kristen Law of Black Belt Treasures and Wilcox Area Chamber of Commerce

Your vacation bucket list likely includes exotic far-off destinations. Add one more to your list, one that’s right here in Alabama and now recognized as one of the world’s most exceptional destinations.

Eagle Cottages at Gulf State Park recently received National Geographic’s “Unique Lodges of the World” designation. National Geographic selects lodgings that offer guests “intimate encounters with parts of the world not many get to know.”

Eagle Cottages is among only 66 properties worldwide that have presently been chosen, notes Director of Sustainability Robert Stoney of Valor Hospitality, the Atlanta-based company that manages the property. Like the Eagle Cottages, each lodge in the National Geographic “Unique Lodges of the World” collection is rooted in its community and dedicated to protecting surrounding habitats and local culture.

Situated on the shore of Lake Shelby, the 11 newly renovated Eagle Cottages are part of the Gulf State Park Enhancement project and provide an extraordinary ecotourism experience.

The wood-frame cottages date back to the 1970s and were renovated to reflect the Gulf Coast fish camp vernacular, but with modern-day comforts. New furniture in the three-bedroom, three-bathroom cottages is made from recycled and repurposed materials. The cottages retain their original pine floors.

Cottages also include energy-efficient LED lighting and eco-friendly cleaning products. Bathrooms are stocked with natural toiletries by BeeKind, a company that donates a portion of its profits to bee pollination research.

Among the many environmentally friendly practices on the property is the elimination of all single-use plastic water bottles and plastic straws. Guided nature tours are provided along with complimentary guest bicycles and a bike share program to reduce carbon emissions.

The Eagle Cottages are part of Gulf State Park’s mission to be an international benchmark for environmental and economic sustainability, while demonstrating best practices for outdoor recreation, education and hospitable accommodations. Eminent naturalist and Alabama native, E. O. Wilson, called this biodiverse region “America’s Amazon,” and as such the park is committed to the principles and practices of sustainable tourism.

Image 1- While the furniture in the cottages is new, the pine floors date back to when the cottages were built in the 1970s. Sustainable features are found throughout such as energy-efficient LED lighting and environmentally friendly cleaning products.

Image 2- The new furniture in the Eagle Cottages is made from recycled and repurposed materials, which is in keeping with the property’s serious commitment to sustainable practices.

Image 3 -Abundant indoor and outdoor living space is provided in the cottage design, including a screened porch that offers relaxing lakeside views. The design of the newly renovated cottages reflects the historic family fishing camps along the Gulf Coast.

Image 4- Eagle Cottages at Gulf State Park recently received National Geographic’s “Unique Lodges of the World” designation. On the shore of Lake Shelby, the 11 newly renovated Eagle Cottages are an integral part of the Gulf State Park Enhancement project.

 

*Article By Jessica Armstrong and Images Courtesy of Gulf State Park

Precision medicine is an emerging approach to disease treatment and prevention that focuses on individual variability in genes, environment and lifestyle for each person. Unlike a one-size-fits-all approach, doctors and researchers can better predict which strategies for a particular disease will work in which groups of people.

A recent addition to Huntsville’s HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology – a leader in genomic science – is the Paul Propst Center for Precision Medicine. Designed by Fuqua & Partners Architects, the new 100,000-square-foot center in HudsonAlpha’s Cummings Research Park houses the institute’s growing education and research programs and biotech companies.

Designed to harmonize with HudsonAlpha’s flagship building, the new center includes laboratories, offices, and educational and collaborative spaces. A spacious and open lobby, glass-walled offices, a large staircase and “clean rooms” for handling biological samples are part of the new building devoted to precision medicine.

“Our primary design challenge was to pay homage to the existing vocabulary on campus while providing this facility with its own identity,” notes Senior Project Architect Tim Packard.

“The education space is the real gem of the building. It was conceived as a series of events along a path used to tell a story and inspire society to embrace the use of genomics in healthcare and agriculture. The combination of hands-on classroom modules, digital learning spaces and collaboration areas will help train our future scientists.”

In April 2019, Fuqua & Partners submitted the project for consideration at the 2019 IIDA Alabama IDIE Awards and the project won the Best of Corporate Large award. IIDA-AL is the state’s association for the commercial interior design industry. This year’s awards included 91 submissions from 30 firms and furniture dealers.

Huntsville philanthropist and businessman William Propst Sr. has made significant donations to HudsonAlpha’s work in precision medicine. The new center is named in memory of his father, Paul Propst, who was a minister in North Alabama. Funding for the center was also provided by a state grant. Brasfield & Gorrie served as the general contractor on the project.

 

 

Image 1: New to Huntsville’s HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology – a leader in genomic science – is the Paul Propst Center for Precision Medicine.

Image 2: Designed by Fuqua & Partners Architects, the new 100,000-square-foot Paul Propst Center for Precision Medicine in HudsonAlpha’s Cummings Research Park houses the institute’s growing education and research programs and biotech companies.

Image 3: The main design challenge, says Senior Project Architect Tim Packard, was to pay homage to the existing vocabulary on HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology campus while providing the new facility with its own identity.

Image 4: Alabama pine was among the materials used in the construction of the new Paul Propst Center for Precision Medicine. The building was designed to complement the HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology’s primary building.

