ODG was engaged to design a 2,300 gsf addition to a historic office building located in the heart of Old Town Alexandria, Virginia. Third floor architectural studios were added to the rear of the building and ODG suggested restoring the turn of the century façade to its original appearance. ODG prepared space programming, space planning, schematics, a building code assessment, and design development drawings. Services included handicap accessible design and coordinating with planning, zoning, and code enforcement agencies, as well as the city’s Board of Architectural Review. Space planning included the design of the kitchen, server rooms, and architectural studios, including equipment and furniture. ODG prepared documents and contextual renderings of the proposed addition for neighborhood meetings.
Sustainable features included utilizing an existing cistern in the basement to collect rainwater for flushing toilets. This project was found to be eligible for approximately 26 LEED credits. The project included mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire suppression systems, as well as ADA accessibility upgrades. The estimated cost was $1.7 million.