At the Universe Buildings: Fresh workspaces with a sense of place

Landbridge Ecological has finished the months-long buildout of its new headquarters at the corner of University and Vandalia— without missing a beat in its year-round landscape restoration projects throughout the region.

But that feat is only part of the story. Landbridge owner Tory Christensen is also overseeing the revitalization of the entire two-building complex at 2147 and 2161 University Avenue, now known as the Universe Buildings. Highlighting the industrial features of the site, Tory has been tailoring office and warehouse spaces for dozens of tenants. So far, those tenants range from commercial (Vitality Roasting) to light-industrial (St. Paul Pipeworks), from arts groups like Taiko Arts Midwest to offices for health care professionals and nonprofits like Elpis Enterprises and Monarch Joint Venture.

Shown here and in the banner photo above, the Landbridge offices are housed in the larger building, known as Ursa Major. "We're bringing elements of our field restoration work into the design of the office," said Tory. One example: ash wood reclaimed from trees infested with emerald ash borer. Once rid of the pest, the wood was dried on the job site and now can be seen in the handsome beams of a conference room.

The same ash is used for interior signage throughout the complex, etched using Shou Sugi Ban, a Japanese process that preserves wood by charring. (Here, a sign for a tenant in Ursa Minor: note the Little Dipper motif.) Tory hopes to incorporate the blackened-wood technique into some facade updates in the future.

Stop by during business hours to see the Landbridge office: enter at 670 Vandalia, just north of the corner. Then take a look around the complex! Spaces for rent include offices and studios in a range of sizes, plus (pictured) a prime corner retail spot of up to 8,000 square feet.

For info visit the website or contact Tory Christensen at 612-385-9105.