business of distinction
THE clerestory was
designed by Wilson.
“This bold architec-tural
move helped flood
the interior of the space with
light, which was further spread
by having open ceilings in the
core common areas and transom
windows in the perimeter private
spaces,” says Wilson.
Crisp white paint covers the
red brick. The original arched
windows are painted black to
make them pop. Ipe pickets
stylishly accent entries.
“That paint job happened over
a weekend. I remember driving
by Monday morning and just
thinking, ‘Wow that just made
all the difference in the world,’”
says Henry.
In the foyer, guests are greeted
with a custom steel-cut PBC sign
by Area 51 Metal Fabrication
that’s backlit. Front door handles
also have the company logo.
Inside, the space is as much
a showroom as it is offices, an
elegant display of what can
be done to a 1970s church
fellowship hall. A stage once
used for Christmas pageants
and choir practice is now a
design studio. Heavy curtains
that once surrounded the stage
were replaced with glass, and eight-foot ceilings were opened into a
dynamic vaulted ceiling of steel beams and original wood.
“Knowing that the intended design style was industrial-modern,
the building had good bones and potential,” says Talis.
The conference room is encased in glass by Matkins Glass of
Wilmington. The conference table is made of a magnolia tree that
fell on the property during Hurricane Florence, repurposed by Old
Growth Riverwood. A concrete strip by Bluewater Surfaces runs
down its spine for support, and it sits atop railroad tracks salvaged
from a job site by Henry and Talis. The fabrication of the legs is by
Area 51.
“Getting the different pieces of that table into the space and
assembling it was a very difficult and nerve-racking experience, but
the number of compliments we receive and conversations it generates
makes it worth it,” says Talis.
Steel ceiling trusses and pine plank roof sheathing once hidden by ceiling tiles have been opened
up into a vaulted ceiling. The clerestory can be seen through the conference room designed by
Mark Wilson of Kersting Architecture. The conference table by Old Growth Riverwood is made of a
magnolia tree downed on the property during Hurricane Florence. The table’s center concrete strip is
by Bluewater Surfaces. The railroad tracks beneath the table were salvaged from a PBC job site and
fabricated into a table base by Area 51 Metalworks. The area rug is artificial grass.
Each of the eight offices has a built-in desk suspended from the
wall. A bullpen office space is for field managers. A private phone
booth provides a great spot for quick calls.
Functionality continues in the break room with modern place-ments
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WBM
for the coffee maker and microwave, and a roll-out table.
“When someone drops off a pizza, put it here. When the pizza is
done, roll it back in. It’s probably my most favorite thing here,” says
Spetrino.
The three bathrooms showcase a variety of ways to place tile or
position fixtures.
“I wanted each one to have different design elements; lighting
played a key role,” says Talis.
A glass garage door in the rear is specially fitted for deliveries,
and metal patchwork quilt barn doors by Area 51 are used to close
off storage.