CPG was engaged to assist with the historic rehabilitation tax credit application to provide guidance and expertise on the preservation of the building.
Commonwealth
Pure Oil Station | Peach Street Books | 401 Mason Avenue
Historic Building Renovation
Historic Research
Historic Tax Credit Consulting
Pure Oil Station | Peach Street Books | 401 Mason Avenue
Partners
Parham Architect
RBW Design
Virginia Department of Historic Resources
National Park Service
Project Goals
In 2016, after several years of vacancy, the former gas and service station located at 401 Mason Avenue, was purchased to be transformed into a bookstore and cafe. was purchased to be transformed into a bookstore and cafe. The c1920s Tudor Revival English cottage-style building was one of the stock designs created by the Pure Oil company.
Project Design
Prior years of vacancy and neglect mean that the building was in poor condition at the start of the project. Despite this, the building retained a number of the character-defining historic features of this unique gas station style, including the steeply pitched Ludowici blue tile roof, paired chimneys, wood shutters, decorative copper and iron elements, and wood windows.
Priority was placed on retaining the remaining historic features while updating the interior for use as a bookstore. Given its former use as a gas station, CPG utilized Preservation Brief No. 46, The Preservation and Reuse of Historic Gas Stations, to inform building treatment decisions.
Challenges & Accomplishments
Due to its change in use, the interior of the building required updates to add ADA access and to accommodate modern systems, including those to support bathrooms and a kitchen for the cafe. Additionally, the site was uninviting for the intended business at the start of the project.
The applicant utilized the non-contributing 1950s garage addition to insert necessary bathrooms, systems and services for the cafe, and an ADA access ramp, allowing the historic gas station to retain the majority of its historic interior features with few modifications. On the exterior, the site was improved to create parking and a patio.
