Several former industrial buildings are in close proximity to the central downtown of the City of Burlington. Currently unused, the city is seeking to revitalize the area and adapt the structures to new purposes. For their capstone project in Civil & Environmental Engineering, a trio of students designed an adaptive reuse plan for the Dial Soap Factory, a 1.28-acre site on a prime location.

Their plans focus on several uses for the building. The top floors will be converted into residences. Mid- and lower-floors will include office space. And the main floor will provide community space for events such as markets and youth activities. The group examined and outlined several alternatives. They also detail constraints to adapting the structure. In addition to their designs, the students provided cost estimates for the project.