Art Deco Redo
Orpheum Lofts Take Shape
By K. Robert Wendel

Renovations are often like a box of chocolates: You never know what you are going to get when you open them up.

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That was the case at the Orpheum Lofts project in downtown Phoenix, where a team led by the Weitz Cos. is renovating and restoring one of the Valley's last great examples of Art Deco architecture.

Constructed in 1931, the former bank building is taking on a new life as an upscale condo complex complete with a pool, fitness facility, valet service and private parking.

"Everytime you open something up, you are facing unknown conditions," said Thaddeus Kowalik, the owner's project manager and representative. "There's always a surprise."

Originally designed by Lescher Mahoney architects, now DLR of Phoenix, the 149,000 sq. ft, thirteen-story was first built by William Simpson Construction.
Phoenix-based Todd and Associates teamed with Denver-based Lawrence Group to design the renovation.

Plans call for 89 units and 23 floor plans, with each unit customized to the owners' preferences. Some owners have combined units, but most of the lofts range from 712 sq. ft. to 1,800 sq. ft. One penthouse unit is 2,600 sq. ft.

There is also a 12,000-sq.-ft retail space on the street level.

As with many other older buildings constructed before computers and value engineering, the Orpheum Lofts features beefy construction including a cast-in-place concrete frame and a 1-ft. thick triple brick wall.

"This thing is built like a rock," Kowalik said. "They really built them to last in the old days."

During the initial demolition phase by Dickens Quality Demolition in February 2003, crews found dozens of historical documents, including original construction invoices, time cards and pay rates. Supervisors on the 1931 project made $105 per week, with tool men bringing home $34.70 a week and security guards earning $11 each week.

Crews were especially careful when they began stripping away the old wallboard and lathe and plaster from the walls to reveal the original brick interior. The brick interior, along with the concrete beams and lintels, will remain exposed.

"If you look at the building overall, we removed about 90 percent of the existing finishes," said architect Josh Comfort of Denver-based Lawrence Group. "On the interior there was a brick back wall with a common construction grade of brick, but it was a rich warm brick so we left it exposed."

The team left the first floor lobby, with its rich interior, largely intact. The lobby features book matched Vermont green marble slabs, decorative stair rails, ornate elevators and Art Deco details such as brushed steel stanchions and switch plates.

Another feature is an outdoor courtyard on the second level with trees and an architectural "leaf" trellis evoking an Art Deco design. Magnum Architectural Metals constructed the trellises and plans also call for a "funky fence" on the dedicated parking lot.

Initially, the owners, TASB LLC, had many different visions about the project before settling on the loft use.

"This was mostly viewed as a sales product, so it does change some issues such as having to provide laundry facilities in each condo as opposed to apartments, where you could do a common laundry," Comfort said. "The secondary issue is the type of materials and finishes. If it's a rental where you are replacing the carpet every two years, there's not as much concern about materials."

To improve energy efficiency while still preserving the building's original look and feel, crews removed the window sills for cleaning and restoration. The sills were then fitted with insulated glass.

The project relies on Northwind, the downtown district central chiller plant that also supplies Bank One Ball Park and the America West Arena, for cooling. Electric strip heaters inside fan coil units will keep units warm and power is supplied by a totally new electrical service.

"We've really tried to blend this 1931 building with the modern codes," Kowalik said.