- Mixed Use Building
- Energy Efficiency
- New Construction
An energy efficient mixed use building with views of Casco Bay
This new two story mixed use building is located on a prominent site overlooking Casco Bay, with views towards a major shipping channel and the Casco Bay Islands beyond. The anchor tenant occupies 60 percent of the building, approximately 4,300 square feet, and offers upscale dining on two levels for boaters and city dwellers alike. The remainder of the building provides much needed marina facilities (lounge, laundry, toilets & showers) and 1,100 square feet of rentable office space.
The new building transitions between the largely industrial/commercial marina facilities and nearby residential developments; as a result, the project team worked with local code authorities and the neighbors to create a building that is thoughtfully sited and designed to acknowledge noise concerns, traffic and views for all.
- WELL Building Standard™ certified Silver
- LEED Gold certification
- Interior Renovation & Fit-Up
The first office in northern New England, and the first non-profit space in the Eastern United States, to meet the requirements for WELL Building Standard™ certification.
This project included a complete interior renovation and fit-up of approximately 8,800 square feet of existing space and a new 600 square foot mezzanine, within the historic Fort Andross Mill Business Center alongside the Androscoggin River, in Brunswick, Maine.
Our client requested an office space that fully reflects who they are as an organization. They wanted a space that attracts, supports and inspires their greatest asset – their talented and motivated staff, and a space that encourages collaboration. Their Objectives included creating a space that supports staff well-being and productivity, models green and sustainable design, and inspires innovative and collaborative problem solving.
Before being renovated, the office space contained walled offices that lined the exterior and high cubicles on the interior, creating a dark space with limited connection to the exterior and natural light. The new space breaks down the barriers of hierarchy to provide equality, natural daylight and inspiring views for all. Workstations with partitions high enough for ample privacy, yet low enough to allow views to the exterior windows, occupy the open office areas, while glass walled meeting rooms of varying size and flexible purpose float within the office space and provide privacy for meetings yet retain ample natural light and views to the exterior.
- Urban Revitalization
- Net Zero
- Mixed-Use
- Unbuilt (still Viable)
An exemplary unbuilt design of integrity for the City of Auburn
This notable design has never been executed, though the potential is still there for it to come to fruition one day. In 2018, the City of Auburn, Maine had requested proposals for the development of the city-owned property at 186 Main Street, Auburn, Maine. CCB, Inc (a well-known and reputable contracting company) wanted to submit a design for this property that paralleled the city’s vision for the space. They approached BRIBURN to generate a progressive design that captured the natural and historic attributes of this location while also providing a vision for people looking for a unique housing option that included a vibrant urban experience. Features of this design include walkable and bike-able access to work and to amenities such as dining, city hall, shops, health care appointments, social spaces for meeting up with friends and family, and access to natural environments for quiet enjoyment and exercise.
Our Team proposed a mixed-used development that would include a new brewery with a tasting room at the lower floor (river level), a new restaurant at street level, and three commercial office spaces at the second level. A commercial meeting room would be made available for rent at the second level and eight residential market-rate apartment units (four at the third level and four at the fourth level) would be provided above. The units would include balconies for either a view out onto the river or down onto bustling Main Street. The basement (lower level) would include the brewery, storage for commercial tenants, storage for residential tenants, and a loading dock area.
The building would support renewable power generation in the form of roof-mounted photovoltaic panels. This would have the potential to make the business and residential levels (floors 2-4) Net Zero.
A historic renovation restores the Jose Block at 80 Exchange St. back into a thriving, efficient, comfortable, gem of the Old Port.
The owners, 80 Exchange LLC, sought to perform a historic renovation of the Jose Block (also known as 80 Exchange) converting the class ‘C-B’ office spaces of the upper floors into class ‘A’ spaces in the heart of the Old Port. The owners wished to bring back this once handsome building and restore its place in the urban fabric as a good neighbor, and a leader in community development. Briburn led a team of design professionals in this endeavor and partnered with Warren Construction to execute the renovation.
The exterior façade of the building was renovated and the street level storefront restored. The entrance, lobby, and common spaces were renovated to create a more welcome and modern tone. A new dormer was added to the south roof allowing the fourth floor to be expanded and filled with light. The existing truss structure of the fourth floor was sanded and sealed and celebrated as a character-defining feature. The third floor was completely opened up. Partitions were removed and the 8’ ceiling was expanded to 14’ thus restoring this level to a more open and dramatic space. A mechanical mezzanine was added to house a highly sophisticated and efficient chilled beam system to provide cooling and balanced ventilation. The windows were replaced with more efficient and historically appropriate double hung windows. The building’s exterior was insulated and sealed, and the building’s structure was reinforced and the floors were leveled. New finishes were installed throughout with new energy-efficient lighting. The Trompe l’oeil mural on the wall that faced the park was deteriorating and the wall beneath was in need of restoration. The wall was restored and a commission was established to seek public submissions and a new mural was designed and installed by artist Will Sears.
The Jose Block has been transformed from a building that has been negatively modified over the past five decades, to one that has leveraged its historic character, integrated modern technologies, and has been given new life for many decades more while enhancing the urban streetscape and its community.
