RiverWoods Durham Marketing Center

Rebirth of a 19-century barn

RiverWoods, a local senior housing provider, eyed a small barn adjacent to their newest residential project in Durham as an ideal marketing center. The barn, constructed circa 1880, stands at the gateway to the town when approached from the north; as such, the community was concerned that its character be preserved and that development not alter the fabric of the historic property.

We worked closely with the town’s Heritage Commission, Historic District Commission, and Planning Board on the design, which included restoring elements of the historic exterior as well as replacing the barn doors with glazing and adding new windows to maximize natural light on the interior. The barn was insulated to meet Durham’s energy code and significant structural work stabilized the foundation and replaced rotted sills. Working in tandem with the construction manager, the team met an aggressive 12-week construction schedule.