Our team won the remarkable challenge of transforming a historic 1912 textile manufacturing plant into affordable senior living apartments. This project required a delicate balance of preserving the building’s industrial heritage, addressing complex subfloor conditions, and maximizing a limited budget to create a comfortable, functional, and aesthetically pleasing environment for residents. By strategically selecting and installing Kahrs Hardwood Flooring in the apartment units, Bentley cushion-backed carpet tile in the management and common areas, and J&J LVT in selection locations that couldn’t receive hardwoods, we delivered a flooring solution that exceeded expectations in both design and cost-effectiveness.
The building’s original subfloors, worn by over a century of industrial use, presented significant challenges, including uneven surfaces, moisture issues, and areas of structural instability. To address these conditions, we began by preparing the subfloors, ensuring a stable foundation for the new flooring.
Throughout the project, we prioritized budget efficiency by carefully planning material usage, minimizing waste, and leveraging the unique strengths of each product. The result is a beautifully restored building that seamlessly blends historic charm with modern functionality.
This project stands as a testament to the power of thoughtful planning and innovative flooring solutions in transforming historic spaces into vibrant, affordable communities. By maximizing every dollar and overcoming significant logistical challenges, we created a senior living environment that is both sustainable and inspiring, setting a new standard for historic renovations.
Nancy Thiel, founder and principal of Thiel Architecture + Design, is a licensed architect and an interior designer. With 40+ years’ experience working with luminaries in the architecture world, including Michael Graves, Robert A.M. Stern, and Rockwell Group, where she served as a studio leader, Thiel’s extensive portfolio includes single-family homes and multi-story residences, hotels, restaurants, retail, fitness clubs, offices, theaters, schools and shopping centers. She is a member of the AIA, holds NCARB certification and is a LEED accredited professional. Prior to her career in architecture, Thiel was a dancer and choreographer.
Thiel Architecture + Design is an award-winning multi-disciplinary architecture, interior design, planning, and product design firm with offices in CT and NY. The firm’s work focuses on high-end residential design as well as hospitality, contract, and retail projects. Thiel Architecture + Design’s work has been featured in Interior Design, Architype, New York and Connecticut Cottages and Gardens, Connecticut Magazine, Archello, and Fast Company magazines. In 2022, the firm received a Connecticut AIA Excellence award for Interior Architecture. Thiel earned a BA from Penn State University and her Master of Architecture degree from Syracuse University.
