THE COLUMNS
Cincinnati, Ohio | 2020
What was once a prominent 4-story building in the historic Findlay Market was destroyed by a fire decades ago, except for the ground floor. This condition remained until the current owners decided to create an event center that would serve the Findlay Market community with space for weddings, parties, and corporate functions.
The project will restore the existing cast-iron façade and infill with a new glass and steel custom storefront with deep reveals and window boxes. The remaining cornice line will be restored and refurbished with a steel plate structure to produce a deep shadow line. The cornice will be infilled with laminated, vertically stacked glass that will produce an effect similar to prismatic glass, a material used in historic buildings in OTR.
Directly behind the new cornice is a roof deck with two large, glazed skylights, and at the rear of the building, a second story with offices and workspace. The skylight volumes were created as a result of the limited occupiable area allowed for a single exit floor on the second level and are not visible from Elder Street per historic guidelines. The second level will be clad in zinc and will also have windows facing the alley.
Photos by Phil Armstrong.
