PROJECT DESCRIPTION
The adaptive reuse of a former U.S. Post Office at the Virginia Beach
oceanfront has created a dynamic second location for Smartmouth Brewery,
long a fixture in Norfolk’s Chelsea neighborhood. Many features made the
old Post Office a natural choice for the new Pilot House brewery and
tasting room: tall ceilings, wide open bays, ample windows for day
lighting, terrazzo and hearty concrete slabs, and a wide, covered loading
dock perfect for brewing operations but also for outdoor seating. The
property spans an entire block, so it has a formal presence with great
pedestrian access on 32nd Street, while also providing ample parking and an
ability to program the site in many fun ways. (The brewery’s 33rd Street
Party events are wildly popular). The building previously had been
converted to a cross-fit gym and an office space, so elements from each of
these were available for reuse, including interior storefront glass,
natural wood doors, and perforated sheet metal details.
The primary design challenge was to organize the space so that it would be
optimal for both its small-batch 10-barrel brewery system and a large
Tasting Room that could be divided to accommodate private meetings and an
event space. This would allow flexibility for simultaneous programming that
wouldn’t limit normal tasting room and brewing operations. The design
solution was aa roll-up glass garage door to divide the space, and a
concealed barn door to divide the bar so that both spaces have access to
taps and space for the beertenders to serve.
