Modern rugs sit atop original 100-year-old hardwoods. Refurbished exposed steel and brick are elevated with intricate molding in earth and jewel tones, reminiscent of the buildings’ original era.
Among the more interesting elements, an existing freight elevator was preserved in its original place as an architectural feature.
The historic storefront with wavy glass was restored to its original condition, and existing steel casement windows were refinished with period materials and methods to maintain the historic feature. Historic restoration wood windows were clad in aluminum for ease of maintenance—again aligning with the historic appearance.
The new buildings contain structural steel framing, concrete slabs on deck and metal stud wall framing. Waterproofing and damp-proofing efforts used the most modern methods available. Thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO) roofing material was used for the majority of the project, except one building, which incorporated architectural standing-seam roofing.
A few things were added to the “stuff you encounter when refurbishing 100-year-old buildings” list, including the need for significant shoring and underpinning of the existing buildings and creating new adjacent buildings with enhanced foundations and basement features. The team also discovered a full-sized tree that had grown through a basement wall in one of the buildings! The tree had to be removed and that portion of the structure was rebuilt.
Designed to Inspire
As the construction timeline progressed, the spaces were brought to life through inspiring design.
The grand public spaces allow guests the freedom to lounge in large common areas while enjoying abundant intimate vignettes. The oversized lobby opens onto a beautifully manicured courtyard, which is centered in the middle of the five-building complex. The courtyard’s lush landscaping was guided by The North Carolina Arboretum and includes fire pits, as well as rocking chairs and other comfortable seating for entertainment activities.
In the guest rooms, the team took advantage of having five unique buildings and several different room layouts. Brick was left exposed where possible, and fine furnishings are embellished by different amenities, such as kitchenettes, built-in shelves and cabinets, and stunning tile and marble bathrooms.
Challenges Conquered for a Bright Future
When faced with major restoration and construction on a small site in a downtown area with limited space and accessibility, the team meticulously coordinated trade contractor activities and deliveries to maximize the use of space and streamline productivity to avoid bottlenecks.
Through constant, clear communication, the project site enjoyed smooth operation throughout with the project team readily available to address any questions—from budget to schedule and beyond—or issues. This helped the team deliver the project on budget and on schedule with site safety paramount, which resulted in zero lost-time incidents.
As this corner of Asheville, N.C., continues to grow and come back to life, The Foundry Hotel will be a beautiful nod to the area’s history and a luxurious retreat for travelers for decades to come.
PHOTOS: Bruce McCamish unless otherwise noted
Retrofit Team
CLIENT: Encore Lodging
GENERAL CONTRACTOR: The Christman Company
ARCHITECT: Studio Z Architecture
ENGINEER: NV5, formerly Mulkey
HISTORIC ARCHITECT: RedClay Design and Development
INTERIOR DESIGN: Lagom Interiors
Materials
FLOORING: Armstrong Flooring and Daltile
HVAC: Trane
WINDOWS: Oldcastle BuildingEnvelope and Marvin Windows
ELEVATOR: Otis
LIGHTING: Philips, Lithonia Lighting, Forte Lighting, Logico from Artemide, Liton Lighting, Progress Lighting, Solavanti Lighting, Kalco Lighting, Hubbardton Forge and George Kovacs