H2M Adaptive Reuse Article Featured in Albany Business Review

H2M Studio Director Katrina Pacheco, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP, MCPPO, recently published an article on adaptive reuse and food deserts in Albany Business Review.

The article highlights Bargain Grocery, an affordable grocery store in Troy, NY, that H2M designed in collaboration with developer First Columbia Real Estate and Compassion Coalition, the nonprofit organization operating the store. Both the original Bargain Grocery location in Utica, NY, and this second Troy location have helped make significant strides in transforming local food deserts into healthy, thriving communities.

Utilizing adaptive reuse techniques, H2M converted a 19th-century factory into a modern grocery facility while preserving the historical aesthetic of the original building. Adaptive reuse allowed the project to be completed in less time, for less money, and with less waste than new, ground-up construction. The adaptive reuse work included the preparation of historic surveys and architectural designs, electrical system upgrades, structural fortification, and a new HVAC system. For food deserts with limited space for development, adaptive reuse can be an enormously beneficial way to bring fresh produce to communities that historically have lacked access.

This past May, in recognition of the project’s innovation and impact, Bargain Grocery received a State Historic Preservation Award for Excellence in Non-Profit Achievement from the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.

To read Katrina’s article in full, visit the Albany Business Review website.