HISP680: Preservation Economics Final Project

Page 1

The Gaston Office Building Reuse Programming Proposal

Birmingham, AL | Civil Rights Historic District


A.G. GASTON’S TEN RULES FOR SUCCESS 1. Save a part of all you earn. Pay yourself first. Take it off the top and bank it. You’ll be surprised how fast the money builds up. If you have two or three thousand dollars in the bank, sooner or later somebody will come along and show you how to double it. Money doesn’t spoil. Keep it. 2. Establish a reputation at a bank or savings and loan association. Save at an established institution and borrow there. Stay away from loan sharks. 3. Take no chances with your money. Play the safe number, the good one. A man can’t afford to lose has no business gambling. 4. Never borrow anything that, if forced to it, you can’t pay back. 5. Don’t get big headed with the little fellows. That’s where the money is. If you stick with the little fellows, give them your devotion, they’ll make you big. 6. Don’t have so much pride. Wear the same suit for a year or two. It doesn’t make any difference what kind of suit the pocket is in if there is money in the pocket. 7. Find a need and fill it. Successful businesses are founded on the needs of the people. Once in business, keep good books. Also, hire the best people you can find. 8. Stay in your own class. Never run around with people you can’t compete with. 9. Once you get money or a reputation for having money, people will give you money. 10. Once you reach a certain bracket, it is very difficult not to make more money.

HISP 680: Preservation Economics Graduate Program in Historic Preservation University of Maryland, College Park Fall 2017 Katherine Boyle, Jacqueline Drayer Ty Ginter, Emma Schrantz | LEED Green Associates HISP 680: Preservation Economics Gaston Office Building Reuse Program Proposal Course Instructor: Professor Brent Leggs


Table of Contents 1. Executive Summary 2. Mission Statement 3. Stakeholder Interviews a. Potential Partners b. Potential Funders/Consultants 4. Building Context a. A.G. Gaston Biography b. The A. G. Gaston Office Building c. Fountain Heights d. Birmingham 5. Market Conditions 6. Model Facilities a. A. G. Gaston Motel b. Mountain View Officers’ Club c. The Durham Hotel d. Wayne N. Aspinall Federal Building and Courthouse E. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library 7. Sustainable Preservation a. LEED: Leadership in Energy and Environmental wDesign b. LEED for Historic Buildings c. Possible Initiatives at the A.G. Gaston Office Building 8. Programming Opportunities a. Reuse Concept #1: Single Operator b. Reuse Concept #2: Mult-Operator c. Reuse Concept #3: Community Co-Op 9. Recommendations a. General Recommendations b. Recommended Treatment of Architecture 10. Bibliography


“We need a Martin Luther King of economics who will fire the people up like they are being fired up for Civil Rights. Doesn’t do any good to arrive at first class citizenship if you arrive broke.” -A.G. Gaston


Executive Summary

In the next five years, millions of tourists are expected to visit the newly created Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument. The A. G. Gaston Office Building is a cultural and aesthetic anchor of this space. Located in the Fountain Heights neighborhood and the Birmingham Civil Rights Historic District, the presently vacant mid-century modern building has the potential to be a cornerstone of this downtown neighborhood’s revitalization. The spacious three story office building offers multiple potential reuse strategies. Designed and constructed between 1959 and 1960 at 1527 Fifth Avenue North, the building historically functioned as a business office, business school, and public auditorium. In keeping with financial realities and the building’s historic significance as a mid-century building owned by African American businessman A. G. Gaston, three reuse strategies are proposed: a single operator model in which a university occupies and manages the space; a multi-operator model that results in a mixed use retail, office, and event space; and a community cooperative model that provides technical assistance and supplies, and is funded by a mix of grants, donations, and New Markets Tax Credits. These three models each offer long-term tenancy solutions for the vacant building, and fulfill the mission of carrying out Gaston’s legacies of entrepreneurship, education, community development, and promoting African American achievement. In order to determine how best to reuse this site, stakeholder interviews interviews were conducted, the building was profiled, neighborhoods were studied, a market analysis developed, and model facilities were examined. While seemingly limitless possibilities for reuse exist, the three that are proposed reflect what we believe to be the best cross section of opportunities based on these analyses. The proposals reflect economic realities of the region while placing a heavy emphasis on the cultural legacy of the site in the form of its connection to Gaston and the historic appearance and layout of the building.

Mission Statement

The A.G. Gaston Office Building is a site where local residents and visiting tourists alike can access goods and services that meet their needs and enrich their lives in a space that promotes the legacy of A. G. Gaston and contributes to the revitalization of the surrounding community.


Stakeholder Interviews The Gaston Office Building is a site that attracts diverse potential partners and has a complex reuse potential that requires guidance from varied organizations and individuals. A series of interviews were conducted to inform the proposed programming concepts.

Potential Partners There is broad interest from a range of stakeholders and potential partners including: • Dr. Richard Walker - owner • City of Birmingham • REV Birmingham • Birmingham Civil Rights Institute • Lord, Aeck & Sargent - architecture and design firm • Henderson & Company • Alabama Historical Commission • Universities including Miles College and the University of Alabama • Renee Rotan - Birmingham’s director of capital projects • Randall Minor - potential investor • Carol Jenkins - Gaston’s great niece • Birmingham Civil Rights District organizations - National Park Service - operators of the A. G. Gaston Motel

- Birmingham Civil Rights Institute

- Masonic Temple

- 16th Street Baptist Church


Potential Funders/Consultants Organizations with the potential to provide funding or advice on this project include: • REV Birmingham - operate a Main Street program in which the site is located; can advise on tools/ incentives available to businesses • National Park Service - federal historic tax credit financing • Alabama Historical Commission - state historic tax credit financing • Baltimore Tool Library - cooperative use model • Workshop Birmingham - cooperative use model

Findings from Stakeholder Interviews Many stakeholders envision: • A mixed-use development project that contains commercial, entertainment, and office space. Possible desired uses include a boutique hotel, a retail or office space, an arts and entertainment venue, or a restaurant. • A viable project to stimulate foot traffic, visibility, and amenities in the district. • The building’s historic significance being leveraged for creative interpretation to tell the Gaston Office Building story. • That the preservation and reuse of the Gaston Office Building can catalyze development at other vacant landmarks and properties to maximize revitalization of the area. • Strong support by community partners such as REV Birmingham and its Business Technical Assistance Program to provide technical advice in assessing market-driven reuse potential and developing the capital stack for financing the real estate deal. • Funding from state and federal historic tax credits, the citywide facade improvement program, the Capital Improvement Municipal Bond Program, the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s America’s Treasures Grant, New Markets Tax Credit, Small Business Association Financing, Property Assessed Clean Energy financing, and free labor from the city for site cleanup. • Attracting the creative class, millennials, and students to downtown Birmingham. • Mitigating displacement of current residents as the area revitalizes by lobbying the city to create a zoning overlay with 25% low and moderate income housing guaranteed in perpetuity. • Measuring vibrancy by vacancy rates. • Planning the development of the area by creating a study on how many people are drawn to the area by attractions, events, employment, or housing as well as by programmatic elements.


