Jeremiah Program and Excelsia Injury Care Tenant Fit-Out
CAM Construction provided design/build CM services to help the Jeremiah Program it open its 10th regional office one the second floor of the Gateway at Station North office building. The nearly 7,000 sqft fit-out included a Board Room/Training Area, Administrative & Executive Offices, Huddle Rooms, a Family Coach Suite, a Break Area, and a Children’s Play Area. The mix of private offices, meeting rooms, and open collaboration areas, in conjunction with brightly colored walls and a generous glassline, turned this long-vacant shell space into a warm and inviting destination for the staff and beneficiaries of Jeremiah Program. CAM worked closely with Jeremiah Program to assist them with architectural layouts and designs, which not only resulted in cost savings but also provided a final product that closely aligned with what Jeremiah Program wanted and needed for the space. CAM also helped Jeremiah achieve their goals of maximizing natural light and views over the Jones Falls, providing a safe destination for mentorship and consulting, and creating flexibility for future expansion of their programs over their lease.
CAM also provided design/build CM services for Excelsia Injury Care to open a branch office on the first floor of the Gateway at Station North office building. The scope of the renovations included new drywall partitions, drywall wrapped openings into a new long “PT” room, new drop ceiling and LED lay-in fixtures for exam rooms and the chiropractor’s office, window frosting for privacy in all existing glass windows, HVAC modifications, and lead-painted walls and ceilings for the X-Ray rooms. The renovation area was approximately 9,500SF and included a lunchroom, a reception area/waiting room, four private offices with full glass exposure, four private exam rooms, six private physical therapy rooms, an 800SF open area for group physical therapy, which included a rubber floor, and the renovations expose 14-ft high ceilings in the public and therapy areas.
St. Joseph Parish
The St. Joseph Parish project involved two small additions and a 12,000 square foot renovation of the historic St. Joseph Parish sanctuary in Cockeysville, Maryland. The intent behind the additions was to facilitate a new radiused seating scheme, rather than a “T” shaped layout where a large portion of the congregation had to view the mass’s celebrants from the side. The footprint of the building had to be enlarged to accommodate this expanded, cohesive seating layout, while maintaining the historic integrity of the building and not draw attention to the extensive work required to complete it. To meet this objective, our skilled team had to meticulously shore up the original structure and seamlessly integrate the new sections with the historic stone, copper gutters & downspouts, and slate roof, navigating immovable obstructions (foundation rock, etc) that were pervasive beneath the church.
In addition to the exterior wall modifications and various ADA site improvements, CAM’s work included the construction of a new altar and stone arch, new ductwork and HVAC distribution, ornamental tile flooring, a coffered ceiling system with a dome and back-lit stain glass oculus, and a radiused cornice with cove lighting around the perimeter of the sanctuary. All of the original stained-glass windows had to be removed and reinstalled due to the extensive drywall finishing work taking place around it. The building is now equipped with a new sprinkler system, architectural lighting, and hand-crafted millwork. MEP upgrades were made throughout the facility to extend the life and enhance the efficiency of existing equipment.
This project required numerous skilled trades to complete the myriad challenging tasks presented. Most notably, the vast majority of new framing and drywall work had to be conducted from a suspended scaffolding platform to remove the old wood ceiling without damaging the original historic wood roof framing above. This challenge was compounded by the need to conceal the new mechanical distribution throughout before finishing installation of the coffered ceiling system. Along with the custom-built coffers, CAM’s craftsmen created an expansive hand-painted dome within the center of the sanctuary.
