Adaptive Re-use in Buffalo Bridges Past and Present in Design, Amenities

[ By Donna L. Kostrzewski ]

LCo at Exchange is a 10-story, 600,000-square-foot building in Buffalo that has been transformed from an empty warehouse to a vibrant office complex. Shown above is its on-site caf‚, which seats 380.

Reusing old buildings or converting empty downtown warehouse space for modern commercial use is something other cities have been doing for years. Buffalo, where too often developers are reluctant to make the first move, demanded a pioneering spirit for such a venture. CityView Properties (CVP) made that move when it purchased a large empty warehouse in July 2002; today the Larkin at Exchange Building (LCo) is a handsome, completely renovated, Class A commercial office building situated on a 15-acre urban campus.

Driving past the building each day during the years he owned a neighborhood company, Howard Zemsky, one of four partners of CVP, never imagined that his future involvement in the 600,000-square-foot, 10-story building's rebirth would strike an emotional chord in so many Buffalonians.

CVP knew it was important to introduce and explain its ambitious plans to homeowners in the densely populated neighborhood located in the shadow of the huge building. Many of these residents had previously worked in the building when it was owned by Graphic Controls; some elderly neighbors even had fond memories and stories of working for John D. Larkin. In April 2003, almost 400 invitations were sent to all the residential neighbors for a weeknight open house and presentation. The event was well-attended. The cooperation, understanding and excitement of the neighbors seeing the building come back to life was another component of the property's success.

Various conference centers are available throughout the building. There is also an on-site taxi service available for ferrying tenants to in-city appointments.

A new chapter in the building's historic story began when the five-decade-old Graphic Control signs were removed from its exterior upper corners of the building and the original concrete-cast LCo signs were unexpectedly revealed. CVP refurbished these nearly 100-year- old signs and the LCo logo.

The property is located in a New York State Empire Zone, which provides investment incentives to both owners and tenants. Within 24 months of CVP's one-million-dollar purchase and $10 million initial private equity investment plan, the cost of improvements to the Larkin at Exchange Building grew to over $40 million.

The initial 2002 plans included the installation of 2,200 large, aluminum-framed windows, accounting for 90 percent of the building's exterior.

Renovation plans also included the need to gut and pour 600,000 square feet of new concrete floors. After several adhered surfaces failed in trials to provide a smooth, modern surface for tenant buildout, the owners faced the reality that 100 years worth of wood, concrete, asphalt, and vinyl had to be chopped, chipped, hammered and pounded in order for it to be removed floor by floor.

The steel and concrete construction allows for floor load capacities in excess of 225 pounds per square foot. This is compliant with the rigid requirements for seismic safety set forth by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and, along with satisfactory security specifications, allowed for the 50,000-square-foot occupancy by U.S. Custom Border and Protection at Larkin at Exchange.

On-site amenities include a $180,000 fitness center, available 24/7, plus a convenience store that is open until 7 p.m. Amenities are named after popular lines of Larkin Company goods.

The dimensions of the LCo Building (600 feet x 100 feet) present a challenge regarding egress. Today, all 1,500 occupants are accommodated by the division of the main and center lobbies, which together provide access to six passenger elevators. Four elevators were refurbished and modernized from previously existing elevators; two of these were converted from freight elevators. The final two ADA passenger elevators each have a 2,500 pound load capacity and occupy new vertical shafts that run between floors one through five.

An electronic access system allows for all vertical access within the building and all general ingress to be secured at pre-programmed times or in case of an emergency. Manned security operates at both the main and central lobbies. Vicinity access control cards are provided to tenants. The entire perimeter of the Larkin at Exchange Building is under CCTV surveillance.

When major parts of the United States experienced power blackouts in August 2003, the partners of CVP made another important renovation decision regarding emergency power. By then, the purchase of an emergency power generator satisfying code requirements for life safety systems had already been finalized. Due to the negative effect of the deregulation of the utility industry on the reliability of local and national power grids, however, assurance against any such power problems became a desired feature.

The million-dollar-plus Building Standby Power System (BSPS) is installed in the former steam power plant building east of the building. Consisting of three 1,250 kilowatt generators driven by diesel engines, the BSPS is capable of powering the complex for a relatively indefinite period of time with minimal, if any, disruption to normal operation. A multi-tenant commercial office building capable of offering such an extensive backup power supply is very rare in Western New York, if not the nation.

