GMS Associate Partner Andrew Dolan, P.E., S.E., has published an editorial in the October issue of Structure Magazine! The article, entitled “Office to Residential Conversions – The Opportunities and The Challenges,” delves into the various aspects of office-to-residential conversions.
Dolan’s article details the nationwide housing crisis, the structural implications of converting office buildings into apartment buildings, and the impact of elements such as building codes and economic implications on these types of projects. Dolan has been working on two office-to-residential conversions along with Joseph Basel and Jonathan Hernandez in the Financial District of Manhattan; he derived much of his article from his experiences working on these projects.
25 Water Street (rendering above, courtesy of Cetra Ruddy) is a 22-story, 1.1 million sf office tower being converted into a residential building. The project includes a 10-story addition, two new egress stairs, 2 new courtyards within the existing building to provide light and air, 5 new elevators, as well as new cladding building systems. GMS designed the reinforcement of the existing building vertically and laterally due to the new addition.
160 Water Street is a 24-story office tower being converted into 588 market rate rental apartments. An interstitial mechanical floor will be infilled, and 5 new floors will be added atop the existing structure. A new lateral bracing system was added to the entire height of the building to accommodate the new wind loading from the additional floors. The curtain wall will be reskinned to create operable windows, with the spandrels and mullions treated to create a refreshing new façade. The new residential building will offer water views, and an array of amenities including a bowling alley, gym, spa, and an extensive rooftop landscape complete with outdoor cooking and dining areas.
Click on the link below to read Dolan’s article on page 9, and keep an eye out for GMS staff in future issues of Structure Magazine!