Several unforeseen circumstances resulted in a temporary 2-month delay within the 11-month project timeline. This delay required CAM to creatively adjust the schedule and simultaneously work on tasks in order to make up for lost time and still beat the hard deadline of opening by Holy Week (March 25, 2024). In the early stages of work, the rock that was discovered within the historic portion of the church required CAM to redesign the work area within the basement to one half the original size and relocate the Fire Alarm Control Panel to the other side of the room. Asbestos was also discovered within the waterproofing of the historic church, which required extensive abatement. Another issue encountered during the demo phase was an underground heating and water system close to the slab on-grad, which required additional time for replacement. To overcome these hurdles, CAM’s superintendent and project manager rallied the trades and doubled down on close coordination, diligently scheduling tasks be completed concurrently while ensuring these activities were not obstructing one another. CAM was also able to recover this time by working weekends and overtime (without going over-budget), and by maneuvering the scaffolding so that interior renovations for the finishes and the ceiling could be completed simultaneously. This effort required significant cooperation between all trades and supervisors, because it was imperative that work completed from the scaffolding was executed such that it did not present any safety risks to the trades working on the floor trusses below.
CAM also had to coordinate closely with the owner to provide a safe working environment that would not impact the operations of the adjacent, occupied, K-8th school facility. To this effort, CAM coordinated deliveries so that they would not overlap with drop-off and pick-up times for the students. Furthermore, CAM worked closely with utility companies so that electricity and water services were never disrupted during the school’s hours of operation.
On several occasions, CAM saw opportunities to save the owner cost by value engineering different alternatives to line items that had to be purchased. The most significant opportunities presented themselves in the lighting systems and the heating system regulation. By suggesting an alternative regulation to the heating system and enlisting a different lighting supplier who could custom-fabricate a comparable pendant fixture, CAM was able to generate over $100,000 in savings for the owner—a substantial percentage of those respective line items.
This project has a significant communal impact which CAM embraced throughout its various phases. The most storied aspect of this project lies within St. Joseph Parish’s connection to the local Beaver Dam Quarry. When the church was first constructed, stones from the quarry were used to create the building, and many of the immigrant quarry workers were members of the parish. For this project, CAM created a stone arch surrounding the crucifix, above the new tabernacle, sourcing stones from that very same quarry with which the church was originally built. We were joined by the monsignor and architect to hand-select the new stones which had the most authentic look and feel. This feature not only serves as only the most prominent visual focal point behind the priest during mass, but also as a reminder that the parish is a place built from the community and for the community.
Chick Webb Recreation Center
CAM Construction was hired by the Baltimore Department of Recreation and Parks to complete extensive renovations and an addition to the historic Chick Webb Memorial Recreation Center in East Baltimore. The Rec Center, which was built in 1947, serves as a community hub for East Baltimore, and was threatened with demolition in 2017 before receiving its historic designation. When complete, the ~43,000 sqft Chick Webb Recreation Center will feature a new pool, gym, basketball court, walking track, office space, locker rooms, a teen lounge/game room, kiln room, and a recording studio and vocal booth, in honor of Chick Webb’s musical legacy.
Baltimore City District Courthouse
CAM Construction was hired by the Department of General Services to complete a fully comprehensive renovation of the Baltimore City District Courthouse located at 500 N. Calvert Street. The virtually new building will be approximately 170,000 square feet and will include eight courtrooms, chambers for the judges, offices, detention areas, and DGS facilities management offices; four of the eight new courtrooms will be dual purpose, where both civil and criminal cases can be tried, and partially underground parking garage. The building will be the first DGS courthouse to be eligible for LEED certification.
Maryland Food Bank – Foodworks Addition
CAM completed 21,000 sqft of interior expansions and additions at the Food Bank’s 100k sqft headquarters facility in Halethorpe, MD, which remained fully functional over the course of construction, to avoid any interruption in service to those in need. This project improves Food Bank’s distribution capacity, provides educational opportunities to certify new chefs and kitchen managers from low income communities, and greatly enhances the administrative office environment needed so their nearly 200 hardworking staff members can better carry out their mission. Our scope of the work included a substantial Kitchen Expansion and Renovation, building a new Loading and Receiving Queue, Dry Storage Area, state-of-the-art Conference Rooms, Private Offices, and Collaboration Areas, a new Break Room & Training Area, and a New Celebrated Entry to the sorting warehouse for volunteers and employees. This project was extremely challenging given the need to establish a temporary kitchen, insert completely sound-proof mezzanine structures within an occupied facility, interface additions with a pre-engineered building, and keep the Food Bank completely operational over the course of construction, given the mission-critical work that they carry out on a daily basis.
