The renovation of The Merchant, a 5,800-square-foot coworking office space located in Olde Towne East, is a prime example of how historic character can meet modern needs.
Through our expertise with historic renovations, we brought to life our client’s vision for a light and bright space while working in tandem with 2 historic and one area commission.
The first floor, originally a grocery store, now has an open, coffee-shop feel with a conference room, huddle area, and community kitchen space.
The second and third floors, once divided into apartments, are now bright, open private offices for rent. A few strategic cuts in the walls resulted in a more open space with a lot of natural light.
Having been renovated before, many of the original building materials were long gone. We salvaged as much of the original character of the building as possible, from original trim to wood floors. New materials were carefully chosen to complement original features. And then there are fun, hidden touches, like a white board hidden behind pocket doors in a conference room.
On the exterior, we opened up the first floor storefront, reopened bricked-in windows, and restored the original arched openings to allow as much natural light in as possible. And along the side of the building, the original arched doorway was reopened, which now leads to a secluded patio for outdoor gatherings.
The Arena Grand Theater gets a new life with this renovation to house Nationwide's Innovation space, The CoOperative.
Our team helped to transform the former daily newspaper headquarters — and recent addition to the Historic Register of Places — into a modern work space without losing its historic integrity
Our team’s task: Prove that the first and second floor office space in the skinny, low-ceilinged Dispatch Building could be transformed into a modern, inspired mix of private offices, collaboration spaces, reception, and meeting rooms.
About The Author
Stephanie Hayward - Architecture
Stephanie began her architectural career in a Bowling Green, Ohio elementary school art room where she designed her first dream home out of foam core. She ultimately traveled to Columbus to hone her craft at Ohio State University where she received her Master of Architecture. After graduating she opted to stay in Columbus to practice architecture and share her talents with the community by promoting design awareness and advocating for women in architecture through her involvement in the AIA and The Center for Architecture and Design. She has also taught design studios at Ohio State and is a guest critic at reviews.