Shepley Bulfinch has been selected to design Double Cask, a restaurant, bar and market concept slated to open in Avondale, Arizona, later this year. The project, a 5,700 square foot tenant improvement in a new building shell, is now in the design phase.

Double Cask is Shepley Bulfinch’s latest hospitality project in the Phoenix area in the past 48 months. Craig DeMarco’s Windsor and Churn opened in north central Phoenix earlier this year.

The project is based on the idea of a European gastro pub, which combines a large ...[more]

The Windsor and Churn, Phoenix’s two latest dining concepts by the creators of Postino Central, celebrated its grand opening today, with a sense of real excitement among Phoenix food lovers.

The pair of venues showcase the transformation of a mid-century strip-mall building into an “all-American” restaurant with a separate artisan ice cream house that also offers pastries and coffee, creating a hip new gathering spot for Phoenix residents. 

The Windsor and Churn elegantly blend the local flavor of the surrounding neighborhood with the classic, rustic feel that existed during the structure’s original use. ...[more]

Shepley principals Chris Nieto and Joe Herzog joined colleagues from the firm and other Phoenix Community Alliance (PCA) volunteers on January 22 to plant 100 new trees at Steele Indian School Park in the heart of downtown Phoenix. Dozens of members of the community attended Saturday’s event, planting the new trees in the 75-acre park, which is bordered by Central Avenue and Indian School Road.

Chris, who also serves on the board of directors of the Phoenix Community Alliance, led the effort for Shepley. “Building a great city and maintaining ...[more]

Shepley Bulfinch Principal Chris Nieto hosted a December fundraiser at the firm’s Phoenix office for Mia Foutz, a five year old Phoenix girl undergoing treatment for brain cancer. The benefit far exceeded the original $5000 goal, raising over $15,000 for the Foutz family, with the donation total still climbing.

Chris, his wife Becky, and tenants of The LINK, where Shepley’s office is located, came together for the event. The Giant Coffee Bar and Bunky Boutique, located on the first floor of The LINK, opened to the public and donated their proceeds. ...[more]

The LINK took top honors in the 30th annual Valley Forward Environmental Excellence Awards, announced in Phoenix on October 2. The mixed-use building, which was renovated in 2008, received a Crescordia (first place) Award (Commercial/Mixed-Use) and a Merit Award (Historic Preservation).

In contrast to prevailing trends, the LINK boldly chooses to preserve the cultural identity of the structure’s facade and neighborhood while re-purposing it. Located at the heart of the Phoenix Cultural District, the 7,000 square foot LINK re-purposes the structural shell of this two-story mid-century commercial structure and, ...[more]

Merzproject’s renovation of a small 1957 office building near downtown Phoenix into the award-winning mixed-use Link is profiled in “Past Forward,” an article in the current issue of Retrofit magazine. The two-story building is a short walk from a major light rail stop, Central Library, and the Phoenix Art Museum. The second floor is now home to merzproject, a studio of Shepley Bulfinch, while a gallery and coffee shop occupy the ground floor. The article discusses the renovation project, which was completed in 2008, in the context of the growth of metropolitan ...[more]

The paired Phoenix dining destination of Windsor and Churn has taken top category honors in the 32nd annual Valley Forward Environmental Excellence Awards, which were announced on September 29. Windsor and Churn, designed by Shepley Bulfinch with redeveloper Venue Projects and Upward Projects, received Valley Forward’s Crescordia (first place) Award (Historic Preservation) and a Merit Award (Commercial/Mixed-Use).

The Valley Forward Association’s Environmental Excellence Awards (EEA) program is Arizona’s oldest and largest environmental competition.

The adaptive reuse project transformed a 1940s retail structure into a lively and open restaurant (The ...[more]

The creation of Postino East and the transformation of a nondescript commercial building in Gilbert, Arizona, into a lively neighborhood restaurant is the cover story in the latest issue of Retrofit magazine.

In “Growing Roots,” Lauren Bailey of Upward Projects and project designer Ryan Grabe talk about the vision behind the popular Gilbert restaurant and the design thinking that started with an understanding of the surrounding community and the “good bones” of the original building.

Postino East opened in April 2012. It is one of a series of Phoenix-area restaurants designed by Shepley Bulfinch ...[more]