PAST PERFORMANCE - P.J. Hoerr was proud to provide construction for Black Band Distillery at 1000 SW Adams St. in Peoria, IL. This 100-year old, 2-story building in the warehouse district was a complete renovation. The exterior front façade was restored to include new windows, a new entry, and minor masonry repairs. A new exterior multi-tier patio is made intimate with the use of a shou sugi ban wood garden wall, harkening to the technique of charring whiskey barrels. The interior of the building was a complete renovation including all new MEPF systems, kitchen, and bar while maintaining all the original wood and masonry. A portion of the building had existing flooring and some joist removed to house the new distillery equipment.
Links to press about this project:
Black Band Distillery opens with retail sales, plans to open with limited indoor seating
Bringing Back the Whiskey City
Craft Distillery for Warehouse District
In progress construction videos
The Challenge
Bring a distillery back to Peoria—the Whiskey City.
Transform a 20th century warehouse into a sleek and modern distillery operation that creates an authentic experience for customers in a historic warehouse district famous for production of spirits in the early 1900s.
This building at 1000 SW Adams Street was built circa 1920. This building was originally the home of the Cudahy Packing Company which was a wholesale meat business. This is a one-story brick commercial building with a concrete foundation, flat roof, and brick exterior. The main façade has three bays with an entrance in the central bay.
The Process
The renovation is comprised of two floors, a mezzanine overlooking distillery equipment two stories below, outdoor patio space, and associated sitework. The building houses craft distilling operations, a bar and merchandise area, dining spaces, and a commercial kitchen, including a private ‘chef’s table’.
The Result
Other features include:
• Original interior loading dock converted into main entrance storefront and bar.
• First and second floors opened to create a mezzanine and clear space for the 2-plus story distillery equipment creating views through the timber column-and-beam framework to the distillery equipment located in the basement.
• The original heavy timber structure has been exposed, restored, and reinforced to its original state.
• A new staircase connects the mezzanine, first floor, and lower level distillery using salvaged wood from the building.
• A new wood façade using traditional storefront techniques to create the client’s desire for a building that looks like it was converted from a warehouse to a retail store at the turn of the 20th century.
• New windows and skylights flood the bar and distillery area.
• Multi-tier patio made intimate with the use of a shou sugi ban wood garden wall, harkening to the technique of charring whiskey barrels.