A Storied History Three years ago, a red brick monolith stood as another underused relic of Buffalo's past. Built in 1912 by John Larkin for the Larkin Soap Company and taken over by Graphic Controls in the early 1960s, the building is an important part of Buffalo's history of commerce and industry as well as the work of Frank Lloyd Wright. The Larkin Soap Company had been the biggest mail-order company in the world in the first half of the 20th century. John Larkin has been referred to as the "Bill Gates" of his time. At its pinnacle, the Larkin Soap Company was a highly innovative and successful marketing and manufacturing firm. By the early 1900s, the company encompassed more than 500 acres of floor space for manufacturing and distribution. The company's heyday came in the 1920s, when 1.5 million customers bought domestic necessities through the mail and the company grossed $21 million annually while employing 4,000 workers and publishing bi-annual product catalogs. By 1912 the need for more space became apparent as the Larkin Soap Company's growing volume of manufacturing came to include coffee, furniture, candy and toothpaste, in addition to soap. In response, the Larkin Terminal Warehouse, today CVP's premier office building, was constructed. For the ease of loading and transporting Larkin goods, the building was designed with four train tracks spanning the 600-foot length of the interior. Graphic Control Corporation grew out of the Larkin Soap Company and occupied this building until 1999. Frank Lloyd Wright was commissioned by John Larkin to design the Larkin Administration Building, a stunning success complete with air conditioning and an open, central work space that was lost to demolition in the 1950s. This outstanding piece of architecture no longer stands, but at least four of the Larkin Board Members had their homes designed by Wright, including Darwin D. Martin. Today, four decades after Wright's death, Howard Zemsky of CVP is a member of the board of directors heading up the Darwin Martin Restoration to preserve Wright's architectural brilliance in Buffalo.

Creating On-Site Community Amenities
Amenities within the fully refurbished LCo Building, such as the Sweet Home Childcare Center and the Chautauqua Caf‚, take their names from popular lines of Larkin Company goods. Design of the Sweet Home Childcare Center, operated by a well-respected community association, promotes safety and stimulation, with large windows filling the classrooms with natural light. These classrooms are open and spacious for children to intermingle with friends while establishing a sense of independence. The walls are frequently redecorated with bright and colorful children's artwork to provide encouragement to the children and a fun environment.

Chautauqua Caf‚ seats 380 people and is a full service restaurant managed by Sodexho, complete with a sous-chef station, soup and salad stations as well as panini/sandwich and grill stations, to name a few menu options offered each business day. Additionally, the Larkin Store, a small convenience store located off of the main lobby, is open weekdays until 7 p.m. and provides staple food items, postage stamps, greeting cards, sundries and a dry-cleaning service. Various conference centers are available within the building and there is extensive parking outside of the building. The Hubbard Fitness Center, located on the sixth floor, is available to all tenants 24/7 via an electronic access key, obtained with a nominal membership fee. This $180,000 facility includes private shower rooms and lockers and an expansive glass wall spanning the facilities room with a pleasant southern view. The extensive amenities provided reflect John Larkin's spirit as strongly as the move of CVP's offices into LCo in 2004, made because management recognized the importance of being on-site.

Bridging Past and Present in Design
The railroad tracks of the former Larkin Terminal Warehouse are recalled by the patterns of ceramic tiles in both the main and central lobby in the newly dubbed Larkin at Exchange Building. Also echoed is John Larkin's strong reputation for promoting a healthy balance between employees' professional and personal lives. He had provided employees with a fitness area and organized activities, such as drum corps and swimming groups, as a counterpoint to the pressures of their jobs.

CVP partners William Jones, Joseph Petrella, Douglas Swift and Howard Zemsky are jointly responsible for the management and development of the Larkin at Exchange Building as well as the Root Building, City Centre and 598 Main Street in Buffalo.

CVP's partners are proud of their restoration of this historic building and the renewal of the philosophical legacy of the Larkin Company. Bridging the success of the past into the future, CVP's success in urban revitalization is underscored by tremendous community cooperation and support. Last year, NAIOP's Upstate New York Chapter gave the building its Adaptive Re-use Award.

CVP had envisioned an eclectic, vibrant mix of tenants that would be part of Buffalo's revitalization. The company wanted to return this location to the vibrant hub of economic activity that it had been. After three years, with 78 percent occupancy, the Larkin at Exchange Building is not only a hub of economic activity, but also a testimony to the rejuvenation possible when developers are brave enough to make the first move.

Donna L. Kostrzewski is vice president of marketing and tenant relations at CityView Properties.

For more information

CityView Properties
www.cityviewbuffalo.com