+  2010 PRESERVATION VIRGINIA'S PRESERVATION PROJECT OF THE YEAR

StudioAmmons managed a multi-disciplinary design team, along with Architectural Historians Willie Graham and Mark Wenger, on the restoration of the Colonial-era plantation house at Mount Pleasant. The period of interpretation was set around 1800, to make the best use of the surviving historic material. The project consisted of a comprehensive restoration and reconstruction of the entire house, in which the most historically appropriate techniques were used for every detail from hinges to moldings. All outbuildings and gardens are being restored in conjunction with the construction of new stables, garages, dock, guesthouses, and infrastructure. StudioAmmons oversaw management of the design, construction, historical research, and archaeology. 

“The most extensive private restoration project ever undertaken in the Commonwealth of Virginia”

—Elizabeth Kostelney, Executive Director, Preservation Virginia

The entire house structure was underpinned to add four feet to the height of the basement. This work had to be performed without allowing any further damage to the historic exterior walls prior to new systems going into the building.

The existing cistern was determined to be one of the only known surviving colonial era cisterns and therefore needed to be preserved. Since it was located where the wall of the new wing was to be built, it was preserved in the basement as part of the wine cellar. A bulkhead entrance on the exterior keeps the character of the historic addition without calling attention to the specialized structure and supports necessary to preserve the cistern in its original location.

StudioAmmons worked with the Stafford Regional Airport Authority on the development of their long awaited new general aviation terminal.  The terminal is built with the high lobby space designed as an interior public plaza framing its view of the airfield while bringing the sky down into the space.  The building contains an all new operations center for the airport staff, new leasable office and retail space for local businesses and FBO operations and a flexible conference room that can be leased for public use.

)(  2013 SOUTHEAST MUSEUMS CONFERENCE AWARD OF EXCELLENCE FOR EXHIBITION DESIGN

)(  PRESERVATION VIRGINIA 2013 AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN PRESERVATION AND EDUCATION

StudioAmmons was engaged by the Moton Museum to develop the interpretive plan, permanent exhibits (including identity and all printed collateral materials), and the restoration of the historic school which has been established as a National Historic Landmark. The Moton School is the site of the 1951 student strike, led by 16-year-old Barbara Johns that led to one of the five court cases included in the historic Brown v. Board of Education decision, which ultimately led to the desegregation of the public school systems in the United States. The Museum will be the National Center for the Study of Civil Rights in Education.

2011 AWARD OF EXCELLENCE - VIRGINIA DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION

8 Old Street in Petersburg, built by John Baird in the late 18th century, was one of the finest Federal commercial buildings in Virginia until the structure sustained significant damage from a tornado in 1993. Consequently the building fell into ruin as the upper two floors collapsed and the exterior walls became structurally unstable. StudioAmmons, in cooperation with the Department of Historic Resources, the city, and the owner, worked to reconstruct and renovate this architecturally significant building in the heart of the Old Towne Historic District.  The historically sensitive design was eligible for both Federal and State Historic Tax Credits. Now the building stands as a fully restored and inhabited mixed-use building, with a commercial storefront on the street level and residential apartments on the upper floors. 8 Old Street once again completes the block and reestablishes a vital piece of the historic fabric.

The late 19th-century building that now houses Demolition Coffee was known to the project team as “No-Roof” through most of the building’s design and renovation, since a fire had gutted the building and left only fragments of the exterior walls standing. StudioAmmons worked with the developers Dave McCormack and Kris Haase to creatively place a second floor with apartments at the back portion while sensitively keeping the building’s original massing and roofline.

Demolition Coffee occupies the front half of the ground floor with apartments to the rear. The space was designed to reflect a mix of industrial and historic references to the building’s past while serving as Petersburg’s premier coffee shop. The interior has a casual and intimate feel incorporating exposed brick walls, stained concrete floors and concrete counters.

We purchased what was left of this 1950's auto shop in August and needed to be in it by December.  Working as General Contractor, we led a team of subcontractors through an intense 4 month renovation, putting this derelict downtown property back to work as the StudioAmmons' office and workspace.  We have continued to develop the site which currently contains as large flower and vegetable garden providing food for us year round.  The 18 skylights provide enough natural light that for 3/4 of the year we don't need any artificial light to do our work.  We installed a waste oil furnace for our heat and we manage a few hundred worms that do a good number on our compost.  

