ACS was involved in the rehabilitation process of this beautiful 1920 brick building to prepare it for its new iteration as Brooklyn’s first Patagonia. The storied Williamsburg structure near the banks of the East River is in what was once a mayonnaise factory. The ACS team led the updates to the building, respecting its history to let its original details shine whenever possible.

As a first step, critical structural changes needed to be completed for the two-story space to be used effectively as a retail setting. ACS began by removing a large column that was in the center of the store’s front entrance. To do this, we added two columns on the sides of the entry with new footings to bear the weight of the floor above, as well as steel beams to shore up the second story ceiling. By reimagining the column placement, we were able to make stark changes to the customer experience when stepping through the entryway. The result was a clear view of the store from the entrance and a newly reinforced building structure.

The second step was to add a main stairwell in the common area of the store to reach the second floor. In the original design one could only access the second floor by using stairs found by the side entrances to the building. The area was opened and reinforced with steel to accommodate the stairs that offer not only practical purpose for customer flow but make a stunning design statement.

Once the space was prepared for the Patagonia outpost, ACS refurbished the space to let original features speak for themselves. With a balanced mix of concrete, steel, original wood elements and exposed ceilings and ductwork throughout, the experience is perfectly industrial and outdoorsy, all at the same time.

Architect
Epoch Design Group

Size
12,000 Square Feet