John Muir Branch, Windsor Public Library

Nominated for the Paul Oberman Award for Adaptive Reuse: Small-Scale/Individual/Small Business

Built in 1921, Sandwich Fire Hall is one of the oldest remaining fire halls in Windsor. Jason Grossi and his team Studio g+G designed an update for the building and adjoining stable, which predated the main structure by several decades and was a leftover from when horses pulled the fire equipment. The John Muir Branch of the Windsor Public Library celebrated its grand opening on September 19, 2019, with the adaptive reuse fully completed the next year.

Mr. Grossi designed the adapted reuse with a firm eye on its history. Grossi used reclaimed cobbles from the base of the original entrance of the nearby Ambassador Bridge, which were contemporary with the original construction of the Fire Hall. He reclaimed fir boards found in the structure during the construction and used them as cladding. He recreated the tin ceiling tiles, modeling those that he found in the building but could not use. Much of the second floor was destroyed by a fire in the 1940s and Grossi opened that space, creating an atrium. The skylight allows natural light to flood the library area making it a pleasant and modern feeling space to read and study. Grossi created a suspended walkway to connect the fire hall with the stable building next door. The result was to honour what the building looked like in the 1940s and celebrate its role and importance in the community. With his care and diligence, Jason Grossi brought an inspirational rebirth to a disused building in the oldest part of Windsor, an area which is often neglected.

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