Food insecurity plagues communities nationwide, and organizations such
as the River Bend Food Bank and FISH of Galesburg are committed to
solving hunger in their local neighborhoods. For the organization’s
newest 15,000-square-foot joint branch in Galesburg, Ill., the two
charities identified an old block building that would undergo a retrofit
and serve as a new food pantry for locals in need. Utilizing an older
structure’s skeleton meant reducing significant carbon emissions
typically generated by the construction of a new building. However, it
also meant dealing with declining structural elements that would need
significant upgrades with regard to thermal performance and overall
aesthetics.