Project retrospective · 2015 · Macon, Georgia
Filed in the 2015 project archive; retrospective added September 22, 2026.
A building can take on a different purpose without losing the features that connect it to its past. The Lanier Building in Macon offers an example: originally constructed as Lanier High School in 1910, the property was renovated for use as a medical office building.
The 73,200-square-foot project brought together WM2A Architects and Warren Associates for client Medical Center–Navicent Health. WM2A identifies the project year as 2015.
Making an existing building work differently
The renovation introduced a new entrance canopy and two elevators. Across the building’s three levels, connections to an adjacent parking deck provided access at each floor.
The design also added usable floor area within existing light wells. According to WM2A, this approach improved the building’s rental efficiency while respecting its historic appearance. Exposed brick masonry remained visible in corridors and medical suites, carrying part of the original building into its new use.
Where preservation and construction meet
Adaptive reuse starts with a different set of questions than new construction. What can an existing building support? Which features give it character? How should entrances, circulation and usable space change to accommodate another purpose?
For owners considering a similar project, those questions are a useful starting point for conversations with their architect and contractor. A clear understanding of the intended use helps the team evaluate the existing property and define the work needed before construction begins.
The Lanier Building appears in Warren Associates’ healthcare construction portfolio, alongside projects ranging from medical offices to hospital facilities. Readers exploring work with older buildings can also visit the firm’s historical construction portfolio.
View The Lanier Building project page for project photography, or contact Warren Associates to discuss an upcoming renovation.
Historical project details and architectural scope: WM2A Architects — The Lanier Building. Architectural design: WM2A Architects. Builder: Warren Associates.