JQ provides facilities assessment and structural preservation engineering services for adaptive reuse of barns at historic stockyards

Dallas — JQ is providing facilities assessment and structural preservation engineering services for the adaptive reuse of the historic Horse and Mule Barns (Barns) in Fort Worth’s Stockyards.  JQ is a subconsultant to the architectural and planning firm of Bennett Benner Partners (BBP) on the project. Originally constructed in 1912, the two facilities, flanking Mule Alley, contain approximately 185,000 square feet.  The Barns are designated as part of the contributing architecture of The Fort Worth Stockyards Historic District.

Located at 122-124 East Exchange Avenue, the $45 million renovation project includes the Barns, the space between them known as Mule Alley, and the park at Marine Creek.  This project is the first phase of Fort Worth Heritage Development, LLC’s (FWHD) $175 million plan to develop more than 70 acres in and around the Stockyards. FWHD was formed by owners Majestic Realty Company and the Hickman Companies to work with the City of Fort Worth on a redevelopment plan of the historic area.

According to JQ’s principal Mark LeMay, AIA, “JQ is pleased to be involved with this project team and to be working on these structures that represent such significant historical and cultural importance in Fort Worth.  Adaptive reuse projects draw on all of our firm’s capabilities and expertise.”

JQ’s experience with historic preservation and adaptive reuse projects includes some of the state’s most iconic structures, such as the Governor’s Mansion in Austin, Texas, and more than 45 historic county courthouses throughout the state.

JQ performed an assessment of the seven barns which constitute the two facilities.  The barns consist of concrete roof structures, concrete mezzanines, interior steel lattice columns encased in concrete, and exterior load bearing brick walls.  After completing their assessment, JQ developed repair documents that included repair of concrete damage and failures, brick masonry repair and restoration, structural steel repairs, foundation underpinning to address movement, addition of supplemental steel framing to facilitate change of use, and rebuilding of the timber roof structures at roof towers.

According to LeMay, “After presenting the results of our assessment and developing preliminary budget numbers for repairs, the owners decided to proceed with the adaptive reuse of the barn structures and will repurpose them as retail, office, restaurant, and event spaces.”

JQ produced core and shell documents which included developing demolition drawings, installing new storefront windows and canopies around the barns, installing a replacement floor structure, and reviewing the impact of mechanical units on the structure.  Construction is scheduled to start in March 2017 with completion targeted for 2018.

The project team includes Majestic Realty’s Commerce Construction Co., LP as general contractor, Bennett Benner Partners as architect, Kimley-Horn as civil engineer, and Susan Klein as historian/historic consultant, among others.