MacLac

This unique property with five interconnected historical buildings sets a new tone for a sustainable future as a redeveloped commercial space. The project team – led by Comstock Realty Partners, Marcy Wong Donn Logan Architects, Peter Logan Architecture + Design, and Mark Hulbert – transformed a time-tested and strong-boned industrial building into a Class A worthy multi-functional space with exceptional views of the San Francisco skyline. Although this project would easily be eligible for SFDBI LEED Gold equivalency due to the sustainability contributions of a historic building, ownership pushed the team to target full LEED v4 Gold certification in addition to the project’s significant social and environmental benefits of repurposing a historic building.

At a Glance

Client:Marcy Wong & Donn Logan Architects

Location:San Francisco, CA

Industry:Retail

Size:90,000 SF

Project Team:Comstock Realty Partners (Owner)Marcy Wong Donn Logan Architects (Architect)PLAD (Peter Logan Architecture and Design) (Architect)Rod Heisler Construction (RHC Construction) (General Contractor)

Certifications:LEED v4 Gold (targeting)

Solutions:

LEED CS Consulting
LEED Fundamental & Enhanced Commissioning
Energy Modeling

The Challenge

This project joins together five separate heavy timber and black steel buildings from the early 1900s into a single facility under San Francisco’s “Production, Distribution, and Repair (PDR)” zoning. The reuse of existing historic buildings for new development substantially reduces carbon emissions of construction materials, while also protecting built environment cultural assets. With all of its positive impacts, this type of work also incurs substantial effort and risk to successfully design, construct, and coordinate these inherent complexities. Project constraints including structural and hazard remediation, code and performance upgrades, hidden condition resolution, and extended development timeline all add to the challenge of a successful outcome.

Stok was engaged to manage and optimize sustainability toward LEED Gold Certification. Specifically, Stok:

Guided the project team toward LEED Gold certification as LEED Consultant
Provided energy modeling services
Provided LEED Fundamental and Enhanced Commissioning

Although this project would easily be eligible for SFDBI LEED Gold equivalency due to the sustainability contributions of a historic building, ownership pushed the team to target full LEED v4 Gold certification in addition to the project’s significant social and environmental benefits of repurposing a historic building.

The Solution

REACH FOR LEED GOLD

With the decision to obtain the additional 10 points required to move from Historic Building LEED Gold Equivalency to LEED Gold Certification, Stok facilitated multiple full team collaboration sessions to determine where the project could increase performance within the LEED credit categories. This came to resolution through processes including:

- Research, coordination, and collaboration between multiple design, engineering, and ownership stakeholders to incorporate additional controls and sensors to improve efficiency, reduce demand, and increase operational control of the project’s mechanical and plumbing systems
- Utilization of off-site investments in regional sustainability measures to support the project’s development, including grid based renewable energy and regional habitat protection
- Stok energy modeling feedback to inform MEP and envelope upgrades

DESIGN ITERATION UPDATES

With the project’s long development duration came multiple design iterations as the project’s existing conditions and future tenant needs began to inform and evolve the project program. Stok worked to provide iterative options to maintain or improve project performance as the design changed.

REIMAGINED REHABILITATION

Stok provided sustainability services as the team upgraded and expanded the buildings, which previously manufactured lacquer and paint. The team updated building systems, added 11,300 square feet of green roof terraces and a four-story glass mezzanine/atrium, introduced abundant daylight through ridge skylights to accentuate the brick space and steel roof, incorporated crucial seismic upgrading, and maximized spectacular views of downtown San Francisco. The project revitalizes the space while maintaining many of the historical features that make this property so special.

For its exceptional reimagining of an old industrial property, in 2023 MacLac Building D received the California Preservation Foundation’s Preservation Design Award for Rehabilitation, American Institute of Architects AIA San Francisco Design Awards Commendation for Historical Preservation, American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC) IDEAS2 Adaptive Reuse Projects and Modern Masterpieces National Award, ARCHITECT Magazine Architecture and Interiors Awards’ Adaptive Reuse Merit Award, Palladio Award for Adaptive Reuse, U.S. WoodWorks Wood Design Award for Durable and Adaptable Wood Structures, and Wood Design and Building Awards’ Merit Award. In 2022, it received the AIA California Design Awards Merit Award and the Architecture MasterPrize for Heritage Architecture.