Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Building Resilient Solutions, a flood mitigation company providing retrofit designs for existing and historic buildings that experience repetitive flooding and flood damage, formally opened its new office in downtown Suffolk with a ribbon-cutting Thursday afternoon.

Established in 2018 as a joint venture between Commonwealth Preservation Group and Museum Resources Construction and Millwork, BRS researches the history of a property, diagnoses existing problems, provides treatment recommendations and develops a retrofit solution. The company specializes in retrofit designs for pre-1970s-era construction and historic structures that are unable to be elevated or relocated.

“Flooding isn’t a one-size-fits-all problem, and the solutions aren’t either,” said BRS co-owner Paige Pollard. “By understanding more about the history of the building and goals of its owner, we can offer a comprehensive, tailored plan.”

In 2019, BRS received a $250,000 grant as a winner in the inaugural RISE Coastal Community Resilience Challenge and used the funds to purchase monitoring equipment and design the flood testing laboratory, with a flood test chamber, in downtown Suffolk – the first of its kind in the United States.

“By evaluating how, where and when a building or home was constructed, and using lab-tested solutions, BRS is helping redefine flood adaptation and mitigation strategies for coastal communities,” said RISE Executive Director Dr. Paul A. Robinson. “We’re proud to support their important work.”

The company’s office is at 147 N. Main St.