taylor gourmet's sustainable design

In honor of Earth Day, I wanted to share my favorite model of sustainable design in the District, Taylor Gourmet.  It just so happens the Philadelphia-inspired deli is a short walk from my house and the perfect spot to grab a quick lunch, dinner or late night snack.

I didn't know much about the design behind Taylor until I read a feature in the September '09 issue of Dwell magazine.  The three-story brick building is located in the heart of H Street Northeast's emerging Atlas District.  The building houses the Taylor Gourmet deli, market and business office on the first floor and apartments of owners David Mazza and Casey Patten on the second and third floors.

It seems eco-friendliness and budget were the top two considerations when choosing materials for both the deli and apartments. All of the paints used were low-VOC (low-VOC paints are widely available at your local, specialty paint store and big-box home improvement stores).  Recycled shipping pallets cover the walls and counters in the deli creating an earthy and fresh atmosphere.  Chain-link fence poles were used to build shelving units for the market in the back of the deli.  Saving the best for last,  the light fixture in the back of the store (pictured below and my favorite design element) was handmade by Patten using light bulbs and vacuum tubes.  I love the Taylor guys' creativity!

Mazza and Patten also enlisted help to make their eco-vision a reality.  Grupo7 architects helped create the sleek, modern and sustainable deli space.  DC-based Green Living Consulting (GLC) put together a cost-efficient green strategy for the business.  According to the Taylor Gourmet website, both companies continue to help as the business expands.

For the apartments above the deli, Mazza and Patten bought kitchen cabinets and countertops from Ikea and scored discount tile on eBay for the kitchen backsplash and bathroom showers.  

I have to end this post with a personal plug for Taylor's yummy food.  Their hoagies are made on fresh Italian bread brought in daily from Sarcone's bakery in Philadelphia.  Their menu includes hoagies (each named after a Philly street), salads (each named after a Philly park) and heavenly fried delights like toasted raviolis and arancini.  My favorites are the Oregon Avenue grilled chicken sandwich, Fairmount Park salad and Ridge Ave ravioli.

Judging by their rapid expansion it seems the residents of DC are enjoying Taylor's food and design as much as I am.  They opened a second shop in the neighborhood just north of Chinatown in the CityVista building and plan to open a third shop in Bethesda (slated for mid-July).  Pop in the next time you're in DC.  Trust me, you won't be disappointed.

images via Dwell and Taylor Gourmet