Goldtex
At the intersection of 12th and Vine streets, the Goldtex building rises as one of the most iconic architectural works in Philadelphia’s Loft District. Blending modern sophistication and raw, urban design, the LEED-Silver edifice is now home to 163 cutting edge apartments, featuring designer kitchens, 10’ windows, and a rooftop pool, second-to-none. But that wasn’t always the case. Originally erected as a women’s shoe factory in 1904, the building was later converted into office space, and finally abandoned after an unpleasant foreclosure in 2001. When Post Commercial acquired the property in 2011, their vision was to modernize the space while retaining many of the original, rough elements, accentuating the urban nature of the building and the Loft District area. As with many former factories and warehouses in the City of Brotherly Love, each floor of the Goldtex building was blessed with grandiose 12-foot ceilings, adorned with…well….concrete. A common practice would be to dress up the ceilings by either painting over the concrete or installing drywall. Post wanted to do things differently. The design team decided to accentuate the imposing, bulky ceilings and allow them to coexist with the sleek modern finishes of the apartments.
SprayStone’s characteristics made it an ideal choice for the project. Not only did the high-performance coating provide a finish identical to natural stone, the water-based formula ensured quick application and low levels of VOCs, critical to maintain the LEED certification of the project. With each story of the building presenting 12,000 sq. ft. of ceiling surface, a team of 8 installers worked simultaneously to apply finish. Having a consistent, single-component product was essential to achieving a uniform result, and SprayStone offered just that. Each installer was able to complete over 1,200 sq. ft. of finish per day and turn the ceilings over in record time. Once the ceilings were complete, Post was so impressed with SprayStone, they decided to use the coating on supporting concrete pillars throughout the building as well as exterior walls.
“We used SprayStone extensively throughout the project. As the units are lofts, an industrial aesthetic was preferred, accentuating and reconditioning the deteriorated ceilings at the same time. SprayStone was able to cover all the imperfections. We used it again on the columns in the lobby and the ground floor exterior walls. SprayStone finished the walls perfectly.”
Josh Guelbart – Asset Manager – Post Commercial Real Estate
Today, SprayStone glorifies the historic building, while original graffiti decorates the rooftop garden, offering residents and guests a modern living space, with a glimpse into the days long past.
If you’re ever in Philadelphia, we’ll be happy to take you out for a cup of coffee along with a tour of the Goldtex Building.