A. G. Gaston Biography Arthur George Gaston was an Alabama businessman who worked behind the scenes to support the civil rights movement in Birmingham. Gaston came from modest origins and went on to create a business empire in the American South, during an era defined by segregation and Jim Crow laws. He used his business acumen, money, and connections to quietly help orchestrate civil rights actions. Gaston was born on July 4, 1892 in the small northern Alabama town of Demopolis.22 He was educated through 10th grade, served in the military during World War I. Upon his return home from war, Gaston went to work in Alabama’s mines.13 He sold lunches to miners, and then began loaning them money at 25% interest.37 These early business schemes expanded into fullyfledged businesses. By 1939 Gaston had formed the Booker T. Washington Burial Society (late Booker T. Washington Insurance Company), the Smith & Gaston Funeral Home, and the Booker T. Washington Business A. G. Gaston in his office in the Gaston Office School. He later created the Citizens Federal Savings Building and Loan Association, and in 1954, his eponymous motel adjoining Kelly Ingram Park. By the middle of the century, he was a multimillionaire. While Gaston kept a low public profile, his financial support was crucial to the civil rights movement in America. He funded and facilitated the operations of many actions involving peers who faced racial discrimination. Gaston also provided space in his office building to those directly working to gain equality for African-Americans, including offices for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and meeting areas. Despite his position as a funder, Gaston preferred a negotiation-based approach. He often used his wealth to advocate for desegregation. “He goes to the local bank and says, I’m going to take my millions of dollars out of your bank unless you get rid of those segregated water fountains in the lobby.”36 For his own efforts, Gaston was targeted for racially-motivated violence. There was a bombing attempt on his motel in 1963 while Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. stayed there, and in January 1976 Gaston and his second wife Minnie were kidnapped and assaulted. 22,42 Despite violence, and differences of opinion with those whose work he was supporting, Gaston remained a central force behind the Birmingham Civil Rights efforts. Unlike many better-known champions of civil rights, he lived long enough to see both the successes of the efforts he backed, and the areas in which there was still significant work to be done. Gaston died on January 19th, 1996, at the age of 103.36


Minnie Gardner Gaston Biography Gaston did not carry out all of his business and social justice activities alone. He was married twice, first to his ‘childhood sweetheart’ Creola Smith from 1923 until her early death in 1930. In 1943 he married Minnie Gardner. The two remained married for 50 years. Minnie is credited with setting the stage for the Office Building’s construction. She served as the Director of the Booker T. Washington Business College, and felt that the school needed a space of its own. When asked about the building, a former employee of the College responded, “Oh, he built that for Minnie!” 27

Minnie Gaston at her desk in the Building.

Minnie was a leading advocate for educational opportunities in Birmingham’s black community. As a member of President Johnson’s advisory committee, She testified in front of the U.S Congress in order to promote a vocational school loan program. The loans allowed “millions of students to get vocational training”.22 She was a powerful business figure in a time where women were rarely respected in the field. Like Gaston, she was memorialized for her contributions to the city in the Birmingham Hall of Fame.

Newspaper Clippings about Mrs. Minnie Gaston. Courtesy of the Birmingham Public Library.


The Legacy of A.G. and Minnie Gaston A.G. and Minnie Gaston’s legacies are complex. Entrepreneurship, race, community, class, education, and gender all intertwine in their stories, and that of the A. G. Gaston Office Building. In some ways the story is one of archetypal Americana. In other ways, the Gaston legacy exposes the more complex underside of civil rights; Gaston disagreed with many of the now lauded methods of demanding equality, preferring to approach other businessmen as calm equals. Similarly, Minnie’s lack of centrality in the Gaston narrative mirrors the often minimal credit female participants in the civil rights movement received.

Arthur and Minnie Gaston in their home. BCRI.

Birmingham Mayor (center) dedicated the Gaston Office Building,with A. G. Gaston (left) and Minnie Gaston (left). Ebony Magazine

Advertisement in 1960 Ebony Magazine

The Gaston Office Building is a site that can help interpret this complex legacy while bringing its most important elements into present use, as the Gaston’s story remains intensely relevant. Today there are still vast inequities in education, community investment, and treatment in the criminal justice system across racial, gender, and class lines. Gaston demonstrated that there are many approaches to affecting change. Minnie is both a reminder of how women’s historical impacts have been overlooked and a model of how important women’s contributions to social justice movements have been, despite that lack of recognition. By working directly with business owners and the government to advocate for civil rights, funding more public actions, and creating a black business empire, the Gastons demonstrated that activism comes in many forms. Arthur and Minnie were both central characters in the Civil Rights Movement and should be recognized as such. The Gaston Office Building, with it’s location inside Birmingham Civil Rights Historic Monument, provides a perfect opportunity for such interpretation. It also provides the opportunity to continue their legacy of entrepreneurship, education and achievement, community development, and African American excellence in the nation’s historical narrative.


The Gaston’s legacy is evident in local newspapers and other papers around the country. Courtesy BPL.


The Gaston Office Building

Architect’s original rendering for the Office Building. Courtesy of the Birmingham Public Library Digital Archives.

Date of Construction: 1960 Architect: Perry C. Langston Construction Cost: $1.2 Million Architectural Style: International The Gaston Office Building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in September, 2000.27 The building’s interior was renovated in 2003 by the owner, Dr. Richard Walker. The building’s exterior showcases iconic details such as a modern glass facade, concrete and tile mosaic mural, and white concrete structural frames.


Demographics and Market Conditions


Birmingham Market Data

15, 19, 20

20,738 locally-owned

Birmingham Population:

212,237 in 2010

30% $$

businesses in Birmingham

Individuals below

In 2015

the poverty line Tourism brings

51% of local businesses

were minority-owned, and

39% were women-owned.

$13 Billion

to the local economy

Bike commuting increased by

4.4 Million

224% in Birmingham in 2016

overnight visitors in 2015 Birmingham ranks

Popular Destinations and Events:

U.S. for young professional population

- Sloss Fest

growth

- Senior Games - Jazz Fest - The Civil Rights Institute - 16th Street Baptist Church

7th in the

$

Increased tourism spending created

41,667 jobs in 2015.


Real Estate Summary

29.5%

15, 19, 20

There is a

$202 Million retail market

real estate Vacany Rate

gap for places to eat and drink within a

national average: 35%

5-mile radius of the downtown area.

1940-1969

Birmingham Revenue for retaraunts is

$$

majority Real Estate Build Dates

$700 per square foot National Average: $454 per Square Foot

80.9% occupancy of multi-tenant spaces with an average

Overnight visitors bring

$20/s.f rent.

$742 of

revenue per visitor on average.

,

Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument 2017 Established by President Barack Obama

$$

18.23 acres

Includes Landmarks

such as:

For every $1 spent in the district, there is projected to be

$10 in economic return. Expected increase in visitors is

- A.G Gaston Motel - Gaston Office Building - 16th St. Baptist Church - Kelly Ingram Park

$$

19, 20, 39

around

200,000 annually due

to projects in the BCRNM.

Expected increase in revenue is around

$56 Million

annually due to revitilation of the National Monument.

There is an estimated

$205 Million retail gap

in the Birmingham Civil Rights District.There are no commercial stores within 4 blocks of the Office Building.