A 102,000 s.f, 12 million dollar adaptive re-use of a early 20th c. tobacco market building in Wilson, NC

Whiligig Station is a turn of the century tobacco market building in downtown Wilson, North Carolina that has sat vacant for decades like many of these massive buildings. With such a large building footprint we worked to develop a network of interior streets to bring light and air into the building along with a strategically positioned atrium. The project includes a new city visitor center, retail and restaurant space and over 80 apartment units carefully placed within the structure of the buidling. The project received both state and federal historic tax credits.

StudioAmmons worked closely with Willie Graham, Cary Carson, Carl Lounsbury and the entire team of preservation specialists from the research department of Colonial Williamsburg to help produce over 60 illustrations for "The Chesapeake House," their comprehensive study of early buildings, landscapes and social history in the Chesapeake region.  Our work involved the creation of computer generated drawings and 3d models that would complement the tradition of hand drawings typically used in the documentation of historic structures and sites.  Here are a few examples of our work.  You'll have to buy the book to see the rest (it's on Amazon...)

We decided that our building’s best use might be as a brewery / brewpub so we created AMMO brewing as a microbrewery specializing in most anything other than IPA’s. We developed an eclectic menu of curries, gourmet dogs, pulled pork and vegan dishes covering just about everyone’s tastes somehow. But our focus was on high quality artisanal beers brewed with hands on attention to fresh local ingredients and a rich, diverse range of brews. AMMO operated for four years until family care issues, out of town, needed to take priority and something had to give. A few of our favorite brews were:

Black Racer - coffee and cream stout

Rosemary’s Baby - herbed saison

Curly Tail Brown - American brown ale

The Underminer - grisette

Crater Hop Bomb - triple IPA

Waltman’s Wit - witbier

Fup Duck - smoked porter

Bob’s Your Uncle - esb

Bolling’s Point Pale Ale - American pale ale

Two Pixies - spiced ale

Poison Trip - Belgian tripel

La Resistance - bier de garde

Udder Darkness - coffee stout

The Dictator - Russian imperial stout

Rouge Morgue - red ale

Banister’s Benediction - old spiced ale

Golden Ball Tavern Ale - golden ale

Pucker Punch - lime gose’

Black Lagoon - black IPA

ADAPTIVE REUSE OF THE city ICE WORKS AS A 30 BBL BREWERY, RESTAURANT, AND APARTMENTS

This historic ice and coal complex was renovated to become a new 30-bbl brewery distribution brewery in Old Town Petersburg with the warehouse on the property converted to apartments. The design includes a central public courtyard space with an outdoor bar. Our approach to the interior was to stabilize and do as little to the rough industrial character as possible while producing a clean and sanitary environment for the brewhouse and restaurant.

Once a dependency of the John Baird House on Grove Ave in Petersburg, Virginia, this outbuilding had fallen into serious disrepair with its stone walls and brick chimneys collapsing.  Our client was not dismayed and saw the beauty lurking in the bones of this house.  We carefully analyzed the original building fabric and worked hard to restore it in place carefully securing each stone and using the few original remaining details to pattern new windows and doors that would fit the age and stature of the building.  

StudioAmmons worked with the Omni Homestead to develop the first comprehensive historic structures report and historical timeline ever produced for the baths at the Warm Springs. Our report includes a detailed historical account of the development of the springs in the context of the European spa tradition and its influence on the spa movement in the U.S. The report lays out a detailed set of restoration priorities for each structure with thorough cost estimates.

See the report HERE

109 Bank Street was the home of the Petersburg Intelligencer from 1836 until 1854. In its history it was partially destroyed by fire in 1851 and then took a direct hit from a tornado in 1993 totally destroying the adjacent building that had been built over the Brickhouse Run, a stone walled creek that runs through the heart of Petersburg’s Old Town. Bits of structure remained from the destroyed building and created an opportunity to turn this ruined part of the project into the building’s kitchen and deck space by utilizing the remaining steel beams spanning the creek to re-occupy the area formerly covered by the demolished building’s footprint. New structure was integrated into the three remaining beams and grating was used as part of the new deck to allow for cool air in the summer time to come up from the creek tunnel under the road and keep the outdoor space cool even when its 90 degrees. The kitchen floats over the last remaining portion of original building beams and foundation walls and forms the end wall of the new outdoor deck. 

