The Armour Building

The Armour Building

The Armour Building is a ~50,000 ft², three-story historic structure located in the Fort Worth Stockyards Historic District. Originally part of the former Armour and Company packing-facility campus (with building elements dating to 1943 and a 1951 addition), the building is defined by its red-brick exterior, poured-in-place concrete structural frame, half-basement level, continuous cast-stone sills and lintels, and strong window and door-opening rhythms.

The owner’s vision was to convert this industrial relic into vibrant creative office space—preserving character and material authenticity while adding modern functionality and amenities. The architecture team (Bennett Partners) led design; our role was to support that vision through coordinated mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fire protection, and technology engineering, working closely with the architect, structural engineer of record, preservation consultants, and contractor to integrate modern building systems within a historic framework.

Project Stats

Project Name

The Armour Building

Location

601 E Exchange Ave., Fort Worth, TX

Project Type

Historic & Adaptive Reuse – Creative Office

Size

~50,000 ft², 3 Stories (plus half-basement)

Status

Completed 2024

Key Team

Bennett Partners (Architect), Worth Engineering (Engineering Partner), Owner/Developer (Client), Historic Preservation Consultant, General Contractor

The Armour Building Exterior

The Armour Building Patio

The Armour Building Courtyard

The Armour Staircase and Overhang

The Armour Courtyard Exterior

Our Role & Approach

From the start, Worth Engineering accepted the role of collaborator—our job was to support the architect’s design intent and the owner’s program, not lead the aesthetic concept. We emphasized early coordination:

MEP Integration within a Historic Structure

We designed new mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems to support creative office use, including open-plan workspaces, amenity areas, and future tenant flexibility. System layouts were carefully coordinated with the existing structural framework and architectural elements to preserve exposed concrete, brick walls, existing stairs, and key character-defining features.

Accessibility + Vertical Circulation

The building needed modern ADA ramps, a new elevator and accessible restrooms. We coordinated building systems and infrastructure to support a new metal entry canopy and an accessible ramp connecting the lower-level amenity garden to the north side.

Interior Upgrades + Tenant Fit-Out Readiness

We designed new mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems sized for creative office use (open plan, amenity deck/roof access, low‐rise office floors). We preserved much of the interior raw industrial character: exposed concrete structure, existing stairs, painted brick, roof light-well and mezzanine.

Landscape, Parking & Site Integration

We supported the integration of exterior amenity spaces: built-in seating, shade structures, reclaimed brick pavers for pathways & patios, and a protected parking area with shade trees. These site elements help tie building and campus together.

Throughout, our focus was reliability, code‐conformance, and constructability—ensuring the design intent could be built efficiently and maintained cost-effectively. We coordinated closely with the general contractor, historic‐preservation consultant, and architect to manage MEP routing, architectural exposures, coordination with structural elements, and historic-materials preservation.

The Armour Building Courtyard

Technical Highlights & Team Collaboration

The team accepted the existing structure rather than replacing it: the poured-in-place concrete frame and half-basement were retained. The engineering approach minimized structural demolition and preserved embodied energy.
New vertical circulation (stairs & elevator) were located within the existing core area, allowing the main floor lobby to include a historical display telling the site’s story, adding narrative and sense of place.
For the mezzanine and roof deck amenity, new structural framing was introduced by the structural engineer of record, with Worth coordinating mechanical and electrical systems to support lighting, controls, and occupant comfort.
The mechanical design supports flexibility: open floorplates, plug & play tenant spaces, generous structural bays and preserved character elements like exposed concrete and brick.
Site and building-systems integration: Within the parking area and exterior amenity zones we coordinated civil, site lighting, shade tree locations, and reclaimed‐brick paving—ensuring the old-meets-new narrative was clear and cohesive.

The Armour Building Exterior

Why This Project Matters

For Worth Engineering the Armour Building was a meaningful opportunity to support adaptive reuse in a historic district, bridging past and future. It underscores our collaborative mindset: we weren’t leading the design, but we delivered engineering solutions that enabled the architect’s vision and the owner’s goals.

By preserving the original structure, exposing architectural character, integrating modern systems, and enabling new amenity spaces, the project demonstrates how historic buildings can be reimagined for creative office use while maintaining place identity.

For the owner (and future tenant community) it offers a unique office environment within the Stockyards district—connecting heritage, craft, and modern workplace expectations.

Role: Senior Mechanical Engineer

“Working on The Armour Building allowed our team to bring modern mechanical infrastructure into a piece of Fort Worth’s industrial heritage—with minimal disruption to the building’s character. We focused on flexible systems and tenant spaces that honour the structure’s past while serving future-facing workplaces.”