BBP Sunset Coffee Building
Location
Client
Delivery Method
square footage
Description
The Buffalo Bayou Partnership (BBP) purchased the long-vacant Sunset Coffee Building in 2003 to preserve and restore one of Houston’s most significant and historic sites. Designed by Lake|Flato and BNIM, the refreshed building boasts bright and expansive interiors, a lively rooftop terrace, a welcoming outdoor plaza, as well as a gallery and event space, bike and boat rental facility, and administrative offices. Because of its location along the banks of Buffalo Bayou, the Sunset Coffee Building also features a lower level that can withstand rising waters and allow flood waters to flow through the building, without affecting its function or structural integrity. Although not formally certified, the Sunset Coffee Building was built with LEED certification in mind. Original elements, including windows, structural clay tile, and terracotta coping, were carefully salvaged and restored, while new elements such as a rainwater collection system, vegetated roof, native plants, and other features add to its sustainability.
Awards
AGC Houston | APEX Bronze Award: Historical Renovation, 2018
AGC Houston | APEX Bronze Award: Renovation Remodel, 2018
Houston Business Journal | Landmark Awards: Historical Renovation, 2017