The Lofts at Stehli Silk Mill
Originally built in 1897, the 11-acre Mill complex comprises six (6) distinct buildings that employed 2,100 female textile workers at its peak, and it is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Most of the structures are three stories tall, with the main structure (bordering Martha Ave.) spanning over 900 linear feet, making it the longest building east of the Mississippi when it was constructed. The exterior elevation is characterized by a strong series of brick piers that correlate with the close beam and column spacing (7’0”OC), which produces a 300 lbs/sqft floor load capacity. Tall (9’0”) windows accentuate the façade and are woven between the piers to provide maximum ambient light, as was customary with factories of
that era.
CAM is in the process of converting this mill into 165 loft-style apartments, consisting primarily of one-bedroom units with a mix of two-bedroom units and studios, with occupancy scheduled for January 2024. Additionally, a resident clubhouse/common area is planned for the old women’s cafeteria, which is a single-story structure with a clerestory and exposed steel truss roof framing system. Ancillary structures related to the former boiler plant will be utilized to provide amenities such as a fitness center and brew pub open to the public, as well as leasable space for some smaller retail/office users. The interiors will have a combination of restored materials (ie: wood flooring) and brush blasted exposed brick walls and beams, as well as all new partitioning throughout. All new electrical service, and HVAC systems will be implemented, along with necessary low voltage systems. We take a minimalist approach to our design to allow as much of the original building features to show through. There are 1,400+ windows of all shapes, sizes & styles that CAM is replacing according to NPS guidelines.
SARC
Chesapeake Employers Insurance Co. – HQ
The Chesapeake Employers’ Insurance Headquarters renovation project fundamentally began as a major fire and water damage restoration effort, and quickly transitioned into an opportunity to retrofit two entire floors of their facility to meet the demands of the modern office culture. After a brief RFQ process, Chesapeake decided to engage CAM as a repeat client of theirs over the past 15 years. The heart of this project involved the construction of a new central break area, which functions more as a community gathering space with a variety of different seating options, food service offerings, and basic culinary equipment to assist employees who bring their own lunch. The genesis behind this space was to provide a welcoming common area amenity that employees could either utilize individually, with one another, or even with external facing clients. The architect’s goal was to make this a visually distinctive space that will impress upon every visitor and staff member who walks off the elevator into level one of the office building.
The linchpin of their concept called for replacing an old drop ceiling with multiple acoustical clouds, and leaving the rest of the structural slab exposed above. Executing this look required an extensive amount of clean-up within the former plenum, to demo extraneous low voltage wiring, bundle up active IT/data wiring within black corrugated piping, and consolidate electrical conduit runs into specific areas. CAM then sprayed the entire above ceiling area black to help any remaining MEP systems disappear from view, which helps maintain the occupant’s focus on the space in front of them.
Other elements of this job included the construction of an all-new fitness center with connected ADA restrooms/locker rooms, a massive new training room with a folding partition, a variety of small conference rooms designed for brainstorming sessions and zoom calls, and completely new finishes and systems furniture layout within the open areas on either side of the core of levels one and two. On level one, the project also involved shifting many of the building’s main support functions into more interior portions of the floorplate without natural light, etc; as a result, CAM helped create a new mail distribution room, IT support areas, copy/print rooms, and storage rooms.
