Front street
Location: Beaufort, NC
Size: 12,800 sf
Completion Date: Spring 2021
This project is a renovation to an existing 1980s commercial building in the historic Beaufort waterfront. Located on a prominent site on the main corridor running through the historic downtown this property was once home to the Beaufort Wharf, historically a great area of commerce. When developers purchased the existing building it was rundown. They approached Toma Farren architects to up-fit the interior and exterior, their goal was to bring the building back to the spirit of what it once was.
Toma Farren helped brainstorm a new program for the building and rework the plan so that all circulation took place externally on the exterior porches, maximizing rentable square footage. The downstairs remains commercial space for local business, the second level is residential condos and the upper floor will be an event space with a rooftop bar.
The material pallet was thoughtfully selected to speak to the local vernacular, and applied in a modern way, to represent the current period. The vertical columns and materiality of the weathered wood porches echo the utilitarian construction of the adjacent docks and maritime spirit of the historical fishing town.
Porches on the north and south facades allow for external circulation, while they also speak to the historic tradition of front porches, a common theme in the coastal homes throughout the area. The brick base and silvered cedar siding and white shiplap siding speak to the local materials found on the historic residences throughout the coastal community.
