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September 2019 \ BUILDING DIALOGUE \ 43 Owner’s Representative Project & Development Services wemberinc.com ture, while dealing with unforeseen conditions,” said Ben Hrouda, managing partner for Flywheel Capital. • Overcoming the unknown. The absence of drawings and plans from the original build amplified this challenge, as the de- tails and construction quality of the build could not be en- sured. The unknown is often the biggest hurdle to overcome. For this particular project, it meant spending necessary time to assess the as-built conditions. Field measuring, scoping the plumbing, assessing the existing demising walls, evaluating the accessibility and testing the sound mitigation were all demanding. While most of the plumbing could be reused, all of the balcony railings had to be replaced because engi- neers would not certify the safety of the existing rails without the costly and timely process of checking every single railing weld. The existing wall system passed the sound inspection; however, it could not adequately be adapted to the newer configurations and was mostly removed and replaced. Issues with existing ceiling heights, accessibility requirements, and adding new openings provided additional challenges. • Consider what exists. When adapting an existing building, it is important to capitalize on the existing character. “Circa West is different because it embraces the vintage character, while it is completely new and modern. In addition, each res- idence has a large private balcony to enjoy everything Denver has to offer,” Hrouda said. In addition to the private balconies, the character of this building can be found in its double tee construction. While the ceiling height is lower than what is typical in new construction today, the exposed tees through- out the building give the units and amenity area a unique look and feel. • End result. The benefits of lower construction costs, quicker timelines and the opportunity for a unique product make condominium conversions an attractive development oppor- tunity, especially when combined with aging hotels and mo- tels. Additionally, projects like Circa West can alleviate the de- mand for attainable housing in rapidly growing areas. While site selection, existing infrastructure, and character can pro- vide a baseline formula to follow, the most important aspect of a condominium conversion is to plan for the unknown. Hrouda’s advice for other developers, “Plan for more unfore- seen conditions than you might expect, and be flexible.” \\ charlesr@kephart.com ELEMENTS Condo Considerations Eric Broadfoot Entry-level condo at Circa West.