Varieties

BelAir 1740

Bel Air 1740 Beautiful Barn Venue Located just 25 minutes south of Washington DC in Prince William, Virginia. This new wedding barn features a majestic great hall with 25-foot ceilings and a state-of-the-art theatrical sound and lighting system.  

Bristow Village

People in Bristow Village have a new amenity to look forward to. As progress continues, this welcoming space will feature a two-story roof with a terrace, elegant arches, and awnings for visual interest. We will share more project details as we are able!

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 […]