Fountain Heights Neighborhood Fountain Heights is bounded by Interstate 65 to the north and west, the rail lines to the south, and 19th Street North to the east. It is a downtown and downtown adjacent area, and includes the Birmingham Civil Rights District, a historic district in which the A. G. Gaston Office Building is a contributing property.

A.G. Gaston Office Building

Market Conditions To determine the potential viability of reusing the A. G. Gaston Office Building as a single operator educational space, a mixed-use retail and office space, and a cooperative community space, it was necessary to study existing conditions in Fountain Heights. This effort included researching the supply of nearby competing resources, as well as considering what effect the newly created Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument is likely to have in the area. Interviews with stakeholders intimately familiar with the city and neighborhood provided additional insight into precisely what uses might best mesh with existing conditions. This is by no means an exhaustive analysis, but an attempt to demonstrate which proposed uses may be viable.

Academic Institutions There are more than a dozen higher education institutions located within Birmingham. However, none are based within the Fountain Heights neighborhood. An arts K-12 school is located at the northeast corner of the neighborhood. Renee Rotan of the Birmingham Mayor’s Office stated that the city is looking to attract students to this area. This suggests that there is a significant gap in the neighborhood, one that could be filled perhaps with financial incentives provided by the city - if a university were to occupy the A. G. Gaston Office Building.

Fountain Heights Neighborhood Boundary

Birmingham Civil Rights District Boundaries

4 3 Civil Rights District Boundaries 7 5

2

1

Church 1) A.G. Gaston Office Building 2) A.G. Gaston Motel 3) Kelly Ingram Park 4) 16th Street Baptist 5) St Paul United Methodist Church 6) Masonic Temple 7) Birmingham Civil Rights Institute

Civil Rights National Monument Boundaries


Food and Dining Studies of the Birmingham market have demonstrated that there is an acute retail gap in food services and drinking places within 1-5 miles of the Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument. According to a market analysis by Brian Smargiassi and Eric Rasmussen of Griffin Consulting, there is a retail gap that will exceed $200 million in 2017. There is significant room for profit in this sector. Smargiassi and Rasmussen estimate that the nearby A. G. Gaston motel could achieve feasibility if it attracted a mere 0.5% of the available market - which will likely come in the form of a restaurant. This leaves significant market share for a grocery and hot prepared foods operation to be profitable from the existing office workers and residents as well as tourists.

Retail There is essentially no commercial retail within a four block radius of the A. G. Gaston Office Building, except for automotive shops. In 205 forty-one percent of all of Birmingham’s 4.4 million visitors came for pleasure. They spent $1.7 billion in the city, but presently there is nowhere to spend money in the immediate Gaston building area. This area is ripe for goods and services that a visitor to the monument would bring home not merely souvenirs, but quality items or experiences produced by locals.

Community Spaces

The total population in Fountain Heights is

21,903 people

48.9% of working residents commute

15-30 minutes to work

Median Household Income

$

$19,379

national average: $57,617

The Fountain Heights neighborhood lacks serviceable community gathering centers. One of the only operable sites is the Community Entrepreneurial Institute, located 4.5 blocks south of the office building. The center is low rise and not located on a particularly welcoming block for pedestrians. The A. G. Gaston Office Building is sufficiently close to the nearby Birmingham Civil Rights Institute - which desires programming space - and the Alabama School of Fine Arts, as well as nearby museums and offices to provide community space to many potentially interested visitors and residents.


Model Facilities / Precedents


A. G. Gaston Motel - Birmingham, Alabama The A. G. Gaston Motel’s restoration is a significant project within the Birmingham Civil Rights Historic District. It’s Business Plan highlights job creation and attempts to preserve the history of this structure that was at the “epicenter” of the Civil Rights movement in Birmingham. The Business Plan identifies areas where there could be possible overlap with the Office Building, including training environments, lectures, small group and class discussions, corporate events, and concert events. The Office Building’s auditorium can be leveraged as a music venue or conference space. The Motel services the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, and therefore could also use the 660 seat auditorium at the Office Building.28 The A.G. Gaston Motel project has a number of partners, including 29: • • • • • • • • •

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., speaks to Ralph David Abernathy on April 16, 1963 before a civil rights march inside of the courtyard of the A. G. Gaston Motel. Image courtesy of the Birmingham Public Library Archives.

City of Birmingham Congresswoman Terri Sewell 16th Street Baptist Church Birmingham Civil Rights Institute Historic Bethel Baptist Church National Parks Conservation Association Alabama Historical Commission National Museum of African American History and Culture Lord Aeck Sargent

The funding for this project will come from the City of Birmingham for the first and second phase of this project. Phase three funding is slated to use tax credits (based on availability), donations, and other investments from interested investors.20 Additionally, federal funding has been secured through a partnership with the National Park Service, who owns a small section of the Motel.11

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., speaks to the public from the second floor of the A. G. Gaston Motel. Image courtesy of UPenn.

A 2016 rendering of the restored A. G. Gaston Motel, as part of the larger campus of the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute. Image courtesy of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.


Mountain View Officers Club - For Huachuca, Sierra Vista, AZ The Mountain View Officers Club (MVOC) seeks to “reactivate” the facility in ways that meet the needs of both Fort Huachuca and the town of Sierra Vista.32 The MVOC is yet another example of how past uses can inform current and future iterations of a place. Built in 1942 by Del Webb, the MVOC is cited as “one of the most significant examples of a World War II-era military service club in the United States for AfricanAmerican officers.30 The MVOC is slated to have a restaurant and bar, which are projected to generate about $3.2 million in revenue. Conservative estimates project a $1.2 million operating surplus. This does not take into account the projected $770,000 in revenue for off site activities such as catering, which would only add to the financial prosperity of the project.32 The property is owned by the United States Army, who recently accepted the proposal by the National Trust for Historic Preservation for the club’s rehabilitation.17 Photos courtesy of Saving Places, National Trust for Historic Preservation.

The outside of the Mountain View Officers Club.

The inside of the Mountain View Officers Club.

Looking out towards the mountains from the Mountain View Officers Club.


The Durham Hotel - Durham, North Carolina Formerly the Home/Mutual Community Savings Bank of Durham, NC:33 The Durham Hotel was built by the architect Perry C. Langston, who also built the A.G. Gaston Office Building. This boutique hotel is located in the heart of downtown Durham.21 Today, this boutique hotel ties vacationers to the community through connecting with locally based businesses, and using the work of local artists to decorate the rooms and halls of the hotel for a truly Durham experience.31 This hotel also features a downstairs coffee shop and a rooftop bar. Before opening in May 2015, the Durham Hotel was expected to cost $11 million. It received $1.2 million from the city of Durham and Durham county, and also benefitted from the Historic Tax Credit program.5 The project was projected to yield a net revenue gain to the city of $188,576 over the course of 7 years.5 This reuse project was slated to create 100 temporary jobs, and 91 permanent jobs in downtown Durham.5 Exterior of the Durham Hotel.

Interior photo of the Durham Hotel lobby.


