Photo credit: Jason Keen
Genesee County, MI — The Genesee County Board of Commissioners recently announced that the newly renovated Genesee County Administration Building has been honored with the Flint Area Chapter of the American Institute of Architects 2025 Award for Adaptive Reuse.
The award recognizes the outstanding work of THA Architects Engineers. This Flint-based firm partnered with the Board and its team from E&L Construction Group to transform the former Citizens Bank North Tower, at 324 S. Saginaw St. in Flint, into a modern and efficient hub for county operations. The tower houses 15 departments and 320 staff members in a state-of-the-art facility that pays homage to a historic local business while providing an accessible, efficient, and vibrant new space for residents and employees.
In its announcement of the award, the AIA Flint Chapter focused on the facility’s bright and welcoming feel:
“Ultimately, we chose Genesee (County) for the sheer breadth of the reuse work done, the striking differences within the interior, and its honoring of the bank’s history. Most notable throughout the interior though, was the impressive use of natural light and we really enjoyed that the design team put a lot of focus towards ensuring natural light would penetrate as deeply into the core as possible.”
At the facility ribbon-cutting ceremony earlier this summer, Delrico J. Loyd, Chairman of the Genesee County Board of Commissioners, expressed his excitement about the future of Genesee County and the role of the new space in it.
“We could not be more excited about what this new facility has to offer our residents and employees,” he said. “So, as we prepare to cut this ribbon and usher in a new era of public service, let us remember this: This building isn’t just what our residents and staff deserve—it’s what they should expect from an organization that values them.”
The renovated Administration Building showcases the delicate balance of preserving history with modern, efficient design elements. Fixtures of the building’s former life, such as the original boardroom, the 30-foot-long board table, granite fixtures, and a historic bank vault door, were preserved and integrated into the new layout.
Tributes to the building’s past fit seamlessly into a design that, as noted above, allows an incredible amount of natural light, clear sightlines, and enhanced security infrastructure.
Originally constructed in 1979, the building has 130,000 square feet of space, renovated with the financial support of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, general funds, and a generous grant from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation.
The overarching goal of the renovation was to create a welcoming and accessible space for county services under one roof, leveraging operational costs that reflect the commitment of the Board of Commissioners to the long-term financial stability of Genesee County.
Tributes to the building’s past fit seamlessly into a design that, as noted above, allows an incredible amount of natural light, clear sightlines, and enhanced security infrastructure.
Originally constructed in 1979, the building has 130,000 square feet of space, renovated with the financial support of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, general funds, and a generous grant from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation.
The overarching goal of the renovation was to create a welcoming and accessible space for county services under one roof, leveraging operational costs that reflect the commitment of the Board of Commissioners to the long-term financial stability of Genesee County.
