Charles River Speedway

The former Charles River Speedway administrative headquarters consists of six shingle-style buildings with irregular roof lines. These mostly single-story structures enclose and define an 8,000 sf public courtyard. The complex, a local landmark that is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places, was rehabilitated to support tenants including small retailers, food vendors, and a brewery.

One structural challenge revolved around retrofitting Building C to accommodate brewery functions, particularly at the mezzanine level where the center bay framing was maintained and fitted out for storage. The mezzanine floor system consisted of wood girders running from exterior walls to a central truss. The challenge of installing a new floor system was that the existing framing sagged in the middle of the span. To avoid disturbing the existing frame, Silman’s solution called for blocking between the existing floor joists and in the wooden built-up trusses to create a flat surface.