The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library - Washington D.C. The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library is currently undergoing a modernization project.8 The $208 million rehabilitation is projected to take until 2020. This project will provide new, innovative services for downtown Washington, D.C. The MLK Jr. Library was designed and built in the iconic International Style by legendary architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, and is a rare piece of modern architecture in the predominantly-neoclassical capital. The building, which opened in 1972, provides roughly 400,000 square feet of public space. Modernization planning began in 2011, and will bring new life to the building. Plans include a public art program, new ground-level cafe, auditorium, and creative maker spaces. The roof will be reimagined as a green terrace, with a one-story addition that will be available for public events. The project was guided by four main principles:8 Balance the joy of reading with space for innovation, creation, collaboration and technology Showcase the life and legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. Respect the building’s historic designation and the industrial, modern style of the original architect, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. Create a space that is bright, open, flexible, and welcoming for all. Due to its public ownership, funding for the project was covered in the Fiscal Year 2016 budget for the City of Washington, D.C.12 The project is supported by the DC Public Library Foundation.

Architect’s Rendering of the Modernization Project. Martinez|Johnson & Mecanoo


Wayne N. Aspinal Federal Building and Courthouse - Grand Junction, Colorado Constructed in 1918, the Wayne N. Aspinall Building & Courthouse carries the unique distinction of being the first net-zero GSA property on the National Register, and has achieved the top possible rating in the LEED System - Platinum - something only 2% of projects ever achieve.14 According to the American Institute of Architects, the Aspinall Building “exemplifies sustainable preservation… Innovative building systems are incorporated to allow the building's prominent spaces to be preserved and showcased, while drastically reducing energy consumption.” 2 The building serves as a federal courthouse for the district, and serves office space for nine different federal agencies.25 The Aspinall Federal Building was set for transfer to the private sector due to lack of funding and use. However, in 2009 the U.S. Congress passed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), bringing much-needed funding to the GSA for the Aspinall project and nearly 500 others. The cost breakdown of the project was $360/sq. Ft., and the entire award-winning renovation project cost $15 Million.38

Photos of the Aspinall Federal Building. Images courtesy of Kevin G. Reeves, GSA Photographer


“The greenest building is the one already built.” -Carl Elefante

Sustainable Preservation Green Building Rating Systems are traditionally utilized in new construction, but there are many benefits which can be applied to historic structures as well. There are many green ratings systems available across the globe, but the most recognized is the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED Rating system.

LEED: Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design LEED is widely regarded as the premiere rating system in the United States and abroad. Developed and maintained by the USGBC, LEED is recognized by developers, designers, investors, and tenants around the world. Certification can be an appealing feature of a space, which attracts financial support from investors. The program alswo promotes economic savings due to reliance on alternative sources of energy and intelligent building systems. While sometimes incurring higher upfront costs, LEED can reduce operating costs over time through energy, maintenance, and waste savings. Between 2015-2018, it is estimated that LEED saved building owners $1.2 Billion dollars in energy savings, $715 Million in maintenance savings, and $54.2 Million in waste savings.40 LEED is also heavily marketable; tenants are more attracted to a responsible/energy efficient space, as it is seen as good for the environment. LEED spaces are also proven to increase user productivity and comfort, making them attractive to business’ looking to improve the quality of both their work and their worker experiences.

LEED can signifigantly increase owner/operator savings and signifigantly decrease occupancy illnesses related to seasonal depression and Sick Building Syndrome, keeping workers happy and healthy. Top image courtesy of the CAGBC, bottom image courtesy of Curbed U with data pulled from the USGBC.


Utilizing LEED For Historic Buildings There is a common misconception that historic buildings cannot be innovators for sustainable design, or that they cannot achieve higher levels of green certification. However, in the past decade there has been an uptick in research into the subject, and an increase in historic building certification. The reuse of historic buildings in urban settings has a marked positive factor on the health of a city. The building materials are not sent to a landfill; instead, the structure is ‘recycled-in-place’, and updated with new technologies for power, mechanical, plumbing, and other built systems. Possible Initiatives at the Gaston Office Building The Gaston Building has many opportunities for sustainable upgrades and creative solutions under the LEED v4 Rating System. The target of the project should be to encourage net-zero and net-positive energy and resource use. Embracing these innovative systems matches the spirit of innovation and opportunity promoted by A.G. Gaston himself. The solutions can satisfy credits listed under the categories LEED v4. • By reusing the building and site, the project will eliminate waste traditionally caused by building demolition. • Installing solar photovoltaic arrays and efficient HVAC systems to reduce energy costs and usage. • Pursuing predictive energy modeling to select the most efficient strategies, then utilizing these strategies to discover the best ways to utilize the existing building infrastructure. • Upgraded plumbing systems with low-flow WaterSense fixtures and installing Building-Level and tenant/ floor-level water metering to track and reduce water usage. • Providing a food-service tenant on the ground floor to increase fresh food options for the community, while using green roofs and urban farming on flat room surfaces in order to virtually eliminate carbon emissions caused by normal food-to-table transportation. • Installing UV/Solar control film on glazing while increasing insulation and reduction of thermal bridging wherever possible to reduce heat transfer at the iconic glass facade while reducing impact on the historic integrity of the structure. • Installing secure bike racks, bike tool/repair kits, and water bottle refill stations to promote bike commuting to the site. Redeveloping the parking lot to include permeable paving, solar canopies, and other sustainability measures to create flexible outdoor space will improve pedestrian experience and promote walkability.


Reuse Programming Opportunities



possible connections of space existing building circulation

Fire Stair

Restroom

Existing “Minnie Gaston” Auditorium ~6,400 .S.F.

Stage

Storage

Existing Parking Lot To be redeveloped as “PARK”ing lot developing green space and exterior public space.

Restroom

*Proposed Tenant Spaces 2-4 can serve as 1-3 tenant spaces, providing retail/commercial spaces to the community. These spaces will encourage minority business ownership & development. • Art Gallery • Gift Store • Book Store • Pop-up Retail

Proposed Tenant Space #2

Proposed kitchen space

serving the grocery/restaraunt, as well as a potential coffee kiosk (attached to lobby extension)

~1,060 S.F.

~1,060 S.F. Proposed Tenant Space #1 Proposed Tenant Space #3

~3,200 S.F.

~1,060 S.F. • Grocery Store/Cafe Concept (Whole Foodx/Publix) • Restaraunt with sundries/takeout counter

Existing Lobby

Proposed Tenant #5

Proposed Tenant Space #4

to offer interpretive space with small coffee shop kiosk

~1,400 S.F.

~1,400 S.F.

Main Entry A.G Gaston Building Birmingham, Alabama

First Floor Plan

possible connections of space existing building circulation

Fire Stair

Open to Auditorium Below

Womens Restroom Mens Restroom

Proposed Lab, Office, etc . ~1,100 S.F.

Proposed Class & Office Space ~8,800 S.F.

A.G Gaston Building

Birmingham, Alabama

Second Floor Plan

Drive/Walk Up Window


possible connections of space

Fire Stair

existing building circulation

Proposed Roof Garden & Event Terrace ~4,000 S.F.

Existing Executive Office ~3,520 S.F.

Womens Restroom Mens Restroom

Proposed Lab or Library ~1,100 S.F.

Proposed Permanent Office Space A.G Gaston’s Office

~5,280 S.F.

