Arts District Mixed Use Building

A Downtown Space for Recreation and Gathering

This project was recently designed to be a lively social and recreational hub in a downtown environment, a space for gathering and enjoying the company of others.  The new structure was to be located on a brownfield reclamation site.  In repurposing brownfield sites and urban infill projects, we see an opportunity to work within an existing context to improve an area in a thoughtful way that benefits the surrounding community, which here included a thriving local arts scene as well as plenty of restaurants and galleries.  The concept of the project was to enliven the street edge with an Art Wall and to take advantage of views to the Adirondacks and Lake Champlain to the west.

The program includes 12 regulation bowling lanes, 6 duckpin bowling lanes, a restaurant and bar, and private indoor and outdoor event space.  The outdoor spaces are given as much consideration as the indoor ones; a second story covered deck with seating, lounging areas, and “lawn” games faces west to the Adirondacks across Lake Champlain.  A ground floor patio provides additional outdoor seating and the Arts Alley alongside the building houses interactive sculpture.  All of these elements together contribute to a space that would enhance and reflect the urban neighborhood surrounding it.