Union Knitting Mills Historic Building Renovation

Erdman Anthony provided construction administration services, and mechanical, electrical, and plumbing design as part of a plan to transform a 19th-century garment factory into a mixed-use development. The owner envisioned a space that would be especially suited to businesses in the hospitality industry.

Our firm provided a variable refrigerant flow (VRF) HVAC design that would preserve the 70,000-square-foot building’s historic exterior and would avoid adding outside air louvers to the building. Our design also featured LED lighting with a central occupancy sensing/dimming control system.

Preserving the exposed brick inside the building proved a challenge, as it would not meet the energy code. The compromise was to add knee walls around the perimeter that could be insulated and would conceal outlets and other data wiring.

Current tenants at the building range from a microbrewery to an events space. The building’s character remains intact, as evidenced by the high ceilings, the exposed brick, and the original elevator mechanism.