Some of the most challenging facets of this project pertained to the limited working hours, given the continuously occupied nature of this facility during construction. Certain trades preferred to work off-hours to avoid disruptions to Chesapeake’s employees, and CAM facilitated the accommodation by being physically present on the jobsite for numerous evenings, weekends, and early morning meetings. CAM’s PM also wore the hat of superintendent, spending half of his day working out of the on-site office of Chesapeake’s facility manager, which facilitated immediate communication with the owner, yielded swift answers to questions, and helped approve design tweaks when beneficial to the overall project intent or schedule. CAM ensured that noise would be kept to a minimum during normal business hours, and that life safety systems were sustained over the course of the job. One tricky subtlety of the project involved preserving a large section of the existing ceiling grid on one of the floors, which forced trades to employ thoughtful integration strategies at the connection points and exercise caution for all relocation work above. Lastly, CAM was able to save the owner tens of thousands of dollars by salvaging and re-installing nearly all of the prior doors, frames, and hardware that had been removed and stored on-site during the demolition phase.
Montebello Elementary/Middle School
The Montebello Elementary/Middle School project encompassed a 74,000 sf systemic renovation and complete interior gut of a historic school property, restoring the two existing buildings back to shell condition and then constructing all new improvements throughout. There was both a historic restoration component on the exterior of the existing structures, as well as a compatible newly constructed “cafeterorium” wing (20,000 sf) which had to be nestled within this confined site and communicate seamlessly between multiple distinct floor elevations, with the help of a brand new ADA stair tower.
One of the main goals of the project was to undo a series of inconsistent, incompatible renovation efforts over the decades, while highlighting the original architectural features of the building through a variety of restoration and reconstruction efforts:
- new architectural shingled roofs
- rounded architectural bronze gutter and downspout system to match the historic copper material salvaged on the field house
- basketweave masonry restoration and cleaning of the architectural stone, steps, columns, balustrade, needlepointing, and school name engraving
- replacement of over 300 existing windows with aluminum clad window systems to replicate the style and light pattern of the remaining historic windows
- capture traditional stone archways and architectural features at the entry canopy through the second floor windows of breakout areas as well as a classroom and “wholeness” room
- gym renovation repurposed existing stage façade, brought out the elegance of the arched windows, and dropped a drywall ceiling beneath the formerly exposed girder trusses to conceal new HVAC and improve acoustics for the space’s theatrical/assembly functions.
- Renovated internal stairwell in the rear, with sweeping views overlooking Lake Montebello
- Expansive city views out of collaborative learning areas as well as classrooms, overlooking 33rd street toward City College, the old Memorial Stadium site, and row homes rising up the hillside towards the horizon
This job contained a few unique features for a PreK-8th school, such as a locker room, hybrid library-media center with bulkhead accent lighting, and a video production studio with greenscreen, display mounting racks, and hookups for an iMac editing booth. One core component of this job was the construction of a $2 million state of the art kitchen with large walk-in refrigerator-freezer boxes, steam/convection ovens, stovetop, boiling hot water vats, warmers, automatic dishwashing equipment, and two individual serving lines to serve the brand new cafeteria (which doubles as a multipurpose room). Tall ceilings, architectural accent lighting, acoustical panels, and an extensive sound system make this space suitable for performances, community meetings, and other events. Finally, CAM executed the construction of a very difficult outdoor learning area between the new and historic buildings, installing planter beds, wide concrete seating, and staircases for students to congregate and classes to be held outdoors in good weather. We had to contend with a ten-foot elevation change spanning a distance of less than twenty feet within this newly formed courtyard.
By no means was this an easy undertaking for the A&E team or CAM, as this site presented a number of inherent obstacles given existing conditions. Challenging features included steep slopes (50’ drop from Harford Road to Curran Drive), outdoor learning areas and playgrounds wedged between structures, inserting state-of-the art mechanical equipment within restricted spaces (former boiler rooms), and a bulkhead pocket detail around all historic window openings (to preserve original dimensions, enhance natural light/views, while concealing new ceiling cassettes within modern drop ceiling systems). Thoughtful sequencing and stocking of materials in the building was necessary to sustain progress despite having a single access lane for supplies and crane mobilization.