A.G Gaston Building Birmingham, Alabama

Third Floor Plan

possible connections of space existing building circulation

Existing Mechanical Room Install Photovoltaic Array on roof of Mech. Rooms

orient southwards for maximum eďŹƒciency

Existing Storage Existing Fan Room

Proposed Private Gardens

A.G Gaston Building

Birmingham, Alabama

Roof Plan


The Minnie Gaston Auditorium In each of the following reuse opportunities, the intended goal of the program is to reuse the building’s 660 seat auditorium28 to help further the educational legacy left by Minnie Gaston. In all three models, the Minnie Gaston Auditorium will host educational and tourism-focused programming in conjunction with the Civil Rights Institute and A. G. Gaston Motel, which are both looking for a large-scale assembly space. Depending on the model, it can also host community events, college classes, and other skills and knowledge-building events for the Fountain Heights community as well as Birmingham as a whole.

Reuse Concept #1: Single Operator Ideally, the Office Building would serve as a downtown Birmingham headquarters for Miles College, a historically black college in Fairfield, Alabama on which Gaston was a member of the board of trustees.22 It would act as an incubator for the college’s law, business and accounting, and management schools; the schools and students would gain real work experience by providing services to the community. The Office Building itself would act as offices for Miles College and for the law, business, and accounting schools. It would host classrooms and an innovation center for students to use, as well as small “pop up” start up spaces on the ground floor through which students would launch temporary brick-and-mortar businesses as part of their education. The school would share use of the auditorium space with the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute. Auditorium space would be used as an opportunity to provide interpretation about A.G. Gaston, his wife, and their legacy, as well as connect the Office Building to the rest of the Civil Rights District by co-hosting events and sharing the space with the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute. Students of the Miles law school would work with local law firms to provide pro-bono services for Fountain Heights residents. Students of the business and accounting school would launch or help launch small businesses and startups inside the community. They could help already existing small, minorityowned businesses with their books and other accounting information. Entrepreneurship: Creating and helping create small businesses and startups in the local, primarily African American community.

Education and Achievement: Educating students and the community. Community Development and Education: Helping support community development and education by supporting community members with legal and accounting services.

African American History: Educating students and the public about the history and legacy of A.G. Gaston and the Civil Rights movement, as well as promoting collaboration with the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute.


Reuse Concept #2: Multi-Operator The A. G. Gaston Office Building may also be reused as a mixed-use, multi-operator retail, office, and event space. This model makes the site eligible for state and federal historic tax credits on top of the New Markets Tax Credits the building’s location qualifies it to pursue. This option takes advantage of the building’s large footprint and central location in order to provide a hub of goods and services not currently offered in the neighborhood. In this way, the building fulfills the goal of both meeting a need that newly arrived cultural tourists have, and generating sufficient revenue to allow the owner to provide office and retail spaces at affordable rates to local and black owned businesses. On the first floor, up to four retail tenant spaces could exist, including three 1000-1400 sq. ft. retail spaces for locally and/or black-owned businesses. The fourth space would ideally be a 3,200 sq.ft. grocery store and/or a healthy, hot prepared foods bar. The ideal tenant would be a cooperatively owned supermarket chain that could provide convenient yet nutritious options to the local food desert. The second floor will include 8,800 sq.ft. of open/partitioned office space with an available 900 sq.ft. private of office space. The third floor of the building includes 3,500 square feet to be used as executive office space (including the historic office of Gaston himself) and an additional 6,380 square feet of open/partitioned office space. A co-working style tenant such as WeWork would be sought for the second floor in order to aid in attracting the creative class to the area, while local/black-owned businesses would be sought for the upper floors. All open and unused portions of roof space would be converted into rooftop gardens to be used by the anchor food tenant for use in the store. The expansive parking lot would be converted into green space and become available for use by the community as a gathering place, and on specific days can be used as a farmer’s market.

Entrepreneurship: Seeking local tenants for the small retail spaces on the first floor, as well as providing space for educating local employees in the co-working incubator setting.

Education and Achievement: Programming will be done in connection with the nearby Birmingham Civil Rights Institute.

Community Development and Education: Providing an opportunity for locals to use garden space and develop their culinary businesses in the market space and in the converted parking lot.

African American History: Maintaining a focus on local, black-owned businesses recruited as tenants for retail and office spaces alike.


Reuse Concept #3: Community Co-Op A third option for reuse of the Gaston Office Building is to create a cooperative community makerspace and education center. The model’s inspiration draws from Station North Tool Library, a cooperative “community hub” located in Baltimore, Maryland. The Library’s popularity has soared in the past five years, expanding to offer over 2,000 tools, 20+ classes, and a public workshop to its members. The organization is funded by annual memberships, public and private donations, class fees, and several grants.34 Like at STNL, the vision is for a new community hub for the larger Birmingham community. The member base would draw from the downtown Birmingham market and surrounding area. The intent is to reimagine the historic context of education and community development for the Gaston Office Building. Tenant spaces would host pop-up stores, which would feature products created by local artists, members, and residents of the Fountain Heights neighborhood. The second and third floors would be converted to flexible classrooms, computer labs, and makerspaces. Classes would focus on topics like life skills and preservation, with sections in resume building, software skills, home maintenance, tool safety, and more. Spaces would remain for interpretation of A.G. Gaston’s legacy,through a collaborative program with the BCRI. A local ground floor coffee shop would create a space for locals, visitors, and groups to relax and meet.

Course offerings would be supported by community members with experience in their respective feilds. A sliding-scale membership will promote equity throughout the member base. As with Station North Tool Library, the goal of the facility is to create a “welcoming environment where people can be creative, foster a do-it-yourself attitude, and learn to work with their hands.” 34 Entrepreneurship: Providing resources and space for local residents and craftspeople to create products,

incubate new businesses, and promote community economic growth.

Education and Achievement: Educating students and the community in important life skills, such as financial

courses, resume workshops, preservation and maintenance activities, and local crafts. The opportunity is available for Birmingham residents to come and share their skillsets with their neighbors, and to hone their abilities in a welcoming environment.

Community Development and Education: Creating a community hub for residents to interact and learn from one another

African American History: Education opportunities through interpretive spaces about the history and legacy of A.G. Gaston and the Civil Rights movement, as well as education collaboration with the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute.


Final Recommendations: Cultural History: • Name the restored auditorium after Minnie Gaston to honor her legacy, and to bring her story into the collective memory of Birmingham. • Retain the original floor plan when possible to echo the environment of Gaston’s era. • Consider innovative ways to embed the building’s history into the commercial user’s experience of the space. • Pair up with existing Gaston groups, like the A. G. Gaston Motel, the A. G. Gaston Conference, and others to create and maintaining a plan to collectively continue and interpret his legacy. Social: • Conduct community outreach initiatives, including focus groups, in order to determine what goods, services, and offices are most desired by the community. • Work with city and state governments as well as the Small Business Administration to seek profitable local and black owned businesses to recruit to retail and office spaces. • Reach out to local businesses, groups, companies, and corporations who fall under the goals of the reuse concepts and gauge their interest in becoming a part of the project. • Work with city and government officials to make sure that rehabilitation of the building, and the development it brings, does not displace community residents. Financial: • Apply for federal and state historic tax credits. • Consult SHPO, city preservation officials, or preservation consultants for advice on tying application to the building’s historic legacy (Gaston and mid-century design) while relating to present profit potential. Seek advice on the thoughtful treatment of building (rehabilitation versus preservation of different areas depending on significance, and how that applies to the significance of the site). • Apply for New Markets Tax Credits. • Seek economic incentives or grants for greening of roof and parking lot, and installing efficient systems.


