Case Study

The Chamberlain

The site of The Chamberlain dates back to 1857 as the original Corpus Christi Lighthouse. The U.S. Lighthouse Service purchased the site from J. Burnside and Co. in 1857 and built a brick lighthouse to serve as a beacon for vessels approaching the new port. In 1953, the building became the headquarters for Southern Minerals Corp. and the building was named SOMICO.

The style of the architecture, as originally reported by The Caller Times, was described as “Southern Modern” design. The building, located on a bluff with unobstructed views of the bay, remains one of the most unique buildings in Corpus Christi downtown vernacular architecture. In 1971, the building became the H-E-B company headquarters until 1985.

THE OPPORTUNITY

The Frazier Family Companies, a local Corpus Christi developer, approached LEVY DYKEMA as they were considering buying the historic Chamberlain Building. LEVY DYKEMA was familiar with the building having previously assessed it for a previous owner. Beginning life as a lighthouse in 1857 and serving as the headquarters for H-E-B until 1971, The Chamberlain had been vacant for over 30 years and had gone through multiple stalled attempts to rehabilitate it from multifamily to restaurant to commercial space.

CLIENT VISION

Frazier Family Companies saw this project as an opportunity to create a beacon in the revitalization of uptown Corpus Christi. They wanted to restore the building to its historic glory while creating a functional, modern office. They planned to have their offices in the building as proof of concept and wanted to add amenities that would attract people to the building and the uptown area.

PROJECT GOALS

The goals for the project reflected the client’s vision for the building:

-Create high-end leasable commercial space

-Make the building an uptown destination with a multipurpose rooftop event space

-Finish the Frazier Family Companies office first

THE DESIGN CHALLENGE

The goals for The Chamberlain reflected the client’s vision for the building:

-There was extensive deferred maintenance that needed to be addressed. This included issues with windows, fire escapes, elevator, and HVAC.

-The entire building had to be brought up to code for hurricanes.

-Low floor-to-floor heights on the upper floors

-Rooftop spaces have unique challenges, including structure, waterproofing, and accessibility.

-As the first new revitalization project in the area, coordination with the City of Corpus Christi was critical.

THE SOLUTION

-We decided to celebrate the limitations imposed by the site and the enclosed equipment. The building is comprised of two volumes that follow the arc of the train track. The building grows in height where allowed by the View Corridors. The exact shapes of the volumes are determined by the equipment requirements; this functionality was a paramount consideration.

-To maximize longevity and minimize maintenance, we prioritized natural, inert materials.

-The design for The Chamberlain Building focused on maintaining the existing building exterior appearance while adding modern details, finishes, and technology.

-The initial effort was focused on upgrading windows and doors and replacing the fire escape, and mitigating the challenge presented by the limited floor-to-floor height on the upper floors.

-LEVY DYKEMA also assisted the client in negotiations with the City of Corpus Christi for tax rebates for the revitalization effort, improving and replacing sidewalks, parking meters, drainage, and other utilities that would have minimized the impact of The Chamberlain Building renovation on the surrounding area.