Syringa Networks Office and Data Center

Located in the historic downtown Idaho Falls, this 9,600 square foot turn-of-the-century building is being converted into a high-tech data and telecommunications hub with administrative offices for Idaho's leading and progressive fiber optic network company.

The back of the building has been recently remodeled and restored to house Syringa Networks' state-of-the-art electronic fiber optic switches and hubs. These were constructed with redundant electrical backups and air conditioning. Raised flooring and aerosol fire protection systems have been installed within these rooms.

The current work, which we are showing here, addresses the restoration and renovation of the front part of the building for offices and the creation of a new street facade.

The existing front portion of the building consists of a lofty two story high space with the original wooden trusses. A partial second floor will be added with large perforations to allow light to radiate on to the first floor. The walls and floor are arranged in multiple planes and cantilevered boxes with custom lighting and wood finishes let into their surfaces. The interior windows will add to the multitude of plane conditions with their literal pinned application to the wall surfaces.

The existing wood trusses and exposed fir roof sheathing will be cleaned and left exposed. The historic brick on the inside of the facade will also be cleaned and left as a membrane to the original building.

The existing building had its earliest historic fabric and original identification completely removed in earlier and poorly conceived remodels. The facade of this project will reference the facade of the building from the 1940's with its metal panels and the height of the street facade windows still at the turn-of-the-century heights. This renovation will also restore three additional windows that were long ago covered and abandoned.