Steve McCoy, president of Drever Construction Co., worked with Merriman Anderson/Architects and Andres Construction to develop a solution to remove, restore and reinstall the slabs with new connections that will secure and stabilize the tower's exterior for decades to come. The process provides a surplus marble and terrazzo that, to the delight of the project's interior designers, will be reutilized in the building's interiors.

“We're eager to get this project underway,” says McCoy. “The process will allow this irreplaceable stone to not only be restored to its former glory, but remain as a sound element of the building's structure for many years to come. The fact that the team was able to find a way for the excess marble to be repurposed adds another layer of history to this already impressive structure.”

Existing mechanical connections were separating from the original structure. The condition of the panels and the integrity of the building's engineering necessitated the decision to refurbish the marble. The panels will be refurbished by cladding the natural stone to a structural aluminum honeycomb backer panel, which will ensure the engineering integrity and the historical value of the original marble slabs.

HyCOMB USA is responsible for the stone cutting and the application of the new structural aluminum honeycomb panel. Besides creating extra marble slabs for the building interiors, marble remnants from the cutting and cleaning process will be crushed and repurposed into terrazzo to be utilized in the elevator cab floors, elevator lobby flooring and ninth floor amenity deck flooring.

“I commend Drever Capital Management for their unwavering commitment to the quality of this project,” says Jerry Merriman, president of Merriman Anderson/Architects. “Repurposing is generally more expensive and time consuming than demolishing and replacing with new. The building's owner, Maxwell Drever, appreciates the significance of this building to the history of downtown Dallas.”

Located on an entire Dallas city block at Elm Street, Pacific Avenue, Akard Street and North Field Street, plans for The Drever mixed-use project include multifamily, hotel, retail, restaurants, office, spa and parking. The skyscraper is designed to offer a residential and boutique hotel option with public and private spaces. Near the DART Akard Street station, The Drever is within walking distance of the Dallas Arts District, Klyde Warren Park, downtown restaurants and office towers.

“We are excited to kick off this project, which is the largest project of this type in the state right now, if not the US,” Merriman tells GlobeSt.com. “Our goal is to repurpose 100% of the existing exterior marble in some way. By replacing the existing connections of the original backing on the structure, we're strengthening the structural integrity for the future of the building.”

DALLAS—Legendary Texas oilman H.L. Hunt sought the highest quality materials available during the construction of the former First National Bank of Dallas building, originally importing the dense veined white marble slabs from Greece, in the same quarry used to build the Parthenon. Now known as The Drever, the skyscraper was originally designed by architects George Dahl and Thomas E. Stanley, and has been home to Hunt Oil, the Dallas Petroleum Club and the staged office set for fictitious JR Ewing's Ewing Oil in the television program, “Dallas”. The mid-century tower's distinctive façade was often compared to the pin-striped fabric of a traditional banker's suit because of the repeating pattern of white marble and dark gray floor-to-ceiling windows.

One of the largest buildings in downtown Dallas, at 50 stories and 1.5 million square feet, and the only hotel property to span a full city block, the building at 1401 Elm St. is getting a facelift and then some. The Drever redevelopment will include a luxury high-rise offering 324 residential units, a Thompson Hotel planned with 218 rooms, spa, retail, office and destination restaurants. When completed, The Drever's eight-story tower base will be transformed with more than 27,000 square feet of ground floor retail space, 44,000 square feet of office space, the hotel and residents' lobbies, and a grand ballroom. A wraparound amenity deck with sightlines to surrounding buildings, including a pool, spa, health and fitness room, dog park and outdoor recreation spaces will be on the ninth floor at the top of the base element. The 50th floor will feature an open-to-the-public observation deck. Drever Capital Management's redevelopment of the building, which is set for completion in early 2018, will also refurbish and recycle the tower's distinctive marble pinstripes.

“The original marble is from Mount Pentelikon, a mountain range located in Attica, Greece,” says Aimee Sanborn, principal with Merriman Anderson/Architects. “It's a beautiful natural stone with wonderful veining. We were able to locate the quarry in Greece and have identified the exact species. To repurpose 100% of the existing exterior marble tells a compelling cradle-to-cradle story of upcycling.”

Dallas-based architects, Merriman Anderson/Architects, are the lead architects and designers tasked with designing the reimagined interior and exterior. Andres Construction is the construction manager overseeing the overall building project.

Steve McCoy, president of Drever Construction Co., worked with Merriman Anderson/Architects and Andres Construction to develop a solution to remove, restore and reinstall the slabs with new connections that will secure and stabilize the tower's exterior for decades to come. The process provides a surplus marble and terrazzo that, to the delight of the project's interior designers, will be reutilized in the building's interiors.

“We're eager to get this project underway,” says McCoy. “The process will allow this irreplaceable stone to not only be restored to its former glory, but remain as a sound element of the building's structure for many years to come. The fact that the team was able to find a way for the excess marble to be repurposed adds another layer of history to this already impressive structure.”

Existing mechanical connections were separating from the original structure. The condition of the panels and the integrity of the building's engineering necessitated the decision to refurbish the marble. The panels will be refurbished by cladding the natural stone to a structural aluminum honeycomb backer panel, which will ensure the engineering integrity and the historical value of the original marble slabs.

HyCOMB USA is responsible for the stone cutting and the application of the new structural aluminum honeycomb panel. Besides creating extra marble slabs for the building interiors, marble remnants from the cutting and cleaning process will be crushed and repurposed into terrazzo to be utilized in the elevator cab floors, elevator lobby flooring and ninth floor amenity deck flooring.

“I commend Drever Capital Management for their unwavering commitment to the quality of this project,” says Jerry Merriman, president of Merriman Anderson/Architects. “Repurposing is generally more expensive and time consuming than demolishing and replacing with new. The building's owner, Maxwell Drever, appreciates the significance of this building to the history of downtown Dallas.”

Located on an entire Dallas city block at Elm Street, Pacific Avenue, Akard Street and North Field Street, plans for The Drever mixed-use project include multifamily, hotel, retail, restaurants, office, spa and parking. The skyscraper is designed to offer a residential and boutique hotel option with public and private spaces. Near the DART Akard Street station, The Drever is within walking distance of the Dallas Arts District, Klyde Warren Park, downtown restaurants and office towers.

“We are excited to kick off this project, which is the largest project of this type in the state right now, if not the US,” Merriman tells GlobeSt.com. “Our goal is to repurpose 100% of the existing exterior marble in some way. By replacing the existing connections of the original backing on the structure, we're strengthening the structural integrity for the future of the building.”