The former F.W. Woolworth Co. store, fondly remembered for its iconic lunch counters, has been fully renovated to create a modern, collaborative office building. Design elements in The 428 honor the building’s former life through repurposed materials and a mid-century modern design, however, the building has been transformed into an inspiring, up-scale, and sustainable office space featuring wellness-focused amenities. The 428 offers a range of working spaces for individuals and organizations, including a co-working space with a roof-top patio called “Wellworth.”
In addition to Class A office space, The 428 offers occupants innovative support for their health and wellness by following the International WELL Building Standards. Recognizing that we spend a majority of our time indoors, the WELL Building Standards are designed to make buildings and interior spaces healthy and nourishing for the body and mind by attending to seven concepts: air, water, light, fitness, comfort, mind, and nutrition. To improve the interior environment, The 428 avoids VOCs in building materials, filters air and water, and manages natural light.
District Energy’s services connect The 428 to renewable heating, domestic hot water, cooling and snow melt, all from locally-sourced wood waste while eliminating fuel combustion and cooling refrigerants on-site. District Energy also supported the installation of innovative piping technology inside the building, which is hydrophobic, inert, and VOC-free.
As long-term partners with Commercial Real Estate Services—the firm that completed the building’s redevelopment–we were eager to match our environmental values with their vision for the building. The 428 is Minnesota’s first building to be awarded both LEED Silver certification and WELL Building Core & Shell certification.