The c1894 Seaboard Coastline Building served as a terminal and headquarters of the Seaboard Air Line Railroad. In the 1980s, the building underwent a substantial renovation which transformed the building into a mixed-use property. In 2015, the building underwent a historic rehabilitation tax credit application to position it for continued use as a commercial and residential property.
Project Design
CPG provided building treatment recommendations to upgrade the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems, as well as the floor, wall, and ceiling finishes within the existing residential and commercial spaces. The upgrades to the systems, plans, and finishes allowed the team to maintain the existing layout, including the commercial spaces, hallways, and public spaces. CPG’s guidance was particularly useful as the building had previously been renovated in 1988, resulting in the removal of a substantial amount of historic materials and the insertion of several modern additions. Despite the previous loss of historic character, the applicant was able to utilize the additional square footage added during the renovation to meet space use programming requirements and unit counts. Due to the flexibility the renovation afforded the client, they were also able to remove a one-story, water-facing addition to create a pool deck. CPG provided guidance on removing this addition to ensure it did not negatively impact any of the remaining historic material.
Challenges & Accomplishments
The Seaboard Coastline Building is located in a flood zone and consequently required the insertion of a flood wall - a city requirement - at the front of the building to flood-proof the structure. The team first needed to coordinate with the Virginia Department of Historic Resources (VDHR) to receive approval for the flood wall. The team met with VDHR staff in Richmond to discuss this project and receive necessary guidance to meet the city’s flood compliance requirements. CPG was able to balance these requests without jeopardizing the client’s use of tax credits.
