225 East Main Street

In 2015, brwarchitects was entrusted with the renovation and adaptive reuse of one of the oldest buildings on Charlottesville’s historic Downtown Mall, with a key challenge: preserving its historic character while reimagining the space for modern use.

Given the building’s prominent location and significance, the project required a careful blend of restoration and new construction to meet the client’s vision. The result is a dynamic, multi-functional space packed with diversity, despite its small footprint.

Led by architect David Timmerman, AIA, the renovation began with the building’s exterior. We restored the original brick façade, enhancing its beautiful patina, added new windows to the existing masonry wall on 3rd Street, and replaced the outdated wood façade with a sleek glass and steel assembly. This modern intervention respects the building’s historic roots while creating a more open, inviting presence along the mall.

Inside, the focus was on flexibility. The 2,000-square-foot interior was designed to support multiple tenants, each with distinct needs. The main floor is home to Charlottesville’s local PBS station, which serves as a multi-functional office, event space, and exhibition area—complete with audio and visual staging for small-scale video and music production.

The second floor houses a cooperative workshare office tailored for startups, with the option to accommodate a live-in tenant if needed. Additionally, a 700-square-foot bakery was incorporated to cater to the city’s growing community of food entrepreneurs.