Work

Van Vorst Building Reuse

Preserving a 20th Century Landmark Building: Engineering a retrofit of the C.B. Van Vorst Company building in Seattle’s South Lake Union neighborhood

The C.B. Van Vorst Company Building in Seattle’s South Lake Union neighborhood has been a longstanding iconic feature since 1909. As a result, the preservation of the historic facility became a priority. DCI Engineers provided structural design solutions that allowed the building to be retrofitted and rebuilt.

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Location:
Seattle, Washington
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Square Feet:
42,000
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Stories:
3
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Service:
Structural
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Industries:
Seismic/Adaptive Renovation
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Primary Material:
Concrete

Project Highlights

  • The building’s interior framing and a portion of the exterior walls were completely demolished with the only remaining elements consisting of the front façade and half of each side façade.
  • Provided details for construction sequencing to temporarily support the existing façade while allowing the construction of the new interior steel framing.
  • Van Vorst and the adjacent buildings all host the Amazon headquarters.

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