Center for Developing Entrepreneurs in Charlottesville, Virginia by EskewDumezRipple and Wolf Ackerman

Article source: EskewDumezRipple and Wolf Ackerman

Envisioning multiuse space for entrepreneurs, designers, and developers, and additional ground floor retail, the new 215,000-square-foot Center of Developing Entrepreneurs (CODE) will act as a connective ligature between the institutional, commercial, and the historic avenues of the city. The project will feature an open-air, pedestrian gallery that will promote public circulation from the Mall to Water Street. This will be a dynamically engaging new approach to the west end of the Mall. At the center of the site, there will be an exterior courtyard with a sunken water feature and amphitheater for public and private outdoor events. As the building steps up from the Mall to Water Street, you will glimpse a series of planted rooftop terraces. Each of these outdoor terraces will serve as work and gathering spaces for tenants on each floor and provide panoramic views of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Image Courtesy © EskewDumezRipple

• Architects: EskewDumezRipple and Wolf Ackerman
• Project: Center for Developing Entrepreneurs
• Location: Charlottesville, Virginia
• Architect of Record: Wolf Ackerman
• Contractor: Hourigan Group
• Client: CSH Development
• Civil Engineer: Timmons Group, Inc.
• Structural Engineer: Fox and Associates, Inc.
• Mechanical Engineer: 2RW Consulting Engineers
• Electrical Engineer: 2RW Consulting Engineers
• Landscape: Gregg Bleam Landscape Architect

Image Courtesy © EskewDumezRipple

The building will include one level of subgrade parking that will feature electric vehicle charging stations. Parking spaces may be converted to alternate uses in anticipation of evolving transportation trends. The project will also provide a variety of retail spaces on its ground floor along with the main lobby entry on the Downtown Mall. A secondary entrance to the lobby will also be provided on Water Street. The Water Street side lobby is spacious and may serve as a coworking studio when not being used as a state-of-the-art 200-plus seat auditorium. The auditorium will serve both tenant specific uses and local community events.

At the ground floor, the brick facade will be replaced by a glazed storefront to expose a unique public space intended to enliven the street and promote connectivity. An interior plaza will also serve to extend the terminus of the main thoroughfare, Main Street, with a direct connection to adjacent Water Street. The move will facilitate access between the adjoining areas and allow further retail space to be integrated into the surrounding pedestrian mall.

Image Courtesy © EskewDumezRipple

Image Courtesy © EskewDumezRipple

CODE is on track for LEED Platinum certification. The design employs systems and technologies even beyond LEED standards, that will increase the fresh air exchange, provide fine-tuned environmental controls allowing for natural ventilation and daylighting. Additionally, the building has been designed to harvest and reuse rainwater for green roof irrigation. The building’s envelope is designed to meet the AIA’s 2030 challenge for efficiency and thermal performance. The project is estimated to be completed later this year.

Image Courtesy © EskewDumezRipple

Image Courtesy © EskewDumezRipple

Image Courtesy © EskewDumezRipple

Image Courtesy © EskewDumezRipple

Image Courtesy © EskewDumezRipple

Image Courtesy © EskewDumezRipple

Image Courtesy © EskewDumezRipple

Image Courtesy © EskewDumezRipple

Image Courtesy © EskewDumezRipple

Image Courtesy © EskewDumezRipple

Image Courtesy © EskewDumezRipple

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Tags: Charlottesville, Virginia

Categories: Building, Mall, Mixed use, Office Building, office Complex, Office space, Offices, Retail

This entry was posted on Tuesday, May 18th, 2021 at 9:20 am. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.