The historic Terminal Warehouse, in the West Chelsea area of New York, is being transformed by COOKFOX Architects into a mixed-use destination with retail units, hospitality outlets, open spaces and offices.

Originally designed by architect George Mallory and built in 1891, the 1.2 million sq ft (111,000sq m) warehouse occupies an entire city block in Manhattan.

With good access to the water, rail and road transportation networks, it became a key part of New York’s shipping, warehouse and distribution industries.

COOKFOX describe the building as "a potent symbol of New York City’s industrial past" and its heritage is perhaps best represented by a 670ft (204m)-long train tunnel with two sets of tracks that runs through the length of it and previously provided a connecting to the nearby freight line.

As part of the preservation and restoration of the building, the original wood, brick and exposed rails of the tunnel will be restored and it will become home to shops, restaurants and "other 21st-century amenities".

Throughout the building, original brick masonry, windows, iron shutters metal signage, chimney, flagpole and timber – which dendrochronological research has determined to be over 500 years old in places – will also be saved where possible.

A central outdoor courtyard with landscaped terraces will bring daylight into the building, while self-storage space and office spaces with biophilic design will be housed in other areas.

"The Terminal Warehouse project has been a labour of love from the start," said Rick Cook, founding partner of COOKFOX Architects. "Thank you to the Commission for their diligence in helping us to preserve this critical and storied piece of Manhattan's West Side waterfront infrastructure and create a new, high-performance workplace for the future."