2024
Silver Award
General Contractor

Projects of Distinction

Project

St. Vincent de Paul Williamson Street Facility

Winner

Advanced Building Corporation

Location

Madison, Wisconsin

Owner

District Council of Madison, Inc., Society of St. Vincent de Paul

Designer

Dimension IV Madison Design Group

About the Project

The St. Vincent de Paul store, located in the Williamson-Marquette neighborhood, is Madison’s first physical store, opening in 1941. It has since become the Society’s local flagship thrift store. The Baldwin building and the adjacent Seton social services building had reached the end of their life with deteriorating structures. Extensive collaboration with the owner, including weekly meetings and input from stakeholders, the community and the Landmarks Commission, ensured the design was compatible with the Third Lake Ridge historic character. The tight site brought challenges; however, collaboration with local authorities allowed for lane blockage, a crane pad and the relocation of high voltage lines. The building remained open to the public during construction, with safety measures in place to ensure the harmony of workers and retail shoppers. Despite the challenges, construction was completed four months ahead of schedule. Innovative technology involved soil nailing to stabilize the slopes. Sustainability features include rooftop solar panels, utilizing as much of the existing structure as possible, significantly reducing the building’s ecological impact. The project has been praised for its thoughtful design and its ability to continue serving the public with the client’s expanded retail, charitable, and social resources.

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