Building Announcement for acac Downtown
Originally Published: Feb 01, 2020
Apex Clean Energy, Riverbend Development, William McDonough + Partners, and Hourigan Development announced plans for a new eight-story office building on the current Gleason Street parking lot at acac Downtown.
The eight-story, 187,000 sq. ft. office building will leverage sustainable design features unique to structures of its scale and will serve many of Charlottesville’s prominent local businesses. Construction will begin March 1, 2020. The development will provide dedicated replacement parking for acac Members, including upgraded features such as covered parking, heightened surveillance, electric vehicle charging stations, and enhanced lighting.
Two key components that set it apart: its mass timber structure and integrated renewable energy, including a total of 875 roof- and canopy-mounted solar panels expected to produce 364 MWh of energy per year, enough to equate to zero net energy for three floors. The building will also feature an extensive green roof terrace, safe, healthy, Cradle to Cradle Design™-assessed materials, and high-efficiency mechanical systems.
The sustainably harvested mass timber structure of the building will realize a total potential carbon benefit of approximately 3,000 metric tons—or the equivalent of the carbon emissions from more than 3.1 million pounds of coal-burning—compared to a traditional concrete-and-steel approach. Cross-laminated timber (CLT) is known for its proven high-efficiency strength and fire resistance; it will also help speed construction and provide long-term thermal comfort for occupants.
acac is proud to be part of the Charlottesville community that supports economic growth, entrepreneurship and sustainability. We currently expect parking to be unavailable for a minimum of 12 months, and are actively planning for additional resources to replace the spaces lost during this time. More information on the replacement parking plan will be communicated prior to construction – so stay tuned!
