Development News

FX Architecture renovates downtown Royal Oak building

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Royal Oak

Sometimes even the best-laid plans don't work out, and yet, sometimes they do. That's what happened with FX Architecture and its new office in downtown Royal Oak.

The boutique architecture firm run by Frank and Carol Ann Arvan had become very busy by 2007 and the principals started to make plans to hire a few people. The couple had worked out of their home office and would need to set up an independent site to do that.

That led to the purchase of 419 E 4th St, an old dentist office converted by a Wayne State University professor into a private mineral museum in 1984. The economy took a nose dive shortly after they bought it and started work, so FX Architecture remains a two-person operation, only with a new office. That doesn't mean the Arvans aren't making the most out of the situation.

"It allows us to have client meetings in a more professional setting," Frank Arvan says.

The mid-century modern brick building was originally built in 1954 and features long, skinny Roman-style bricks that have become a signature look in some Royal Oak buildings. Frank Arvan describes it as Mid-Century Moderne, heavy on the clean lines and light on the details.

"We have been looking at renovating this building for a while," Frank Arvan says. "It's a big improvement to the neighborhood."

The Arvans redesigned and upgraded its 900 square feet of interior space. It now sports a clean, minimalist, moderne architecture. It also has a number of green features, including lots of insulation, a high-efficiency heating system, and recycled materials.

Source: Frank Arvan, co-principal of FX Architecture
Writer: Jon Zemke

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