*Article Written By Jessica Armstrong and Images Courtesy of Fuqua & Partners

Brick-and-mortar shopping shouldn’t just be about the purchase itself, but also the ambiance the store provides. That’s the premise behind Caliber, a high-end firearms and sporting goods store in the Homewood section of Birmingham designed by Christopher Architecture and Interiors (CAI).

Caliber owners wanted to renovate the former Central Avenue trolley control building into a refined 4,200-square-foot retail space. The result is a contemporary interpretation of a hunting lodge that combines history and modern functionality.

An upscale hunting lodge feel with modern aesthetics was achieved through contrasting rustic stained western cedar, standing seam metal roofing, custom steel windows and fireplaces, blue stone paving and poured-in-place concrete walls executed through simple detailing, notes Senior Architect Jared Fulton.

Because the existing building was fronted by a loading dock and a footprint unsuitable for retail, about 80 percent of the original building was renovated with a 1,500-square-foot addition to the front, which increased the building’s street presence while aligning with neighboring storefronts.

The 24-foot, poured-in-place concrete gabled end is flanked by an entry-approach porch for “trunk shows” and parties. The porch roof is held off from the building to allow light to wash the concrete wall and provide natural light under the canopy. Being in a flood prone area, FEMA required the building to be flood resistant.

The interior is divided into fishing, apparel, firearms and utility space. Reclaimed oak wrapped “portals” help define transitions between areas. Concrete board-form wall is exposed on the interior to accent the fishing rod displays.

Reclaimed oak floors and ceiling bring warmth to the interior, which includes leather chairs, coffee tables, an 8-foot live-edge table and custom fixture displays designed not to distract from the products. A custom stone fireplace and coffee bar enhance the retail experience.
MDM Design Studio in Birmingham custom built the gun cases, clothing racks, displays, fishing rod racks, tables, cabinets and shoe displays.

The project expanded beyond the property. CAI worked with Alabama Power, the city of Homewood and adjacent property owners to create shared parking; adding bicycle lanes, re-working street parking and designing landscape buffers to control traffic and increase parking.
“These improvements have been vital in expanding the development of Homewood’s Central Avenue Business District,” Fulton says.

Image 1: A former Central Avenue trolley control building in the Homewood section of Birmingham has been converted into a sophisticated 4,200-square-foot space for Caliber, an elite firearms and sporting goods store.

Image 2: The existing building was fronted by a loading dock and a footprint unsuitable for retail, so roughly 80 percent of the original building was renovated with a 1,500-square-foot addition to the front. This increased the building’s street presence while aligning with neighboring storefronts.

Image 3: The interior is divided into fishing, apparel, firearms and utility space. Reclaimed oak wrapped “portals” help define transitions between each of the four separate areas.

Image 4: Reclaimed oak floors and ceiling add warmth to the interior, which includes leather chairs, coffee tables, an 8-foot live-edge table and custom fixture displays designed not to distract from the products but add to the hunting lodge mood.

*Article By Jessica Armstrong and Images Courtesy of Christopher Architecture and Interiors

When the John Hand Building opened in 1912, the ornate 20-story building was the tallest in downtown Birmingham until the 27-story City Federal Building came along a year later. CCR Architecture & Interiors recently renovated three floors of the John Hand Building occupied by Shipt, a fast-growing grocery delivery service founded in Birmingham.

Shipt will also occupy 60,000 square feet in Birmingham’s tallest building, the 34-story Wells Fargo Tower soon to be known as Shipt Tower. Both buildings will serve as company headquarters and are within easy walking distance. Along with the completed renovation work in the John Hand Building, CCR Architecture & Interiors is constructing new floors for Shipt in the Wells Fargo Tower, says the firm’s president Tammy Cohen.

The lobby and common areas, along with the first, third and fourth floors of the John Hand Building were renovated for Shipt offices. The John Hand Building long served as financial institutions and important interior elements from its banking days were kept intact, though recladding in 2000 significantly altered its neoclassical façade. Much of the interior’s original Alabama white marble and terrazzo remain.

“White marble was mostly on the walls and the original teller line which we kept,” Cohen explains. “A few pieces were patched with some marble that had been stored in the basement. The carpet was removed from the terrazzo and the floors were cleaned and polished. We had to use carpet tiles in a few areas where the terrazzo was missing.”

The large safe deposit vault in the basement was turned into a conference room with the vault door and deposit boxes restored. The teller line remains as “a nod to the past banking hall,” adds Cohen.

A counter with stools provides alternate work space for Shipt employees who want to work away from their desks. New features also include all-glass partitions to allow light from the exterior windows to filter into the workstation areas.

In the former Wells Fargo Tower, Shipt will occupy four floors and the 10th floor is currently under renovation. Cohen notes that this additional 60,000 square feet will allow the company to meet their projected growth over the next few years.

 

Image 1: Much of the historic John Hand Building’s interior was recently renovated for Shipt, a flourishing grocery delivery company. Shipt will occupy two downtown Birmingham buildings as its headquarters – the John Hand Building and nearby Wells Fargo Tower, soon to be renamed Shipt Tower.

Image 2: The renovated interior spaces retain some original details including Alabama white marble and terrazzo that reflects the John Hand Building’s long history as a bank. White marble was used mainly on the walls and the original teller line, which was kept.

Image 3: A long counter with brightly colored stools provide a pleasing alternate work space for Shipt employees who desire some time away from their desks.

Image 4: All-glass partitions allow light from the exterior windows to filter into the workstation areas. The John Hand Building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.

*Article By Jessica Armstrong and Images Courtesy of CCR Architecture and Interiors