[Dallas] Former KFC Processing Plant Turned Eco + Modern Reclaimed Loft

At some point in the past, the Fitzgerald's modern + green loft was home to a Kentucky Fried Chicken food-processing plant. On Canton Street, this 7,000 square-foot reclaimed loft is in a budding area near downtown Dallas that is gradually going jetson green. Recently, I posted an article on various green projects in Dallas, namely the 70% sold Buzz project, which is kind of in the same area. I first took notice of this home from an article in the Dallas Morning News and decided to share it with the Jetson Green readership.

In renovating the place, one of the Fitzgerald's goals was to balance environmental concerns with their need for an upscale living and working space. According to Sean Fitzgerald, "we could have put up new walls, laid new flooring and replaced every bit of the old casement windows. We could have just purchased a lot of new things, but we believe in conserving energy, space and materials. A large part of environmental consciousness lies in understanding how to reuse and repurpose existing materials." Notably, they used 90% of the leftover demolition materials to create a synergistic kitchen, entertainment space, balcony, and mezzanine-level bedroom area, and also a separate apartment with bed, bath, and beyond.

As you will notice from the pictures, Sean used an old aluminum moving container for his office. A similar concept is espoused by the owner of the website called Architecture and Hygiene. Formerly a runner on the corporate law track, Sean uses the office for his work in wildlife photography, and his wife practices law.

The kitchen is amazing! One couldn't tell by the pictures, but the cabinets were abandoned on the roadside. The Fitzgeralds had the cabinets restored with powder coating. Also, the tall stainless-steel cupboard is a repurposed garage tool chest and the sink was found at the Habitat for Humanity's ReStore. Keeping inline with their environmental focus, the balcony floors were finished with a water-based sealant. This loft has everything necessary to create a comfortable, modern, and high-caliber living/working space.

While this reclaimed loft may not have the official stamp of an LEED or GBI rating, one cannot deny its green attitude. In my opinion, it's important to design spaces that fit the location. Different situations call for different green measures, and these measures should be suited (financially and physically) to those that will be living and enjoying the space. This loft lives up to those requirements.

In short, the Fitzgeralds likely would emphasize three green concepts that they used in their loft: (1) in a remodeling project, reduce, reuse, and recycle as you are able, (2) conserve energy with proper use of eco windows, lighting, and insulation, and (3) repurpose old materials before replacing them. I'm curious however, how much would it cost to heat and cool a 7,000 square-foot loft apartment? Second thought, maybe I can't handle it...