Final Recommendations, cont. Treatment of Architecture: • Follow the Secretary of Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation for the Office Building and Restoration for the Auditorium space. • Keep Gaston’s original office intact as part of an executive office space in order to maintain the historic character of the office building. Also by keeping the office intact it offers the potential for special interpretation through the National Park Service or the BCRI. • Ensure a LEED AP is included in the architectural team responsible for performing a comprehensive sustainability potential assessment on the building.

This photo of A.G. Gaston in his office can help guide the restoration of the space, providing visual examples of the wall finishes and furniture.

• Hire a contractor to pursue predictive energy modeling for the building in order to discover the most efficient strategies for energy conservation and utilizing the existing building infrastructure. • Create a comprehensive BIM in order to track options and impacts of design digitally, as well as to maintain iterations to be tested before construction. (See below.)


Next Steps The data presented here is preliminary, and needs to be further fleshed out if the project is to move forward. We have identified the following steps to ease any future project teams in the redevelopment of the Gaston Office Building. 1. 2.

3.

4.

Form a project team with the varied expertise needed to tackle the architectural, financial, historical, and social elements of the project. Review the basic requirements for the Secretary of Interior ‘s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties. These Standards available online at https://www.nps.gov/tps/standards/four-treatments. htm • This proposal recommends use of Standards for Rehabilitation when working to redevelop the Office Building spaces. Rehabilitation acknowledges the need to alter or add to a historic property to meet continuing or changing uses while retaining the property’s historic character.”43 • This proposal recommends use of Standards for Restoration for the Minnie Gaston Auditorium. Restoration “depicts a property at a particular period of time in its history, while removing 43 evidence of other periods.” Conduct outreach to local residents via focus groups an attending neighborhood meetings. They are, at present, the least represented of the potential stakeholders. This will be accomplished through the community canvassing, surveys, interviews, and public meetings. Begin to develop the following plans for the site: • Business plan • Preservation plan • Revitalization Plan • LEED Feasibility Study and Project Registration


Conclusion The rehabilitation of the Gaston Office Building presents a fantastic opportunity to invigorate a community and provide a shining beacon of life for the Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument and the Fountain Heights Community. The project’s potential is bounded only by the limitations of those who transform the Office Building into an innovative business hub. By using this space to carry on the legacy of A. G. and Minnie Gaston, the work of these Civil Rights era innovators and activists lives on long after their deaths. Oppressed and disenfranchised communities often rely on themselves in order to build up and support themselves. No more has this been apparent than with the Civil Rights movement. The Gaston Office Building, whether it takes on a second life as a place of student learning, small business, or community betterment, offers the opportunity for Fountain Heights to continue building its own community, and to create an iconic, historic anchor for the larger Civil Rights District. A hope of the Gaston Office Building rehabilitation team is that no matter the scheme, the people of Fountain Heights should come first, with the building itself a close second. While the preservation and rehabilitation of the building is the end goal of the project, the revitalization will not be truly successful if the community is disserviced or displaced by the development the Office Building’s rehabilitation will no doubt bring. On top of calling for a thoughtful and sustainable restoration of the building that conforms to the Secretary of Interior’s Standards, the Gaston Office Building rehabilitation team also calls for a comprehensive plan that aids in the development, but not displacement, of the Fountain Heights neighborhood. It should aid in the preservation and restoration of home, as well as the creation of low-income or reduced income housing and rent caps so that Fountain Heights residents can stay in their neighborhood for generations to come.

Acknowledgements Thank you to Professor Brent Leggs for all of his inspiration, words and guiding wisdom through this entire project. This report would not have been possible without his guidance and market data input. Thank you to all of our stakeholders and guest lecturers, including: • • • • • • • • • • • •

Dr. Eric Jack Irvin Henderson Dr. Richard Walker Randall Minor Dr. Richard Walker Priscilla Cooper John Shea David Fleming Renee Rotan Jack Pyburn Prof. Dale Glenwood Green Kji Kelley

They took the time to speak with us, share their expert opinions and vast knowledge, and gave us advice on the project, for which we are eternally grateful. And finally, thank you to Curry Leaf of Laurel for the food.



Text and Data Citations All footnotes in report text correspond with the numbers listed below: 1. Alberta Chapter: Canada Green Building Council. “We Learn Here: Where We Learn Matters.” Last modified September 2015. Accessed December 1, 2017. https://www.cagbc.org/images/ abchapter/perspectives-2015-sept.html. 2. American Institute of Architects, ed. “Wayne N. Aspinall Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse.” Last modified 2013. Accessed December 1, 2017. http://www.aiatopten.org/node/367. 3. Birmingham Civil Rights Institute. “About BCRI.” Accessed November 10, 2017. https://www.bcri. org/. 4. Bouyer, Martha, Brandon Hill, Traci Jones, Kelly Rich, Anna Schneider, and Melissa Wyllie, comps. A Proposal for the Historic Rehabilitation of the A.G. Gaston Office Building. N.p., 2017. 5. Catrakilis, Natasha. “New Hotel Development in Downtown Durham.” Urban Economics. Last modified April 28, 2015. Accessed December 9, 2017. https://sites.duke.edu/ urbaneconomics/?p=1403. 6. CollegeSimply. “Colleges Near Birmingham.” CollegeSimply (blog). Entry posted 2017. Accessed December 10, 2017. http://www.collegesimply.com/colleges-near/alabama/birmingham/. 7. Dailey, Jessica. “An Introduction to the Cost Benefits of Green Buildings.” Curbed New York (blog). Entry posted May 7, 2013. Accessed December 1, 2017. https://ny.curbed.com/2013/5/7/10246368/ an-introduction-to-the-cost-benefits-of-green-buildings. 8. DC Public Library. “Re-Imagining Your New Central Library: The Future of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library.” DC Public Library. Accessed December 1, 2017. https://www.dclibrary.org/ mlkfuture. 9. The Durham Hotel. “Reservations.” The Durham. Accessed December 1, 2017. https://thedurham. com/. 10. Eanes, Zachary. “This tax credit fueled downtown Durham’s renaissance. Congress wants to kill it.” The Herald-Sun (Durham, NC), November 14, 2017, Business. Accessed December 9, 2017. http:// www.heraldsun.com/news/business/article184422943.html. 11. Edgemon, Erin. “Birmingham to Deed Portion of A.G. Gaston Motel to Feds in National Park Plan.” AL.com (Birmingham, AL), October 25, 2016. Accessed November 9, 2017. http://www.al.com/ news/birmingham/index.ssf/2016/10/portion_of_ag_gaston_motel_to.html. 12. Executive Office of the Mayor. “Mayor Bowser Highlights the Modernization of Martin Luther King Memorial Library.” DC.gov. Last modified June 8, 2017. Accessed December 10, 2017. https:// mayor.dc.gov/release/mayor-bowser-highlights-modernization-martin-luther-king-jr-memoriallibrary.