An 82,000 s.f., 9-million dollar adaptive re-use of a early 20th c. warehouse

The Bosco is a building with a very large footprint and few windows. StudioAmmons developed a desgn based on the use of interior streets and light wells to create over 90 apartments in the buidling on two levels, all with windows and natural light. The building opened in 2016 after receiving both state and federal historic tax credits

The brick merchant mill at Waterford was built in 1818 to serve the wheat-growing region in northern Loudoun County. Throughout its history, the mill has been subject to regular alterations in order to keep up with rapidly changing milling technology and over time was stripped of its milling equipment. The Waterford Foundation acquired the mill in 1944 and has worked over the last sixty years to ensure the long term preservation of the mill. 

StudioAmmons, working with millwright Derek Ogden and Silman and Associates, has completed a comprehensive study of the mill, and is developing a carefully targeted program of restoration designed to address the mill’s long term stabilization and interpretation. This includes restoring the badly decayed hurst frame that originally supported the mill stones, improving drainage in and around the building, and making necessary structural improvements to ensure the ongoing stability and safety of the structure for The Foundation’s continued use.

StudioAmmons worked with the Waterford Foundation and Loudoun County on the development of a comprehensive historic structures report for the Waterford Mil. Our team included Derek Ogden, the foremost expert on milling and mill engineering in the U.S., to analyze the history and evolution of what was originally an Oliver Evans mill through its transformation into a late 19th c roller mill. A phased renovation plan was developed and an interpretive plan designed for future exhibits. The Foundation does not intend to operate the mill but wishes to be able to stabilize the building while telling its story as a key part of the development of the village of Waterford.

See the report HERE

StudioAmmons worked with the Hampton Roads Executive Airport to design a new general aviation terminal for the airport.  Special consideration was given to a design that could be expanded in the future to accommodate day jet style commuter jets.

StudioAmmons worked with Pathways, a local nonprofit that manages Americorps and Youth Build programs to convert a long abandoned grocery store into their operations center. The Center contains a community dentistry program, a food service training kitchen, community meeting space and administrative offices for the organization.

Built in 1923 in Bessemer, Alabama, just outside of Birmingham, this 36,000 s.f. historic structure operated as a segregated high school for more than 37 years until it’s transition to an integrated elementary and middle school in 1960. StudioAmmons is designing renovations to the gymnasium wing for its continued use as offices and a community center, and creating senior living spaces in the adjacent classroom and vocational training areas to help meet the City’s needs for affordable housing. A new entry area has been carefully designed to be new but compatible with the building's existing understated entries and a new addition is being planned on the original foundations of the original auto shop building.  Renovation and restoration plans include creating an interpretive exhibit area to help tell the story of Dunbar High School and promote the mission of the Foundation. 

Renovation of a late 19th c tobacco manufacturing warehouse in Bedford, VA for market rate apartments

The Bedford Lofts were a sensitive renovation of one of Bedford’s historic tobacco processing plants on the outskirts of Bedford’s revitalizing downtown. Careful consideration was given to the restoration of the building’s exterior additions for a proper fit with the periods of the building’s expansion.

StudioAmmons developed plans for the conversion of a vacant lot adjacent to the Petersburg Area Art League into a sculpture garden that could be used for musical venues and plays.  The garden is terraced to accommodate an on grade exit from the gallery spaces.  The park's entry utilizes portions of the reconstructed granite storefront from the building that originally stood on the site and was torn down by the tornado in 1993.

StudioAmmons worked with Capitol Ale House to develop an approach to the renovation of the Electric Building, the original station of the Petersburg and Richmond Trolly, for a 400 seat restaurant.  The plan involved dining on the upper floors with a nightclub and music venue in the basement.

StudioAmmons worked with the leadership and congregation of Morning Star Baptist Church to develop plans for the construction of a brand new church on the site of their current concrete block church.  Our approach was to develop the facility using construction techniques that could be used by the local Youth Build and Americorps programs to learn about green building approaches.  Built in an historic neighborhood, the church's design utilizes traditional forms and massing to become a transition between the neighborhood's residential scale and the new development along its edge.

We worked with the staff and volunteers of Pathways to develop a cafe courtyard at their main operations facility that could be built using cob walls and sustainable materials to provide a shady area for their students to have lunch or for patrons of their culinary programs to sit outside in a semi-enclosed environment.

Our proposal for the renovation of the historic armory building in Petersburg, Virginia to be the new public library. Our competition entry was shortlisted but lost to a scheme for leveling the site to build an entirely new building.

