Looking Back: Highlighting our Cleveland Office
As we continue to look back on the 40-year history of Lewis Group Architects, we would be remiss not to mention the incredible work that has been done through our Cleveland office. This year marks the 10th anniversary of LGA in Cleveland, and we wanted to take the time to highlight just a few of the vast array of your projects we’ve had the pleasure of working on in Bradley County.
Lillios Lofts
Lillios Lofts is a historic renovation project of one of the original Ford Dealership buildings in Cleveland, Tennessee. Originally constructed from 1914–1927, the building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places thanks to the help of LGA. The second stories of both buildings have been completely renovated for 14 loft apartments, and the first floor includes a restaurant and florist gallery.
The 22,612 SF project was extensive and included full interior finish upgrades, restoration of existing metal hopper-style windows, restoration of a portion of the original car ramp between the buildings, reroofing of the barrel vault, reconstruction of original brick parapets and cornices, and more.
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Over the past decade, LGA has envisioned this property being revitalized and has assisted the original property owner and a new developer in the process of getting the historic mill listed in the National Register of Historic Places. With this designation, this 59,692 SF mill will be transformed into 52 one- and two-bedroom loft apartments. The original buildings (1924-1968) housed Sanda Hosiery Mills, which operated from 1945-2002 and produced the Humpty Dumpty’s “Famous Baby Bootie Sock”. After equipment removal, the structure retained beautiful hardwood floors, exposed steel and wood structure, exposed brick and clay tiles, and large steel windows – a perfect palette for loft living.
Though the new lofts will include modern, state-of-the-art amenities to satisfy and entice new residents, the history of the building will be highlighted. LGA has also coordinated with the City of Cleveland, Mainstreet Cleveland, and local utility companies to provide a streetscape improvement project, further adding to the importance of this project to Bradley County.
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Tennessee State Veterans’ Home
The Tennessee State Veterans’ Home (TSVH) in Bradley County, Tennessee provides resident-centered homes and individualized care for the area’s veterans, reflecting a significant cultural transformation in the approach to the environment of care in Community Living Centers: the focus is on the individual as a resident rather than as a patient, and the home is a place for meaningful living in addition to a place to receive nursing care.
The project includes a single story, 107,394 SF 108-bed intermediate and skilled care nursing facility, related site improvements, and a neighborhood of six 18-bedroom Residential Houses. The houses will be co-located with living, dining, and kitchen areas and interconnected by interior shared spaces, common areas, and support spaces. There will also be access to a series of planned outdoor garden and courtyard spaces.
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The former Lake Forest Middle school campus required students and faculty to walk outside in the elements to change classes. Keeping the existing auditorium, gymnasium, and cafeteria buildings, the new 1,400-student middle school facility bridges the gap between them, creating a unified and secure campus structure where everything is accessible from the inside. The traditional design of this project includes a grand atrium space; a ‘C’ shape floor plan around an outdoor courtyard; double-height media center, STEM lab, and art classroom; separated academic wings; and plenty of new and improved spaces for choral, drama, and band classes. Existing campus buildings also received a new brick veneer so the final campus looks cohesive.
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Cleveland State Community College Exterior Signage
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Cleveland Court is a 78-unit multi-family housing facility in Cleveland, Tennessee. The facility replaced the previous housing at the historic Cherokee Hotel in downtown Cleveland. With an aging facility, small unit sizes, and lack of standard amenities, the Owner made the decision to provide a new facility at a different location. LGA developed the site and building design for the new 2-story facility for 69 studio and 9 one-bedroom units. Each unit includes a kitchen and individual HVAC control. The U-shaped configuration features common areas for activities such as a computer room, exercise room, and gathering rooms around a courtyard and outdoor space for tenant use. The project was also cited for the most effective roof-top solar application.
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Stay tuned for more of our “Looking Back” series as we take a walk down memory lane and revisit projects throughout our 40-year history!
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Founded in 1982 by Jerry W. Lewis, AIA on the principles of honesty, integrity, and exemplary service for our clients, LGA has become the Firm of Choice – the firm that clients have chosen again and again for comprehensive and distinctive design. We look forward to an opportunity to tell you more about how we as an architectural partner can help bring your vision, your dream to life.