Taking the old, making it new
Retrofitting iQ Credit Union’s new headquarters breathes life into a former city building
BY CHARITY THOMPSON of the VBJ
October 17th, 2008
Vancouver-based iQ Credit Union had plenty of options for developing its new headquarters. But when a city building that once housed a bank in downtown Vancouver became available, iQ put that option on the top of its list.
There was just one catch. The four-story building at 13th and Main streets required extensive renovation, structurally and aesthetically. Enough that, save the concrete structure and an elevator, iQ will move into a brand-new building when renovations are complete in spring 2009.
The choice to retrofit
Early on, iQ formed a team to determine the best plan for building a new headquarters, including consultants from Seattle-based EHS Design, Team Construction and real estate firm Eric Fuller and Assoc. Inc., both of Vancouver.
“We went through an extensive due diligence process with iQ and looked at a variety of options – new buildings, renovation and (the cost to) move or not move,” said Curtis Bales, the project’s manager and design lead at EHS.
“When (iQ) saw this building available as an option they really jumped at it. To them, it had the downtown presence and that history.”
The group’s research found that renovation – particularly of a building purchased from city government – could be cost-effective and have a shorter project timeline than starting from scratch.
“It can be more expensive to build new than to retrofit,” Bales said. “For instance, in this case there was a savings in the site development cost as well as the basic building structure. It allowed the credit union to hit the ground running by utilizing this existing building as a starting point.”
Due diligence cost about $3 million and meant accounting for costs of working with city right-of-way requirements like historic trees or sidewalk widths, and preparing to handle surprises in the building, such as structural elements that didn’t always match the original architectural drawings.
“A renovation like this reinforces our understanding that extensive front-end work is really important so at the end of the day, (iQ’s) expectations are realized,” said Brett Conway, EHS partner in charge of the project. “Due diligence is not a one-week thing.”
In total, the project will cost $7.5 million, including the property acquisition. The credit union’s current headquarters is in Hazel Dell, but leaders were looking to relocate to an area more accessible to the growth of the business community, said Jim Morrell, iQ’s senior vice president of support services, who manages the project.
iQ’s downtown branch at 601 E. 16th St. will move to the new location upon completion.
A needed makeover
Tim Haldeman, the city’s director of facilities, risk and property services, managed the crew that maintained the building under city ownership. The building was originally a branch of Vancouver-based First Independent, but was bought by the city of Vancouver in the mid-1990s to provide a Citizens Service Center and offices for 110 employees.
“The bones were good, it just needed somebody to come in and give it a new life,” Haldeman said of the building.
Since its construction in the late 1960s, the building had more than its share of daily activity. But by the 1990s, it was clear that it was near the end of its operational life, Haldeman said.
“We just couldn’t cool the building down on hot days because of the computers, (the number of) people and the way the windows were set up,” Haldeman said. “There was no more electrical or IT capacity without installing conduit throughout, and that would mean drilling through three concrete floors.”
The city made it clear that rehabilitation of the building was a priority, Bales said, and seismic improvements were a condition of its sale.
In response, Team Construction added rebar, concrete and Kevlar to the pillars for seismic reinforcement.
The building also had little inside wheelchair access to facilities such as restrooms, which has been eliminated in the new interior layout. And modified sidewalks and cut curbs will provide better wheelchair and pedestrian access.
For increased energy efficiency, the building will have double-paned, glazed windows of insulated glass and up-to-date internal controls for lighting, heating and cooling.
“It’s going to make for a much more comfortable environment,” Bales said. “The new glazing allows much more daylight through than the old tinted glazing, so you’re getting better daylight, better comfort and a better view.”
While the building will be more energy efficient than it was in the past, Morrell said iQ isn’t pursuing green building certifications.
“You don’t get as many points with a retrofit as with building from the ground up,” Morrell said of the rating systems. “The costs of design don’t offset what you get in return with energy savings.”
Changes inside and outside
Inside the credit union’s branch and executive offices, the design will match the iQ branding of its nine branches. That includes the credit union’s signature red roof and awnings, along with a warm color palate of cream, dark brown, green terra cotta and bright accents and aluminum and glass features.
The branch lobby will have a computer workstation for iQ member use. A greeter’s desk on each floor will provide client services and extra security.
Outside, the building’s iQ stamp is on its revolving LED sign, which replaced a fixture that had more than 30 floodlights.
“We totally removed the guts of the sign and replaced them with enormously improved energy efficiency,” Morrell said.
To keep in step with the city’s pedestrian-friendly vision for downtown, the site will include a 25-foot-wide landscaped area, plus a walk-up ATM, bike racks and a plaza with benches.
Historic trees along Main Street will be joined at the site by new trees along Broadway Street.
The lobby’s roof will follow the motif of the neighborhood’s 1960s brick arches, as will the sidewalk canopies.
“The landscape concepts allow for a softer transition between the downtown core and the residential neighborhood to the north,” Conway said.
PRIVATE OWNER, PUBLIC PROCESS
Vancouver-based iQ Credit Union was in an unusual situation when it set out to purchase and renovate a building owned by the city of Vancouver. It meant the building’s former owner also was responsible for review of the project’s design and permits after the sale of the building.
“We’re in the financial institution business, not development, so this has been somewhat of a learning experience for us,” said Jim Morrell, iQ’s senior vice president of support services. “It gives us a better appreciation for what developers have to go through.”
A development in the city’s downtown planning zone must include pedestrian rain coverage, acorn-shaped street lamps, sidewalks at least 15 feet wide and preservation of certain historic elements.
“It’s not just the building itself, it’s the entire block and the street,” Morrell said of elements considered in the project design.
A downtown project also meant getting approval from the city’s Design Review Committee.
“We had really good discussions with (the Design Review Committee) and I would say the process strengthened the design,” said Curtis Bales, the project’s manager and design lead at Seattle-based EHS Design.
Part of that process was integrating modern elements into the building and neighborhood’s 1950s- to 1970s-era design.
“A lot of people dislike (designs of that era) because they’re new in their memory bank, but there are a lot of great examples out there,” Conway said. “We’re trying to leverage the good aspects of that era.”
“We ended up with a building that I think will be a good neighbor to the existing buildings around it,” Bales said. “It’s very modern but relates to the historic buildings of the area.”
Charity Thompson can be reached at
[email protected].
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