SANTA FE, NM Sarcon Construction completes two projects for  Santa Fe Spirits, an artisan distillery located at 7500 Avenger Way, in the city's warehouse district. Santa Fe Spirits had outgrown its space, and the newly expanded facility not only accommodates current needs, but also was designed and built with future growth in mind. Construction was funded in part by the state of New Mexico and the city of Santa Fe, New Mexico, to support continued economic growth in the region.

The new metal building, adjacent to an existing production facility, enables Santa Fe Spirits owner Colin Keegan to produce, barrel-age and store his company's craft liquors in one location. Construction challenges included installing proper equipment to maintain optimal and uniform humidity and temperature throughout the structure. Temperature and moisture levels are critical to the distilling and storing of spirits, and maintaining ideal conditions is especially challenging in the desert Southwest. A complex water filtration and drainage system were designed to accommodate future production needs.

The tasting room, which along with distillery tours has become a popular local attraction, had also outgrown its space. The newly expanded bar area features an original oak bar built by celebrated wood craftsman Jan Tapp, who recently passed away. In homage to Tapp, Bill Graveen, of Graveen Design Studio, purchased and then refurbished similar 200-year-old oak planks from Pennsylvania to maintain the pedigree of the now 25-foot bar.

Keegan praised the construction process and is delighted with the outcome. "I'm an architect so I imagine I'm not a contractor's easiest customer," said Keegan. "The Sarcon team couldn't have made the process more enjoyable. I'm a stickler for communication and was thrilled to get my three calls a day - at least - from Genesis Purce, the project manager. And superintendent Paul Valdez did an exceptional job keeping everyone accountable while maintaining an upbeat demeanor."