Marge Colborn

Birmingham's newest loft development goes green

It isn't easy being green, quipped "Sesame Street's" Kermit, and in this environmentally friendly era, the frog's right on the money.

Take 735 Forest, a new 35,000-square-foot, three-story, brick-and-steel-panel "green" building in Birmingham's evolving Triangle District, for instance.

Today, the three-story structure houses the contemporary, street-level Forest Grill manned by chef Brian Polcyn; the offices of developers Mosher, Dolan, Cataldo & Kelly Inc.; Templeton Building Co.; and 10 chic urban lofts, which range in size from 763 to 1,236 square feet, on the third level. But it's taken four years of planning, designing, campaigning, negotiating and redesigning to get the green project off the ground.

Interior designer Ann Heath, a co-owner of the property (near the intersection of Woodward Avenue and Maple Road) and wife of builder Steve Templeton, took Homestyle on a tour of the model lofts, including her own, and explained what makes the building green.

Homestyle: For reference, what was on this location before 735 Forest?

Heath: It was and still is a residential area that hadn't seen any change in 40 years. 735 Forest was built on three small lots where frame houses had been turned into offices and a sea of surface parking lots stood. There was little guided planning over the years. My interior design office is across the street in a vintage house.

Was there any opposition to the building of the structure?

There was, but once we -- architect Victor Saroki, Mosher-Dolan and Steve Templeton -- educated the various city boards, adjacent businesses and, most importantly, the surrounding single-family homeowners to the purpose, we were underway. Brian Polcyn made a smart move when he was ready to open his 65-seat Forest Grill -- he invited all the neighbors to his restaurant's first day.

What makes this structure and its components green?

The construction methods meet LEED's (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) criteria, which means selecting products based on durability, sustainability and maintenance. The development team worked with Dow, Durolast, Weathershield, Carrier, Shaw, Kohler/Canac and GE Appliances. The site is a greyfield, or infill, redevelopment. There is nearby public transportation. A Durolast cool roof has a white coating that reflects, rather than absorbs, the sun's rays. Fixtures include low-flow toilets and showerheads, motion-sensor faucets and waterless urinals. We have Energy Star appliances and Dow's Thermax insulation system. Occupants are required to recycle paper, glass, plastic, metal and cardboard.

What about the lofts' interior design makes the project green?

Locally sourced products such as drywall, rapidly renewable bamboo floors and veneers and woods finished with low-VOC (volatile organic chemicals), formaldehyde-free composite materials; tiles high in recycled content; and FSC-certified (Forestry Stewardship Council) sustainable wood products were used. In my model loft, for instance, local artist Andy Owens built for me a table and chairs with recycled metal and a concrete top. Artwork is by a local artist, Kelsey Shultins. The upholstered furniture is by the North Carolina firm HBF. New furniture imported from China is not considered green because of the distance it takes to bring it here. And, of course, my antiques from Betty Mason of Classic Country, Judy Frankel of Troy Antiques Centre and Deborah Silver of Gardenworks are the ultimate green products because they are being re-used.

Who are the other interior designers involved this project?

Bob Endres of Jones-Keena & Co. in Birmingham; Kristen Catto Armstrong and Katie Saracino of KCID Studio in Birmingham; Diane Hancock of Diane Hancock Designs in White Lake; Ellen LeTourneau (a professional organizer) of Elevate Your Life in Bloomfield Hills; and Emily Maccombs of Evolve Design in Waterford.

What are some of the green highlights in the model lofts?

Armstrong used Hickory Chair furniture; Hickory won the first-ever 2008 Sage Award from the American Home Furnishings Alliance recognizing environmental leadership. She also used old machine parts as decorative items. Maccombs has a rug in the nursery made of recycled plastic bottles. And Endres' unit has furniture from his personal collection, which has definitely been stylishly repurposed!

You can reach Marge Colborn at (313) 222-2756 or mcolborn@detnews.com.