Hell N Blazes

Named after the local Lake Hell ‘n Blazes on the upper reaches of the St. Johns River, the downtown Melbourne Hell ‘n Blazes Brewing Company is a new craft brewery that celebrates the historical heritage of its physical home and of the local region. This project entailed the renovation of 16,000 s.f. of a 115+ year old building in downtown Melbourne. Starting as a wood-framed building, the building has undergone multiple additions including the terra cotta block and brick shell. Moreover, it has seen many uses, from the original hardware store to a bank, a mortuary and the more recent Christmas Cottage. Because of these two factors, the structure of the building remained a puzzle for the project team to piece together through the renovation process. While retaining many aspects of the building, such as the pressed tin ceilings and hardwood floors, the entire mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems were overhauled and a new concrete slab poured in the central two story space which will serve as the brewery proper. Interior glass walls will make the brewing process visible to visitors of the tasting room. The facade renovation is perhaps the most striking aspect of the building’s transformation. The flagstone facing added in the 1970’s will be removed along with several layers of paint, restoring the look of the original brick. Window openings that had been plastered over for decades will be uncovered and replaced with new windows. A new metal canopy, based on the one which hung over the hardware store entrance, has been added.