(Reprinted from CommArch Magazine)

With the total volume of global construction waste poised to double to more than 2.2 billion tons by 2025, developers are using existing structures as staging grounds for new projects. Known as adaptive reuse, this mode of development allows developers to sustainably craft new spaces without forcing neighborhoods to surrender their architectural character. 

“Reusing [an] existing structure is one of the most effective ways to reduce construction waste,” says Lilla Smith, Architecture and Design Director of Macklowe Properties, “There is nothing more compelling from an environmentally sustainable perspective than to recycle and reuse an existing building.” 

An Iconic Building, Reimagined

Currently, Macklowe Properties is working on the largest adaptive reuse project in New York City’s history: transforming One Wall Street, an office tower, into residential and retail space. Comprising over one million square-feet across fifty-stories, every inch of One Wall Street is steeped in rich Art Deco heritage. Numerous setbacks adorn its limestone facade, while its famous ‘Red Room’ lobby greets guests with ornate red-and-gold mosaics and high vaulted ceilings. 

However, redeveloping One Wall Street without sacrificing its structural integrity required Macklowe to adopt a careful hand, treating each residence as a standalone project with exacting dimensional specifications. One Wall Street’s dense, urban backdrop also made distributing and installing supplies logistically difficult. 

“Maximizing efficiency in residential and retail floors is usually very difficult,” says Lilla Smith. To complete the residential portion on-time and within budget, Macklowe leaned on its long-standing relationship with Infinity Drain to procure 550 high-quality, custom shower bases. Having just released their new Stainless Steel Shower Bases, Infinity Drain capably executed on this request. 

How Infinity Drain Enabled the Residential Redevelopment 

Infinity Drain offers over 40 available SKUs and easy integration with curb or curbless showers. For the One Wall Street project, each base was customized to fit one of the 70 unique dimensional specifications required for the residential bathrooms. The bases also arrived flood-tested with a pre-sloped floor primed for tiling, which sped up installation. Most enticing to Macklowe was Infinity Drain’s offer of a lifetime waterproofing warranty. 

“The Stainless Steel Shower Base was chosen to minimize the time of installation, ensure precise dimension, floor slope and fit requirements, utilize local Infinity Drain technical support and to leverage the product’s Lifetime Waterproofing Warranty,” says John Flaa, Commercial Sales Director for Infinity Drain. 

Through this partnership, Macklowe efficiently installed high-quality, custom shower bases in each residence and, as a result, delivered bathrooms that could seamlessly integrate with the existing, iconic structure. 

“By restoring One Wall Street, the bulk of demolition and construction waste that would have been generated with a new structure was avoided,” states Lilla Smith, “The result of this is a more efficient and sustainable alternative to conventional design and construction.”