Architects finish up renovation of building at Railroad and Webb

Cameron Aslaksen Architects LLC announces its move to the renovated warehouse building at the corner of Railroad Street and South Webb Avenue.

Records indicate the building was in existence in 1898 as a storage facility for produce and seed. The timber frame and foundation still were solid, paving the way for saving the structure that is a rare survivor from Reedsburgs historic warehouse row district.

Restoration efforts were led by the new building owner, Warehouse Row LLC, founded by CAA architects Jan Aslaksen, Richard Smith and Dave Cameron. The building has been reborn as Warehouse Row and offers retail and office rental space on the first floor, while the architects occupy the second floor. Showcasing the timber framework was a design imperative.

We felt it was important to put into practice what we strongly believe in, Dave Cameron said, that we can learn from and restore historic structures to become vital parts of our communities again, all the while keeping the character and sentiment that takes so long to create and is too easily lost. It requires a little extra effort, but the end result is very rewarding, and with proper planning can be much more cost effective than a new structure.

Historic buildings are part of the fabric of our communities, giving them a unique character, said Jan Aslaksen. Renovating these buildings to give them new life helps preserve that fabric. It can also support sustainability by recycling the building materials in place even as we improve their efficiency and function. We hope this project demonstrates the potential for vitality in our existing building stock.

Mechanicals for the original freight elevator were left as a sculptural element on the second floor. Along the exterior front, a small garden or natural area will be created to complement the barn/warehouse-style inspired exterior.

An open house is planned for October.

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Architects finish up renovation of building at Railroad and Webb