American Constructors is pleased to announce that The Gin at the Hutto Co-Op District was recently awarded the Engineering News-Record (ENR) 2016 Best of the Best award from across the U.S. in the Renovation/Restoration category.
ENR first awarded The Gin at the Hutto Co-Op District a regional Best Project award in the Texas & Louisiana region before the project moved up to the national competition. Judges from across the country examined each project to distinguish the best from the best in terms of teamwork, safety, overcoming challenges, innovation, and quality.
The Gin at the Hutto Co-Op District project has been recognized over the past year with numerous design and construction awards, including the following:
- 2016 ABC Central Texas Chapter Excellence in Construction Eagle Award
- 2017 AIA Institute Honor Award for Architecture
- 2016 AIA Austin Design Award
- The Architect’s Newspaper 2016 Best of Design Award for Adaptive Restoration
- Texas Society of Architects 2016 Design Award
About the project
This project transformed the City of Hutto’s iconic, 65-year-old South Gin Building into a 6,500-sq-ft, open-air public gathering space that serves as the centerpiece for the city’s future Co-op Mixed-Use District.
The Hutto Cotton and Grain Co-Op is a key part of Hutto’s history as an agricultural community. Along with the original 24 silos, the structures that housed the cotton gin and bailing machinery formed a familiar landmark within the city. The two original steel structures, named the North and South Gin Buildings, were in operation from 1937 until the co-op’s closure in 2003. The project team selectively deconstructed and reused the best parts of each building to create a single structure. Unique aspects of both buildings were preserved, such as the old cotton bale press, the trusses that hold up the ceilings, and the steel columns and windows, allowing the new building to maintain the character of the original structures.
The structure was reinforced to meet current codes while maintaining the delicacy and elegance of the original steel details. Nearly 33 tons of new steel was integrated into the building. Because of the number of steel components and the lack of as-built drawings, most of the new pieces were custom built from onsite stock rather than being shop fabricated.
The project team also installed a new structural slab 12 inches higher than the existing slab to help alleviate potential flooding. The structural engineer designed eight large piers to be installed at the corners of the building. Drilling for those piers was complicated by the presence of underground water, requiring some piers to have casings placed deep into the excavation.
Close coordination between the design and construction team and tenacious schedule management was an essential part of integrating the new with the old and delivering the City of Hutto’s vision. The new facility provides space for city and community events, including farmers’ markets, family reunions, live performances, and weddings.
Project team
Owner: City of Hutto
Construction Manager: American Constructors
Architect: Antenora Architects LLP
Structural: Architectural Engineers Collaborative (AEC)
Civil: Bury Inc. (Now Stantec)
MEP: TTG Engineers
Landscape Architect: TBG Partners
Contact: Rhonda Bly, rbly@acitexas.com, (512) 328-2026