Wednesday, April 26, 2017

Cooper Carry Project Nabs Prestigious NAHB Award For Industrial Apartments With Historic Past in Old Town Alexandria, VA


Brandon Lenk
ALEXANDRIA, VA – From a cotton factory and civil war prison to bottling plant and office space, a historic building in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia has reinvented itself yet again after taking home top honors in one of the nation’s premier residential awards competitions.

Designed by internationally recognized design firm COOPER CARRY, “The Mill at 515” on Washington Street won a Platinum award in the 2016 “Best In American Living” competition.  

The project was honored in the “Best Adaptive Reuse, Multifamily” category, which recognizes buildings that revitalize existing buildings while still preserving their historic character and charm.

“From the onset it was imperative to us that the transformation of ‘The Mill’ did not degrade the rich legacy of the building and site,” said Brandon Lenk, AIA, Project Architect at COOPER CARRY.

 “CAS Riegler, our client, developed a project that met the approval of multiple historic and architectural review committees, and I think the end result is truly unique. The beauty of historic adaptive reuse projects like The Mill, is that they cannot be replicated.

“This is a one-of-a-kind structure that combines a historic past with the modern benefits and amenities one might expect in a newly constructed residential facility.”

Built in 1847 and originally known as The Mount Vernon Cotton Factory, “The Mill” was seized by Union soldiers during the Civil War and converted into a makeshift prison for enemy combatants.

Bedroom, The Mill at 515 Loft Apartment
 After lying dormant for a few decades, it later served as a bottling plant, spark plug factory, and most recently, office space. The 26,000 plus square foot structure was taken down to its brick and wood frame in 2013 to enable the restoration process.

The newly-transformed industrial lofts have 25 living units which feature contemporary touches such as exposed brick walls, interior steel stairs and railings, stainless steel appliances, high-end countertops and white cabinetry throughout.

Studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments range from 450 to nearly 2,000 square feet, while a club room on the top floor offers spectacular views of Washington D.C. and Old Town Alexandria.

CAS Riegler is the developer for the project, and Snead Construction served as general contractor. For more information on the 2016 “Best In American Living” awards, visit the NAHB website.


 For a complete copy of the company’s news release, please contact:


Liana Moran
The Wilbert Group
404.748.1367

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