Birmingham: Innovation Depot
A long-vacant Sears department store in Birmingham was transformed into the headquarters for Innovation Depot, a non-profit business incubator for start-up companies. Williams Blackstock Architects turned the dilapidated structure into 120,000 square feet of office space, 20,000 square feet of laboratories, a copy center, conference rooms, café and bakery, training facilities, rooftop terrace and landscaped courtyards. The project also helped revitalize a blighted two-block area of downtown Birmingham. This adaptive reuse project won several awards, including the 2009 Preservation Award from the Birmingham Historical Society and the 2007 Honor Award, Renovation/Restoration from the Alabama Council, AIA.
Photo Credit: Wiliams Blackstock