13. Gasman, Marybeth. Uplifting a People: African American Philanthropy and Education. Edited by Katherine V. Sedgwick. New York City, NY: Peter Lang Inc., 2005. 14. General Services Administration, Rocky Mountain Region, comp. Sustainable Preservation: Wayne N. Aspinall Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse. N.p.: General Services Administration, n.d. 15. Graham & Co, comp. Graham Report: Office Market Survey- Birmingham. Birmingham, AL, 2016. 16. Graves, Earl G. Black Enterprise. N.p.: Earl G. Graves, Ltd., 1997. 17. Guerra, Juvenio. “U.S. Army Supports Reuse Plan! New Public-Private Coalition gets Conditional Approval of Revitalization Option for the Mountain View Officers’ Club.” Saving Places. Last modified November 8, 2017. Accessed December 1, 2017. https://savingplaces.org/places/ mountain-view-officers-club-at-fort-huachuca/updates/us-army-moves-position-new-publicprivate-coalition-gets-conditional-approval-to-pursue-reuse-plan-for-the-mountain-view-officersclub#.Wi1VAkqnHIU. 18. Helmer, Lauren. “Birmingham’s Best Neighborhood Coffee Shops.” StyleBlueprint. Accessed December 1, 2017. https://styleblueprint.com/birmingham/everyday/best-neighborhood-coffeeshops/. 19. Henderson, Irvin. Interview by the author. December 8, 2017. 20. Henderson & Company. A. G. Gaston Motel Reuse Study and Business Plan. N.p.: Henderson & Company, n.d. 21. “Home Savings Bank Building.” Open Durham. Last modified 2014. http://www.opendurham.org/ about-open-durham. 22. Jenkins, Carol, and Elizabeth Gardner Hines. Black Titan: A.G. Gaston and the Making of a Black American Millionaire. New York City, NY: One World, 2004. 23. Martinez & Johnson, and Mecanoo. “Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library Renovation Project Environmental Assessment and Cultural Resources (Section 106) Consultation.” N.d. PDF. 24. Morning Edition. “A.G. Gaston: From Log Cabin to Funeral Home Mogul.” National Public Radio. December 21, 2010. Hosted by Steve Inskeep. Accessed September 10, 2017. https://www.npr. org/2010/12/21/132089160/a-g-gaston-from-log-cabin-to-funeral-home-mogul. 25. Mossman, John. “Aspinall federal building in Grand Junction gets an energy overhaul.” Denver Post (Denver, CO), February 14, 2013, Business. Accessed December 10, 2017. http://www.denverpost. com/2013/02/14/aspinall-federal-building-in-grand-junction-gets-an-energy-overhaul/. 26. National Park Service. National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Form - Downtown Durham Historic District. Compiled by H. McKelden Smith and John B. Flowers. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1976.


Text and Data Citations, Continued. 27.——National Register of Historic Places Registration Form - Gaston, A.G. , Building. Compiled by Linda Nelson and Trina Brinkley. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 2000. 28.——National Register of Historic Places Supplementary Listing Record - Birmingham Civil Rights District. Compiled by Birmingham Historical Society, with consultants. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 2006. 29. National Trust for Historic Preservation. “A.G. Gaston Motel.” Saving Places. Accessed September 10, 2017. https://savingplaces.org/places/a-g-gaston-motel#.Wba4-Mh97IU. 30. ———“Mountain View Officers Club at Fort Huachuca.” Saving Places. Last modified November 8, 2017. Accessed November 27, 2017. https://savingplaces.org/places/mountain-view-officers-clubat-fort-huachuca#.WiIiu0qnHIW. 31. Nauta, Madison. “The Durham Hotel: A North Carolina Architectural Icon Since 1968.” Architecture and Renovation. Atomic Ranch. Accessed November 30, 2017. https://www.atomic-ranch.com/ architecture-renovation/atomic-getaways-the-durham-hotel/. 32. Poster, Corky, Di Gao, Kade Misklinsi, Chris Morris, and Debi Chess Mabie. “Mountain View Officers Club: Team Proposal to Revitalize a Landmark at Fort Huachuca, Arizona.” Formal Response to US Army Request for Information, July 1, 2017. PDF. 33. Preservation Durham. “Places in Peril 2011: Downtown Mid Century Modern.” Preservation Durham. Last modified May 15, 2011. Accessed December 1, 2017. http://preservationdurham.org/ index.php/places-in-peril-2011-downtown-mid-century-modern/. 34. Station North Tool Library. Last modified 2017. Accessed December 9, 2017. http://www. stationnorthtoollibrary.org/. 35. Stewart, Douglas, comp. Crime in the CAP District During 2016. Birmingham, AL: City Action Partnership, 2017. Accessed December 9, 2017. https://docs.wixstatic.com/ ugd/8f493c_63830833f203475cbbb07c70716a1864.pdf. 36. Stout, David. “A.G. Gaston, 103, a Champion of Black Economic Advances.” New York Times (New York City, NY), January 20, 1996, Obituaries. Accessed December 1, 2017. http://www.nytimes. com/1996/01/20/us/a-g-gaston-103-a-champion-of-black-economic-advances.html. 37. Sutton, Marie A. The A.G. Gaston Motel in Birmingham: A Civil Rights Landmark. American Heritage. Mount Pleasant, SC: Arcadia Publishig Inc., 2014. 38. U.S. Department of Energy. Aspinall Courthouse: GSA’s Historic Preservation and Net-Zero Renovation Case Study. By R. Chang, S. Hayter, E. Hotchkiss, S. Pless, J. Sielcken, and C. SmithLarney. Denver, CO: Federal Energy Management Program, 2014.


39. U.S. Government Publishing Office, ed. “DCPD-201700015 - PROCLAMATION 9565-ESTABLISHMENT OF THE BIRMINGHAM CIVIL RIGHTS NATIONAL MONUMENT.” GPO. Last modified January 18, 2017. Accessed December 10, 2017. https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/DCPD-201700015/contentdetail.html. 40. U.S. Green Building Council. “Benefits of Green Building.” Last modified April 1, 2016. Accessed November 26, 2017. https://www.usgbc.org/articles/green-building-facts. 41. Weekend Edition Saturday. “A Birmingham Motel Is Part Of A Civil Rights National Monument.” National Public Radio. Hosted by Scott Simon. Accessed September 10, 2017. http://www.npr. org/2017/06/10/532350773/a-birmingham-motel-is-part-of-a-civil-rights-national-monument. 42. WSB-TV News. “Newsfilm clip of the bombed ruins of the A.G. Gaston Motel and law enforcement patrolling the streets after a series of riots in Birmingham, Alabama, 1963 May 11.” WSB-TV. May 11, 1963. Hosted by WSB-TV. Accessed December 2, 2017. http://crdl.usg.edu/export/html/ ugabma/wsbn/crdl_ugabma_wsbn_35336.html?Welcome. 43. U.S. Department of the Interior. “Four Approaches to the Treatment of Historic Properties.” Technical Preservation Services. Last modified 2017. https://www.nps.gov/tps/standards/fourtreatments.htm.


