Home remodeling project revitalizes historic Portland dance hall through collaboration by Pencil Work Studio and Portland and Seattle remodeler Hammer & Hand.
Portland and Seattle general contractor Hammer & Hand announced today the completion of a commercial-to-residential home remodeling project in Portland’s Brooklyn Neighborhood. Designed by architect Elizabeth Williams of Pencil Work Studio, the remodeling project gave new life to a historic Portland dance hall by transforming it into a modern, urban loft.
“It was an interesting challenge to convert this 8,000 square-foot commercial space into a livable urban loft,” said Hammer & Hand project manager Kevin Guinn. “We remodeled the upstairs as a residential loft and created a music and rehearsal space down below.”
Throughout the course of its life, the early 20th century building has seen a myriad of different uses, serving as a nickelodeon, school, place of worship, and dance hall. Although the building has a history as rich as the neighborhood that surrounds it, before the home remodeling project began it stood dank, dark and abandoned.
“We started with a cold 100 year-old masonry commercial building that had several different incarnations in its lifetime,” said Kevin. “But once we removed the patchwork of interior walls, the building became wide open.”
As the remodeling project progressed, the design introduced clean and modern lines to the building yet honored the aesthetics of the original 1900’s construction with the preservation of the openings and sightlines that the structure had to offer.
Deconstruction rather than demolition of the original structure allowed the Portland remodeling team to salvage and upcycle framing lumber, doors, and interior windows, paying homage to the dance hall’s historic heritage.
“Even though it’s open and large and really a generous space, we were able to make the building warm and livable,” said Kevin. “Not just industrial.”
Learn more about the commercial-to-residential remodel in this video walkthrough and interview. More about Portland home remodeling services by Hammer & Hand is available at https://hammerandhand.com/residential-remodel.
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