Adaptive Re-use

We help clients transform aging hospitals, schools, industrial facilities, offices, and historic structures into modern, high-performing spaces without unnecessary demolition.

Adaptive reuse demands a smart balance of creativity, code expertise, and cost control. Our engineers prioritize reusing existing civil and structural systems, staging utility upgrades, and solving budgetary constraints early to keep projects on track. Using non-destructive testing, ground-penetrating radar, and selective material sampling, we determine exactly what a building can support and how to strengthen it efficiently. Our approach has led to safe, practical, and cost-effective conversions that unlock new value in existing buildings.

Woodie Fisher Kitchen & Bar
LOCATION: Denver, CO

COMPLETED: 2019

ARCHITECT: JNS Architecture

OWNER: Focus Property Group

The adaptive reuse of Denver’s 1881 Hose House No. 1 was completed as part of the adjacent Hilton Garden Inn development, requiring careful structural rehabilitation of the historic unreinforced masonry building. After decades of vacancy, the structure exhibited significant deterioration, including compromised brick walls and a failing roof system.

Our scope included structural assessment, stabilization, and selective reinforcement to preserve the building’s historic exterior while enabling modern use. Interior modifications included removal of a non-original mezzanine to create an open floor plan, requiring reconfiguration of load paths and the addition of new structural support systems.

The replacement of the deteriorated roof introduced a new framing system designed to accommodate a 26-foot square skylight, significantly altering loading conditions while maintaining overall stability. Close coordination with the adjacent new hotel structure was also required to address proximity, differential movement, and construction sequencing.

The project successfully balances historic preservation with modern structural performance, revitalizing a landmark building within Denver’s evolving urban context.
Denver Energy Center
LOCATION: Denver, CO

COMPLETED: In Development – TBD

ARCHITECT: The Beck Group

OWNER: Luzzatto Company

S. A. Miro, Inc.’s scope for this project focuses on civil engineering design, including upsizing domestic water, fire service, and sanitary sewer lines, as well as minor revisions to sidewalks and roadway access. The project retains existing vehicular access points at Broadway and E 17th Avenue, and Court Place and 16th Street, with pedestrian access largely unchanged. No new streets, alleys, or traffic signals are required, allowing the adaptive reuse to integrate seamlessly with the surrounding urban infrastructure.

Stormwater management for the site does not require modifications or detention facilities, reflecting the minimal changes to impervious surfaces. The civil design deliverables includ the Civil Site Plan, Grading Plan, Utility Plan, and Denver Fire Plan, with coordination to address SDP (Site Development Plan) Amendment processes. S. A. Miro, Inc. is collaborating with the architect throughout the Design Development and Construction Document phases to respond to SDP comments and ensure compliance with city requirements.

By providing a coordinated civil engineering framework for the adaptive reuse, S. A. Miro, Inc. is helping position the Denver Energy Center for long-term, mixed-use functionality while preserving its central role in the evolving downtown Denver core.
The Slate Hotel
LOCATION: Denver, CO

COMPLETED: 2022

ARCHITECT: 4240 Architecture

OWNER: Stonebridge Companies

The S. A. Miro, Inc. structural engineering team helped convert the former Emily Griffith Opportunity School to a boutique hotel next to the Colorado Convention Center. The existing structure was built in phases, extending from the 1920s through the 1950s. This project required extensive coordination to install new, code-compliant demising walls and vertical circulation, along with new entry elements and common areas.

Woodie Fisher Kitchen & Bar

Denver Energy Center

The Slate Hotel