Whole Foods

Brooklyn, NY

Serving as the lead A/E firm for the design of a Whole Foods store located in the Red Hook section of Brooklyn, New York, BL Companies demonstrated a unique application of engineering principles to produce a green design that achieved LEED Platinum status. The site, an abandoned auto repair shop, was bounded by the Gowanus Canal, tidal wetlands protected by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. Given the site’s history, extensive environmental site remediation was necessary, including the removal of old petroleum bulk storage tanks and thousands of cubic yards of contaminated earth. BL’s environmental, civil, structural and MEP engineering teams collaborated with the survey and landscape architecture divisions to develop the new 58,000 SF store that includes 20,000 SF of hydroponic greenhouse and solar parking canopies that reduce the dependency on the electric grid. A permeable paver parking lot keeps storm water out of the city’s sewage treatment plant, and a grey / storm water reuse system reduces potable water intake. The softened rip-rap shoreline design not only fosters a habitat for aquatic and semi-aquatic species, but also enhances the aesthetic appeal of the canal promenade, inviting the public to enjoy serene waterfront access.