The Continental Gin Building has stood in the background of Deep Ellum’s explosive growth for years, and now, the City of Dallas Landmark is moving back into focus. After two years of restoration, The Continental Gin Building has reopened as a mixed-use destination in Deep Ellum for the first time in the building’s 133-year history. Dallas-based real estate development company August Real Estate Co. has completed the intensive restoration of the 70,000 square-foot building, and now, Deep Ellum locals, visitors and building tenants alike can enjoy The Continental Gin Building’s three floors of upgraded offerings, bespoke design and energizing atmosphere.
Originally built in 1888, The Continental Gin Building was once the largest cotton processing equipment manufacturing operation in the United States. Most recently, The Continental Gin Building acted as a studio and loft space for Dallas-based artists. Now, The Continental Gin Building has been reimagined to offer turnkey flexible office suites of various sizes, experiential coworking, on-site craft coffee, restaurant concepts and building-wide amenities.
“The Continental Gin Building is one of the oldest buildings in Dallas and was once the epicenter of innovation in Deep Ellum. The goal of this next chapter for The Continental Gin Building was to go beyond just office space to be more of a hospitality-focused, mixed-use destination that will once again function as a hub of innovation for the entire community. Our hope is that anyone who walks through The Continental Gin Building can feel the soul of this historical Deep Ellum icon.” -Jordan August, Principal & Co-Founder of August Real Estate Co.
To keep its extensive history and ties to the arts alive, the building has been revitalized to preserve its rich past while reflecting the neighborhood’s exciting future. The exterior of the building was stripped down to its original red brick. Inside, 14-foot ceilings with original exposed wood beams and hardwood floors showcase some of the building’s historic structural elements, and the original freight elevator has been converted into a commemorative stairwell to guide visitors throughout its new features. Entering the building feels like walking into one of Dallas’ many art museums, with intentional furnishings and pieces filling every corner, pairing a selection of new, curated artwork with found antiques from across the city. Each of the building’s 15 conference rooms has been themed to honor all types of artistry, such as pottery, sculpture, photography and cartography, as an ode to the artist studios that once occupied the building. With office offerings comprising the majority of the building, tenants of The Continental Gin get to enjoy the atmosphere of a boutique hotel just by coming to work each day.
Anticipating a post-pandemic shift in the way companies re-approach the office, The Continental Gin Building lends a next-generation angle to workspaces with its accessibility, sanitation measures and energy-efficiency. Upgraded health and safety measures include hospital-grade air filtration, UV light systems, touchless fixtures in restrooms and anti-microbial surfaces. Energy-efficient upgrades include solar panels on the roof and a front canopy that will contribute to the building’s LEED Silver Certification. Expecting trends developed by professionals during the work-from-home era of COVID-19 to stay for the foreseeable future, The Continental Gin has an indoor-outdoor build, is dog-friendly on the patio and on the second and third floors, and has showers included in the restrooms on all three floors for tenants who prefer to walk or bike to the office.
“The Gin was perfectly crafted for life after the pandemic. It’s a building that you can get in and out of without getting onto an elevator. It’s dog-friendly and near a popular trail and dog park, bringing the comforts we found while working from home to the office. It’s tastefully designed and completely flexible, creating a productive and professional environment all while maintaining a neighborhood feel. The appetite for spaces that feel like an extension of home are in high demand; people want to get back to business while keeping certain lifestyle shifts of the work-from-home era, and The Continental Gin Building is positioned to accommodate for the future of work.” -Dawson Williams, Head of Real Estate at Common Desk
The project spans two acres of Deep Ellum, offering ample green space and ease of access from the Santa Fe Trail, Old East Dallas and the core of downtown and Deep Ellum. The first floor of the building features a wraparound patio and deck which connects to vacant spaces for restaurant concepts. Common Desk, a Deep Ellum-based real estate company who is leasing and managing the building, is close to signing multiple restaurant concepts on the first floor, which would offer tenants of the building a diverse selection of culinary destinations just steps away from their offices.
The lobby of The Continental Gin Building is powered by Fiction Coffee, another Old East Dallas-original brand. Fiction will serve its full menu of inventive coffee and espresso offerings, as well as light bites, daily cocktails during happy hour and a sizable mix of socially-distanced seating for visitors. The second floor is home to Common Desk’s second Deep Ellum coworking location, featuring flexible memberships for shared spaces and small to midsize offices. Each of Common Desk’s offerings include access to the brand’s all-inclusive amenities, such as unlimited conference room usage and a VR lab for members and tenants. The third floor features nine turnkey Class A spec suites built with the highest level of flexibility, as well as the ability to scale as each suite’s occupants grow. The suites include elevated furniture alongside high-end steel, wood and stone finishes and a flexible floor plan that boasts a mix of open, rearrangeable desks, dedicated offices, meeting spaces and an in-suite kitchen and break area.
“At CGB, you’re able to start your morning with on-site coffee, do your best work with the array of office products across the building, then close out the day with a cocktail and a culinary experience–all from the same space. Whether you work or live in the neighborhood or just love to visit Deep Ellum, The Continental Gin Building truly has something for everyone.” -Nick Clark, CEO & Founder of Common Desk
The Continental Gin Building is now open to the public for visits to Fiction Coffee shop, which offers inside and outside dining, and tenant and broker tours of the building. Common Desk is available for coworking, meeting space rentals and drop-in day passes for shared space and private offices.