One of Petersburg's few remaining downtown Federal townhouses, 201 had sat vacant for decades on a busy corner where US Route 1 wound its way through the old city.  During our investigations of the building we found that the back wall was in fact the only remaining wall of the original double dependency behind the original 1820 townhouse, the home of one of Petersburg's earliest mayors. Buried beneath a later floor was the original brick terrace that filled the space between the house and its dependancies.  We were able to document and preserve the original brick floor augmenting it as necessary to create the new floor for two apartment units.  Almost every piece of original trim and two original stairs were exising and were fully restored.  All original walls were able to remain in place through the renovation and are clearly visible in the new apartments.

StudioAmmons worked with the owner of Pie to develop conceptual ideas for putting his pizza restaurant into an historic downtown building in Richmond's theater district.

A 35,000 s.f. renovation of Cape Charles’ historic high school

StudioAmmons worked with developers and the town of Cape Charles, VA to stabilize and restore their historic high school as a new residential building with 17 new apartments and a restored auditorium

A 27,000 s.f. renovation of an early 20th century Hotel in Martinsville, VA for market rate apartments.

The Henry Hotel was completely renovated through the careful combining of its original small rooms into modern one and two bedroom apartments. Its original lobby, meeting spaces, and entries were restored to their original appearance. The project received both state and federal historic tax credits.

Over the past three years we have worked with the Frontier Culture Museum of Virginia on the development of the Early American Industries Exhibit which will be a fully operational early 19th c custom mill built near the American Farmstead and close to the new planned 19th c village main street. We worked closely with Derek Ogden, millwright and engineer on the design and will be going into construction in 2020.

StudioAmmons worked with the foundation for Red Hill, Patrick Henry’s home in Charlotte County Virginia on developing concepts for the expansion of their museum and visitor center. The board wanted to understand the impact of both a traditional approach as well as a more modern approach which would contrast with character of the historic house.

The Petersburg Exchange Building is a National Historic Landmark structure built in 1841. StudioAmmons was engaged to developed the scope of work for the first phase of the building’s restoration and wrote the $700,000 Save America’s Treasures grant to help fund this initial restoration work. The Exchange was designed by the New York architect Mr. Berrien who was probably an associate of Calvin Pollard, the architect of the nearby Hustings Courthouse. It is a boldly detailed building in the Greek Revival Style. Rectangular on the exterior with a tetra style Doric entrance portico. The interior space surrounds a central two-story rotunda rising to a dome and octagonal lantern. The dome structure is that of a Dalorme Dome, similar to structure Jefferson used in the construction of the Rotunda at the University of Virginia. The Exchange Building in Petersburg is most probably the last, unaltered ante-bellum Merchants Exchange in existence in the United States.”

The long term plan will be to restore the building for use as the city history museum, telling a more complete and inclusive version of the Petersburg Story with a specific focus on the interpretation of this unique building and its original use as an early-mid 19th century cotton exchange.

See the Historic Structures Report Here.

StudioAmmons worked with our client to develop a traditional house located on a point on the York River just in from its mouth at the Chesapeake Bay. The design breaks down the form of the traditional brick box with a flush sided facade on the river elevation that partially wraps the ends of the house creating an elegant riverside porch and entrance.

StudioAmmons worked with the folks at Beulah AME Church to develop an Historic Structures Report and a restoration plan.

FIND THE REPORT HERE

Beulah African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church is an architectural landmark in downtown Farmville, Virginia, and an important historic site associated with Farmville’s African American community and the nationally significant Civil Rights events that took place in Farmville and Prince Edward County in the 1950s and 1960s. The Gothic Revival church was built in 1900-01 as the home for the Beulah AME congregation, which formed shortly after the Civil War. The impressive brick church building features a three-story corner tower, lancet-arched windows, blue and rose stained glass, and a Rococo-inspired pressed metal sanctuary ceiling. Next to the church stands the ca. 1890 parsonage, a two-story Italianate-style frame residence. Beulah AME was among the local African American congregations that responded to the segregationist closure of Prince Edward County schools during the period 1959-64 by working to fulfill the educational needs of black students. Beulah AME leaders including Rev. A. I. Dunlap and Rev. Goodwin Douglas played important roles in response to the crisis, a key event in the national Civil Rights movement.

For about 40 years, from the 1940s to the 1980s, a portion of the ground floor of the church was used as the Farmville Reading Room, a public library and gathering space for Famville's African American Community. Today, Beulah remains an active church with a small but committed congregation focused on continuing their service to God and Community while working to preserve and secure a future for the church and its legacy.