Interior designers chose sophisticated, contemporary furnishings in classic shades of blue and gray to achieve a timeless look that harmonizes with the building’s magnificent architecture and natural materials. A variety of seating vignettes in both atriums invite tenants to collaborate, work alone or in groups, or enjoy a meal prepared at the onsite café.
A new, black carbon-steel spiral staircase replaces the East Atrium’s escalator and provides a pedestrian circulation alternative for the adjacent elevators. This staircase was custom-designed to relate the proportions of its spiral to those of the circular floor inset at its base. The staircase’s lower landing serves as a small stage during special events.
A new conference center features leading-edge, wireless video-conferencing technology and easy-to-clean, lightweight, mobile furniture. Ceiling-hung micro- phones and speakers make people feel as though they are standing next to each other regardless of their location. The adjoining kitchenette is flanked by two new, universally accessible restrooms.
A new private tenant lounge can be used by tenants during the workday and, by reservation, after hours. Comfortable, living-room-style furnishings and a food preparation/dining area make the lounge a welcoming space for informal gatherings.
With the owner’s green strategies in mind, McGough Construction and its sub-contractors instituted green construction practices during the Refresh. For example, the crew adhered to Veit Disposal’s waste-stream recycling management program so that 90.47 percent of the waste generated from construction activities was recycled.
GOOD STEWARDS
The Butler Square Refresh is the most recent and highly visible expression of good building stewardship. Because planning, design and construction began well before the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, the owner and building management team’s decisions were based on their knowledge of tenant preferences and priorities. The value of new and existing onsite amenities has increased and, according to commercial real-estate industry experts, will remain high throughout the post-pandemic period—and beyond.
The timing of this project also is positive for the surrounding community. The building is close to restaurants, the arts district, light-rail and bus transit stops, major sports stadiums, highway and rail connections, and a growing group of urban dwellers. Minneapolis is primed for a post- pandemic surge of economic, recreational and cultural activity.
“Seeing the Butler Square Refresh come to fruition after a year of working from home was a hopeful reminder that tenants will be able to reconnect in the way that a lot of us have been craving,” says Maggie Collins, facilities manager with Butler Square tenant Ability, an Inovalon Company. “The building itself is already beautiful, and the Refresh offers the perfect combi- nation of a modern and historic feel. The collaborative spaces complement the office suites, allowing tenants to have different work options—something that is especially valuable in a post-COVID era. … Butler Square is an enjoyable place to work!”
PHOTOS: Tom Wallace unless otherwise noted
Retrofit Team
OWNER: Butler Properties LLC
ARCHITECT: Alliiance
GENERAL CONTRACTOR: McGough Construction
PROPERTY MANAGEMENT: McGough Facility Management
ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR: Parsons Electric/PEC Solutions
MECHANICAL CONTRACTOR: Kraft Mechanical
INTERIOR FURNISHINGS: Fluid Interiors
LIGHTING DESIGNER: Schuler Shook
Materials
ATRIUM FLOOR TILE: Buildtech/2.0 in Mud and White
RESTROOM TILE: Metalworx
CONFERENCE CARPET: The Portland Project, Ridgeline, from Mannington Commercial
CONFERENCE WALLCOVERING: Tek-Wall Lumen from Maharam
MAIN-LEVEL CARPET: Spin Collection, RPM, from Mannington Commercial
MAIN-LEVEL RUGS: Full Volume lll from Tarkett
TENANT LOUNGE CARPET: Quadrant Collection, Precision, from Mannington Commercial
QUARTZ: Weybourne from Cambria
SKYLIGHT: Kalwall
ALUMINUM ENTRANCE: CMI Architectural
ENTRANCE HARDWARE: Allegion
PAINT: Sherwin-Williams
ACCESS FLOOR: TecCrete from Global IFS
PLUMBING FIXTURES: Afwall Millennium Wall-Hung Toilet from American Standard; Faucets from Delta; and Verge Lavatory System from Bradley Corp.
LIGHTING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM: Control4