Image References Original Art & Graphics for This Report Emma Schrantz is responsible for Cover Art, Line Art, Renderings of the Office Building, BIM, and Market Data Infographics. Ty Ginter and Emma Schrantz are responsible for the Gaston Office Building floor diagrams. Ty Ginter is responsible for the creation of the Proximity Maps and Data Charts.

Image Citations American Institute of Architects. Net Zero Energy Building Certification Logo. Photograph. Treehugger. Accessed December 1, 2017. https://media.treehugger.com/assets/images/2013/10/image_preview. jpg. ———Southeast Corner of the Aspinall Building. Photograph. American Institute of Architects. 2013. Accessed December 1, 2017. http://www.aiatopten.org/sites/default/files/styles/popup/public/GSA_ Aspinall_9185_SE.jpg?itok=c5F_AET8. Andershusa. Rooftop Garden. Photograph. Andershusa. Accessed December 1, 2017. https:// andershusa.com/stedsans-at-ostergro-clean-simple-local-rooftop-restaurant-urban-farm-mettehelbak-flemming-hansen. Birmingham News. Calm Reminder. August 9, 1967. Photograph. Accessed December 1, 2017. http:// bplonline.cdmhost.com/digital/collection/p4017coll2/id/1595/rec/17. ———Dr. Gaston’s Success Formula: Find Need, Fill It. November 30, 1966. Photograph. Accessed December 1, 2017. http://bplonline.cdmhost.com/digital/collection/p4017coll2/id/1620/rec/5. ———Lawyers Bell Award given A.G. Gaston second time. May 7, 1971. Photograph. Accessed December 1, 2017. http://bplonline.cdmhost.com/digital/collection/p4017coll2/id/1578/rec/1. ———Mrs. A.G. Gaston to Receive Honor. February 26, 1967. Photograph. Accessed December 1, 2017. http://bplonline.cdmhost.com/digital/collection/p4017coll2/id/1568/rec/64. ———New Building will House Gaston Companies. January 1, 1959. Photograph. Accessed December 1, 2017. http://bplonline.cdmhost.com/digital/collection/p4017coll2/id/1579/rec/70. ———Service to Mankind Award goes to Gaston. March 3, 1969. Photograph. Accessed December 1, 2017. http://bplonline.cdmhost.com/digital/collection/p4017coll2/id/1575/rec/12. Birmingham Police Department. Martin Luther King, Jr. outside Gaston Motel. Photograph. 1963. http:// bplonline.cdmhost.com/digital/collection/p4017coll6/id/2262/rec/1. Birmingham Post-Herald. First Inductees. April 27, 1977. Photograph. Accessed December 1, 2017. http:// bplonline.cdmhost.com/digital/collection/p4017coll2/id/1625/rec/34.


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Image Citations, Continued. ———Mountain View Officers Club. Photograph. Saving Places. 2017. Accessed December 9, 2017. https://nthp-savingplaces.s3.amazonaws.com/2016/04/21/15/53/37/48/MVOC_009_ crTucsonHistoricPreservatinFoundation_mr.jpg. New York Times. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. addresses a crowd at A.G. Gaston Motel. Photograph. PennDesign. 2016. Accessed December 1, 2017. https://www.design.upenn.edu/sites/default/files/ styles/flexthumb/public/images/Martin%20Luther%20King%20Jr.%20addresses%20the%20crowd%20 at%20the%20Gaston%20Motel%201962.jpg?itok=JaT6cLa2. Palmer, Curtis. Taken from the Innovation Depot’s rooftop terrace. Photograph. Wikimedia Commons. November 17, 2007. Accessed December 10, 2017. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/ File:BirminghamALskyline2.jpg. Reeves, Kevin G. Interior of the Aspinall Building. Photograph. American Institute of Architects. 2013. Accessed December 1, 2017. http://www.aiatopten.org/sites/default/files/styles/popup/public/ Aspinall_3942_Reeves_300dpi.jpg?itok=UEBRG1k6. Station North Tool Library. Project Leaders. Photograph. Instagram. December 8, 2017. Accessed December 10, 2017. https://www.instagram.com/p/BcapVSVF09W/. ———Sanding. Photograph. Instagram. December 8, 2017. Accessed December 10, 2017. https://www. instagram.com/p/BcapVSVF09W/. ———Station North Tool Library Logo. Illustration. Station North. December 1, 2017. Accessed December 10, 2017. https://myturn-prod-images-out.s3.amazonaws.com/0/30/logo/ logo4612219896139059222.jpg. ———Woodworking. Photograph. Instagram. December 8, 2017. Accessed December 10, 2017. https:// www.instagram.com/p/BcapVSVF09W/. Unidentified. A.G. and Minnie Gaston. Photograph. ———Cafe Kraft. Photograph. What Should I Eat For Breakfast Today. November 19, 2014. Accessed December 1, 2017. https://d4qwptktddc5f.cloudfront.net/easy_thumbnails/thumbs_meeting-areadots-woodfin-architecture-sheep-stone-0916.jpg.770x0_q95.jpg. ———The Durham Hotel. Photograph. Southern Bride and Groom Magazine. August 3, 2015. Accessed December 10, 2017. https://www.southernbrideandgroom.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/ Durham-botique-hotel.jpg. ———Examining Documents. Photograph. Accessed December 10, 2017. https://lh3. googleusercontent.com/-P4i1dte92Fo/Wi4sdqL_XDI/AAAAAAAAbvc/UI4f9JmpD8cTNO9WE9NhRK0cY0s_nk8QCL0BGAYYCw/h200/2017-12-10.png.


———Gaston at his Desk, in Black Titan. Photograph. Accessed December 10, 2017. https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-tuDa2hC7Vt4/Wi4r3-O3L8I/AAAAAAAAbvM/ ALGOzUSggwQgdA4H20W_6XAne4THHE-tgCL0BGAYYCw/h947/AG%2BGaston%2Bfor%2Bbio.jpg. ———Gaston Building Dedication. 1960. Photograph. ———Gaston Rules. Image. Accessed December 1, 2017. http://www.theurbangent.com/wp-content/ uploads/2017/05/A-G-Gaston-Rules-How-To-Become-A-Millionaire.png. ———MLK Jr. Library. Photograph. Pinterest. Accessed December 1, 2017. https://i.pinimg.com/ originals/3b/95/33/3b953302f66225c797a2f1e3876cd2a3.jpg. U.S. Green Building Council. LEED Certification Levels. Image. EverBlue. Accessed December 10, 2017. http://www.everbluetraining.com/sites/default/files/leed-certification-levels_0.jpg. ———LEED Certified. Image. Heritage Radio Network. August 5, 2012. Accessed November 26, 2017. http://www.peopleinc.net/images/US%20Green%20Building%20Council%20LEED%20Logo.gif. Watson, Tommie. The Durham Hotel Lounge and Restaurant. Photograph. Bites of Bull City. August 8, 2015. Accessed December 10, 2017. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-30w6dVrbZF8/VcpHHz5CFqI/ AAAAAAAABIA/6XumvJJvYdU/s1600/The%2BDurham%2BHotel.jpg. WeWork. WeWork Image 1 of 3: Respect the Hustle. Photograph. StartLand. March 7, 2017. Accessed December 10, 2017. http://www.startlandnews.com/2017/03/international-coworking-firm-wework-tapscrossroads-big-space/.


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