Varieties

Sinistral: Loveless Supported Our Vision

The Challenge: When Blane and Stacey Perry decided to open Sinistral Brewing Company. in Historic Downtown Manassas, they had a clear vision for the look and feel of their taproom, and defined requirements for the brewery area. They needed an architect who “got” their vision, and could finalize their design to ensure it met City of Manassas codes, also helping the entrepreneurs to navigate the permitting and construction phases. Brewery design experience was important too, as the industry must adhere to additional federal and state regulations. Additionally, the pair, longtime area residents, was committed to using local vendors. The Solution: In Loveless Porter Architects, the Perrys found a firm that was competitively priced, with a number of brewery and distillery projects under its belt and established connections with city and state planning officials. “Sean Porter was supportive of our vision. He made sure it met code, recommended engineering consultants, and was very helpful with everything we asked,” said Blane. “He helped greatly in getting Sinistral open for business by making sure the process with the city kept moving; he kept the ball rolling.” Sean’s relationships with building officials and knowledge of building codes were advantageous when the brewery was faced with city architectural requests that would have increased building costs and delayed opening. Through meetings with the city’s building development team, Sean demonstrated that the changes were not necessary by code and thereby kept the project on schedule. “Sean is easy to work with, and he will take care of […]

Distillery Expansion Triples Production

Rapid growth along with expansion grants from Virginia and the City of Manassas put KO Distilling in an unusual position for a relatively new distillery: It was ready to triple production. Central to this plan was the addition of a 30-foot high, 12-inch diameter column still. KO once again contracted Loveless Porter, the original architect. Sean Porter recommended strategically opening the roof so as not to disturb its integrity, adding a “dog house” that would create vertical space–and visual interest. It was also the most economical solution from a construction standpoint. Completed in late 2017, the expansion also accommodated six 1,000-gallon fermentation tanks; a 1,000-gallon Vendome mash tun; a higher capacity boiler and chiller system and larger grain silos, allowing KO to increase production from 225 barrels a year to 800.  “Our new column still enables continuous distillation, and as a result, we will be able to produce more and keep up with the increasing demand for our award-winning portfolio,” said KO President and Head Distiller John O’Mara.  Read more about the expansion of KO Distilling in BevNet.   

Board Game Tavern Makes it to the Finish Line

The Challenge: “Think Dave & Busters, unplugged,” said John Hornberger, a lifelong board game aficionado, of his concept for Crossroads Tabletop Tavern in Historic Downtown Manassas.  He chose a design firm to create the space he envisioned, with varied, colorful dining sections and a “wow factor” wall showcasing over 1,400 board and card games. Unfortunately, the firm mistakenly did not pull permits, failed to provide the team they had promised and provided unusable design drawings. The freelance architect John hired to correct the situation was unable to get the plans stamped by city officials, and time was running out. With only two weeks of funding left before his dream would come to a screeching halt, John turned to Loveless Porter Architects. The Solution: Sensing the urgency, Sean Porter pulled an all nighter to design new plans. He then worked with city officials to address compliance issues and facilitate the permitting process. His relationships in Manassas meant that he knew which questions to ask and pitfalls to avoid. “It helped that Sean is very local, and knows exactly what Manassas needs,” said John. Within a week of hiring Loveless Porter, Crossroads was open for business.         The Result: John’s dream of creating a space where people could bond over made-from-scratch food and an abundance of board games old and new has been realized: Crossroads is already one of the hottest spots in Manassas. Servers double as guides who can help patrons select games to play onsite or to purchase, and the […]

