Part 2: Preserving Historic Value, Providing Modern Seismic Safety

A California public school campus constructed in 1924, partially retro fitted in 1936, recognized as a historic place in 1977, vacated shortly after that in 1978, partially retrofitted again in 1989, shuttered in 2012, was brought back to life in 2018. For a brief history of the Historic Alameda High School campus and the state government regulations setting seismic safety standards for public school buildings in California, see Part 1 of this article series in the January 2022 issue of STRUCTURE.

Converting an Introvert into an Extrovert

In 2016, Macy’s announced they were shuttering their Men’s Store in San Francisco’s Union Square, and Southern California-based developer Blatteis and Schnur partnered with Morgan Stanley with the intent of winning the development rights. Gensler signed on as the architect for the pursuit and, hopefully, the project, and the KPFF San Francisco office joined the team as both the civil and structural engineers. Although the structural work was initially viewed as renovation and a seismic retrofit, it soon became apparent that the intent would be a complete transformation. The Blatteis and Schnur/Morgan Stanley team submitted the winning bid, Plant Construction joined the team, and the adventure began.

Nashville International Airport’s Inspirational Terminal Lobby and IAF Expansion Project Rise to Meet Soaring Passenger Demands

So much of Nashville, Tennessee, is defined by the inspired and creative music of the famed Music City. So when the airlines approached Nashville International Airport® (or BNA, as it is also known) with requests to expand their facilities to meet ever-increasing numbers of domestic and international passengers, it was clear the project would need to embody its city’s energy and character.

The NH Collection New York Madison Avenue Hotel Renovation

The newly renovated NH Collection New York Madison Avenue Hotel, located at 22 East 38^th Street in Midtown Manhattan, is housed in the former Renaissance Revival-style Fraternities Club Building constructed in 1923. The seventeen-story building is approximately 125 feet wide by 100 feet long by 220 feet tall and has multiple setback roofs. The NH Hotel Group, SA (NH) hired Simpson Gumpertz & Heger, Inc. (SGH) as the Engineer of Record, and HLW International, LLP (HLW) as the Architect of Record, to modernize and transform the hotel. The work included creating two double-height lobbies, updating the facilities, and modernizing the guest rooms. These upgrades required strengthening and repairing the existing structure. NH engaged Newgrange Construction (Newgrange) as the contractor for the renovation.

On December 22^nd, 2003, the San Simeon Earthquake shook the central California coast damaging two historic unreinforced masonry buildings in downtown Atascadero. One of those buildings was The Printery, constructed in 1915 to house E.G. Lewis’ (the Founder of the Colony of Atascadero) printing operation. Since the earthquake, the building has been abandoned and has suffered from vandalism over the years. In 2016, FTF Engineering was introduced to a non-profit looking to purchase the building to transform it into a community arts building (Figure 1). The non-profit, operating as The Printery Foundation, was able to secure ownership of the building from a public auction in 2017. 

This Bachelor Enlisted Quarters (BEQ) project is a $60 million multi-story housing complex for enlisted military personnel. In addition to sleeping rooms, the facility includes an entry vestibule, quarterdeck, multi-purpose rooms, classrooms, laundry areas, and other support spaces. The T-shaped building results from multiple studies that considered site orientation and access, parking layout, view planes for future expansion, and more (Figure 1).

Center for Computing & Data Sciences Building

Located on Commonwealth Avenue, the Center for Computing & Data Sciences rises dramatically above the central campus of Boston University. Consisting of a 19-story, 305-foot-tall tower, and 5-story podium, the building is a hub for the campus and a showcase for the departments of Mathematics & Statistics, Computer Science, the interdisciplinary faculty of Computing & Data Sciences, and the Rafik B Hariri Institute for Computing and Computational Science & Engineering. Designed by internationally renowned design firm KPMB Architects of Toronto, Canada, the Center for Computing & Data Sciences capitalizes on its location in the heart of campus to create an inviting meeting place. The design of the building encourages collaboration and innovation between disciplines by creating vertically stacked research “neighborhoods” with staggered green-roofed terraces, interconnecting feature stairs, and generous public spaces.

A Rhinestone in the Rough

Stamford Media Village is not just another nondescript five-story office building (Figure 1). What is so unique about this project? Everything! Rewind to 2018 when Wheelhouse Properties acquired a derelict 1920s vintage reinforced concrete factory building located at the South end of Stamford, Connecticut – a rhinestone in the rough. The site is situated along a barge canal adjacent to Long Island Sound and is surrounded by redeveloped mill buildings.

When the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) identified a need to expand their existing Anderson Graduate School of Management (AGSM), they were presented with a clear challenge: the lack of a viable location to place a new building on a campus with limited square footage. The solution was to construct the new building entirely upon an existing parking structure adjacent to the School of Management.

The 100 Stockton Street project reimagines an eight-story former department store into a multi-use office, dining, event space, and boutique retail building. This reimagination of the building required significant structural shoring to facilitate the design.