Lancaster Square Apartments
CAM Construction provided construction management and design/build services to Mason Dixon Capital Management for Lancaster Square in Fells Point. Savings of over 5% were achieved by utilizing the Construction Management Guaranteed Maximum Price delivery method. CAM utilized a value engineering process that permitted the project to proceed on a fast track basis to meet the developer’s needs.
The Lancaster Square renovation consisted of a group of five separate structures originally built in the 1880s and varying significantly in construction materials and floor plate elevations. The main building, The Union Box Co., is a timber-framed, three-story, 16,000-square foot brick warehouse. The other buildings are a two-story, steel-framed building, a two-story steel- and wood-framed building, and a 3-story brick townhouse.
As a part of the redevelopment, CAM constructed a three-story, light gauge addition between two irregularly shaped brick walls to integrate the structures. The project added another three-story addition that provides space for 10 luxury apartments atop the existing two-story structure.
Among the main challenges to this project was integration of the five structures into a single cohesive development while completely renovating the existing structures. The project called for major restoration including extensive masonry cleaning and re-pointing as well as cleaning and sealing the wood beams. The integration of the five structures unified 12 different roof elevations all of which were re-roofed and to which several large wood decks were added. Approximately 120 historic windows were replaced as part of the renovation.
Baltimore International College – School of Culinary Arts
The project involved the transformation of a historic, 1970 Baltimore City High School building into a state of the art facility for culinary training. Connected to a historic, though unused, school building, this project, located in Little Italy, at the corner of Pratt Street and Central Avenue, not only adds 32,500 net square feet to the College’s current laboratory floor space, but it also allows students use of the most cutting edge equipment available.
The CMaR design/build delivery method was utilized to meet a very tight budget and an aggressive 11-month design and construction schedule. The entire renovation was completed at a cost of just $85 per square foot.
The exterior of the building received upgrades, including a new window system consisting of thermally broken aluminum framing and insulated glazing, new exterior doors and frames, and an elevator addition at the link to the historic building outside both existing buildings to allow access to the newly renovated, three-story structure. Site work included the addition of a recreation courtyard, which highlighted brick pavers that defined the urban kitchen garden, its foundation, and leisure picnic area.
Interior improvements included the transformation of a portion of the basement parking garage to classrooms and offices for the Shipping/Receiving curriculum; extensive foundation modifications were employed to facilitate new access into the elevator and other common areas.
In total, the project created eight new culinary laboratories, a student dining facility, a greenhouse, administrative offices, executive chef offices, and a student athletic area/auditorium. The mechanical and electrical systems were entirely replaced to provide for the high demands of the new culinary labs and state of the art kitchen facilities.