Sweeney Barn

The Challenge: “Rustic charm” is the first phrase that comes to mind when viewing the scenic Manassas event and music venue, Sweeney Barn. The two-story destination space offers modern conveniences while maintaining the traditional beauty of its origins as an early 20th-century dairy barn. Owners Noel and Alannah Sweeney saw its immense potential when they purchased the property. All they needed was an architect that understood their vision and had experience bringing older spaces up to the current building code. “One of my biggest concerns was maintaining the look and feel of the old barn while coordinating the design and placement of new services like the air conditioning, sprinkler system, elevators, and a circular staircase in the silo,” said Noel Sweeney. “The local jurisdiction had never renovated a dairy barn, so designing a sprinkler system with the unique shape of the old barn was challenging. It was also difficult to design a complete thermal envelope for the upper banquet hall that worked aesthetically with the wooden interior.” The Solution: After a great experience on a previous project, the Sweeney’s turned again to Loveless Porter Architects to make their vision a reality. “They were patient with the many design changes and requests I made during the process. They were very responsive to those changes,” noted Noel. “We took a barn made for cows and hay bales and turned it into a space to comfortably seat hundreds of people,” said Loveless Porter owner Sean Porter. “The ceiling height in the lower level […]

Zandra’s Haymarket

The Challenge: Zandra's wanted to renovate a former school in Haymarket, VA, and needed an architect to navigate through certification of occupancy, approval for reclassification, and a floor plan.  The Solution: Zandra's contracted with Loveless Porter. In addition to guiding them through permitting, classification, compliance, and zoning challenges, the architecture firm also made suggestions on materials that aligned with the vision for the new space. The Result: With those recommendations, the finished building is one that creates a warm and inviting atmosphere.   “We’re honored to be a part of this launch and the expansion of the Zandra’s brand,” said Sean Porter, owner of Loveless Porter. 

Escape Salon and Spa

Escape Salon and Spa’s new stand-alone structure is twice as big and located just outside their former location. The new building is twice as big and has a highly designed interior to create a fresh look. 

Church and South

Church and South is a new project we are working on. This is a development of a mixed-use building addition to a single-family home currently used as office space.  This project is currently going through the Architectural Review Process.        

Sparc Research

Grand Opening  LPA was hired to create a design for their new state-of-the-art research facility in Warrenton. The design concept was based on the historic manufacturing and factory building influenced by high-tech materials. The massing of the building has a hierarchical center feature with lower side elevations. The window details were derived from the old-fashioned wired glass with divided lights. The material color changes also identify the different interior uses of office spaces and manufacturing and test uses. SPARC Research was founded in 2018 to advance the state-of-the-art in rocket and airbreathing technology development, preliminary design, and prototype demonstration using modern Multiphysics modeling tools. With over 325 years of combined experience in rocket propulsion, SPARC’s personnel create relationships with customers built on trust. Working with established propulsion suppliers, prime contractors, and Government laboratories to provide unique design solutions to demanding propulsion requirements, SPARC Research provides an unbiased technical analysis and design solution that the customer can count on. SPARC Research https://sparcresearch.com/      

In the Works: ACTS

Loveless Porter Architects has been a long-time supporter of Action in Community Through Service (ACTS) Hunger Prevention Center by donating time and services to their multitude of community programs. Our involvement started with expanding the food pantry, to further assisting in expanding again to a newly purchased building. The Hunger Prevention Center has expanded allowing them to help even more families struggling to put food on the table. Clients are eligible to obtain food assistance through the ACTS Hunger Prevention Center once per month. Food is distributed on a walk-in basis. No appointment is needed. The month after the new Center opened, the number of families receiving food assistance jumped from 650 to 900 for a total of 7,587 households (a 4% increase).  Currently, they provide over 75,000 pounds of food to over 2,000 people every month! We most recently assisted ACTS in the refacing, renovating, and rebranding the thrift store newly named “Second ACTS”. All donations to ACTS directly benefit your local community. Everything you donate will create new opportunities for local people looking to find a job, get their lives back on track, or support their families. Donations are 100% tax-deductible and receipts are available upon request. If you have something to donate, come see the drop-off location for all donations at the new Thrift Store Donation Center located one block south of the store on Main St. in Dumfries.