Download Lofts at SoCo - BKA Architects, Inc

Brockton, Massachusetts
Facts & Figures
Owner/Developer: Brockton
Lofts at SoCo
Centre Street, LLC, Boston, MA (a
joint venture between Juliano
enterprises and Cathartes Private
Investments)
Type of Project: New lofts in a
renovated shoe factory
Architect: BKA Architects, Inc.,
Brockton, MA
General Contractor: Tedeschi
Realty Corporation, Rockland, MA
Size: 89,000 gross square feet
Cost: $8.45 million (total)
Construction Time: May 2004 October 2005
The Need: Urban lofts in a
suburban area that make use
of an abandoned factory
The Challenge: Dealing with
constructability issues in the
historic building
Photos courtesy of Todd Pollock
Supportive Team Members
The invention of the McKay
“While there were not any major
All-Phase Electrical Services,
Inc.
Electrical Contractor
Sewing Machine in 1851, which
roadblocks during the project,
could attach soles to the upper
the greatest challenges faced...
Canton Masonry, Inc.
Masonry
section of a shoe without using
were issues that arose during the
pegs, helped expand the indus-
construction phase, and which
trial town of Brockton, Mass. It
are not uncommon in other
Gleeson Powers, Inc.
Caulking & Waterproofing
New England Gypsum Floors
Floor Underlayment & Cementitious
Decks
Sign Design, Inc.
Sign & Graphic Solutions
Tower Blast & Paint Inc.
Sandblasting
became one of the largest shoe-
loft
buildings,”
said
Juliano.
producing centers in America
piece of Brockton history while
“Generally
when government orders came
providing quality new housing
construction
in for army shoes during the
was intriguing,” he said. “There
assessed...when the property is
American
the
is uniqueness inherent in the his-
acquired and are merely an
1930s, Brockton was home to
tory of the building that can’t be
accepted part of the renovation
approximately 60 shoe factories
overlooked, [and] from an aes-
of a 100-year-old [factory]. The
employing more than 30,000
thetic standpoint, exposed brick
[team]
workers. Today, the area is no
and beam construction captures
ensure all constructability issues
longer
Civil
War.
dependent
By
on
speaking,
these
obstacles
worked
tirelessly
are
to
these
the flavor of traditional urban loft
were appropriately addressed
factories, leaving many of them
living that is often only available
and solutions were considered
abandoned.
in major urban centers….”
with the end user in mind at
One empty shoe factory real-
The seven-story building now
ized its future through a residen-
contains a media room, a fitness
all times.”
Keeping future residents in
tial adaptive reuse project. The
center and storage on the below-
mind throughout the project has
100-year-old,
89,000-gross-
grade floor, and 64 residential
resulted in a high-quality adap-
square-foot Etonic shoe factory is
units on the six above-ground
tive reuse that is garnering a
now home to the Lofts at SoCo.
floors. The lofts range in size
wealth of positive attention. In
According to Michael Juliano,
from 885 square feet to 1,126
fact, the Lofts at SoCo has been
president of Juliano Enterprises,
square feet and include two bed-
so successful that, according to
the project’s owner/developer in
rooms; two bathrooms; expan-
Barry Koretz, AIA, president of
a joint venture with Cathartes
sive windows; wood floors; nine-
BKA Architects, Inc., the project’s
Private Investments, renovating
foot-tall,
wood
architect, many other factory-to-
the historic factory to house lofts
ceilings; granite countertops;
residence conversions are now
allowed not only the preserva-
stainless steel appliances; and
taking place in the area. It seems
tion of an obsolete building, but
custom paint.
Brockton
sandblasted
also the provision of urban-style
Constructability issues with
lofts in the suburban community.
the historic building posed chal-
“The opportunity to revitalize a
lenges to the team early on.
reprinted from the 2007 new england edition of the real estate & construction review
has
found
a
modern way to hold on to its
industrial history. — Kelli Cook
multiunit residential