Featured Project: Frederick Book Arts Center
Interior of Main Function Room.
Frederick Book Arts Center
Bates Architects, LLC
Frederick, MD
Bates Architects LLC (BA) has 20 years of experience with adaptive reuse projects in the City of Frederick MD Historic District. FREDERICK BOOK ARTS CENTER (FBAC) is located at 127 S Carroll Street in downtown Frederick, and they are focused on teaching and mentoring the community in the “Art of the Book”. This includes the crafts and technologies used throughout history in the creation of artwork, printing and binding which are all involved in the collaborative process of Bookmaking. The final space features a lecture / gallery area, professional darkroom, lithography lab, silk screen printing, typography systems, binding and restoration. The spaces can accommodate a variety of private and public functions.
Exterior, Completed Project. Photo Credit: ©2024 CPI Productions
The original building was used over the years as a variety of business and services including originally as a farm supply center supporting the farm industry in Frederick. The original portion of the building dates from 1908 and was likely the first of a series of expansions and additions creating a building divided into three parts (A, B & C).
The site is in the Historic District of the City of Frederick and thus the renovations were required to meet the guidelines of the Frederick Historic Commission. BA’s experience with working in historic districts throughout Maryland, including a significant number of projects within the City of Frederick, helped the project to move smoothly through the approval process. The approvals also included the select demolition and replacement of an historic portion of the building.
The building had been vacant for some time and was in serious disrepair. From the old concrete floors to the beveled faced CMU, the original hand crimped metal roof with metal barn vents and wood barn doors all required repairs. Many of the newer building elements and all the MEP systems were outdated and beyond repair. Since many of the building elements were older than 50 years, the plan was to restore or replace specific features to maintain the historical integrity of the structure and site.
Displayed Book Making Artifacts. Photo Credit: ©2024 CPI Productions
Original Facade. Photo Credit: ©Bates Architects
It was determined through research and confirmed in subsurface investigations that the building was likely developed on the site of an old stone quarry. The site was backfilled over time with old building materials and debris to backfill and level the site. The instability of the backfill over time and compounded by the earthquake experienced in Maryland years ago caused significant damage and settlement to the building shell.
In Building B (the middle building) there was a dramatic settlement of the floors, the masonry walls and bearing elements of the old roof wood truss structure. Building C presented a similar settlement though to a lesser degree.
Construction Photo—removal and replacement of footings and walls. Photo credit: ©Bates Architects
BA worked with the City of Frederick HPC and the DPS Office to remove Building C in its entirety and a significant portion of Building B (which required shoring of the original heavy timber wood trusses). This would allow for the subsurface work to be accomplished. The new foundation solution was a unique gabion system of wire cages and stone. This was determined to be the best, cost-efficient foundation to resist the poor soils and support the new building shell. Buildings B and C were then replaced in their original footprint with similar materials and the wood framing elements straightened and reinforced. Building A damage was limited to floor and wall cracks and these were repaired, reinforced or replaced.
Floor Plans. Image Credit: ©Bates Architects
Building A houses the main public function areas, art galleries, gift shop and administrative offices. There are meeting rooms, public restrooms and catering / warming kitchen. The project site and building were not ADA accessible from the street. Building A is now the new accessible entrance to the entire project.
Building B has the main educational spaces for FBAC including machinery and tools to produce books in modern and historic methods, various printing processes, photography as well as preservation and repair. The spaces for each process in this area are spaced to allow for teaching, presentations or general use of the equipment. An outdoor space for expanded functions and employee uses was provided in the new design.
Building C will house additional equipment and processes as well as providing additional educational space.
The interior aesthetic desired by FBCA was to retain the best of the historic elements and details of the original agrarian building. The original openings were limited by the barn type sliding or overhead doors. These openings were replaced with modern storefront, but the historic barn doors were retained along with the remaining wood transoms. The finishes and lighting for the three spaces were selected to create a bright space for education, art gallery display and other functions.
The building should now serve FBCA and the community for years to come and join several projects as an anchor for the new Carrol Street Arts District.
Project Partners:
Structural Engineer: Smoley Engineers & Consultants, LLC
MEP Engineer: MG Thompson Engineering, Inc.
Project Manager: MDM Consulting
General Contractor: Waynesboro Construction Co. Inc.
Bates Architects, LLC is an Architectural Firm Annual Partner of AIA Potomac Valley.
Visit their website for more information and projects.
