BLOCK 1: WHOLE FOODS

Preserving History and Creating a Sense of Place

Block One of the Brewery Blocks was an exercise in reuse, restoration and place-making. The existing building on the site, a former Chevrolet dealership, had a significant art deco facade. To preserve the facade and create a sense of character for the neighborhood, Gerding Edlen Development Company, LLC (“We” or “Us”) carefully reconstructed the concrete eagles that perched on the facade. An extra eagle was also placed in the lobby in honor of the building’s past. To make 24-hour living a reality in the Brewery Blocks we courted high-end grocer Whole Foods Market for Block One. We worked with the company for several years developing a plan that met its needs. Whole Foods was pivotal in attracting new and diverse retailers to the Brewery Blocks. To make the project economically feasible we built a 79,913 square foot, state-of-the-art telecommunications center for Tyco Telecom on the two floors above Whole Foods. Block One is critical to our sustainability efforts for the entire neighborhood. A centralized chilled water plant atop Whole Foods provides water for air conditioning to all the Brewery Blocks and has the capacity to serve much larger portions of the city. Building a structure to hold 12,000 tons of water above a high-end grocer and a state-of-the-art telecommunications center was an unprecedented challenge, but it was the most effective way to meet the neighborhood’s air conditioning needs in a sustainable manner. Block One was the recipient of the 2002 Mayor’s Award for Design Excellence for its success in combining these elements. Block One received a Leed Silver Certification from the USGBC.