Penn Ave Loft 1
Location: Pittsburgh, PA 
Status: Construction completed 2005
Size: 2,200sf

Cruze Architects served as owner/developer, architect and contractor for this two story, 12,000 square foot masonry building. Originally built as a car dealership in the 1920’s (but subsequently used as a commercial bakery, a dance studio, and a used car dealership), it had declined into a neglected, nearly windowless warehouse. New work included a complete renovation of the exterior, build out of two new commercial spaces on the first floor and three loft rental apartments on the second floor.

Loft #1 is an adaptive re-use of what was once a dance studio in the front half of the second floor.  The existing oak dance floor was retained within the loft, but the portion of the flooring which was outside the new loft footprint was salvaged and used as cladding on the walls. The original roof trusses and decking were exposed and sandblasted, allowing them to display their full height of 28 feet above the second floor.  New insulation installed above the roof decking, operable skylights built into a new raised roof spine, and high mounted ceiling fans help maintain the temperature within the large volume.