GROUNDBREAKING: Construction at St. Joseph’s Parish is Underway!

CAM Construction recently had the privilege of attending the final Easter Mass in the old St. Joe’s Parish, after participating in a ceremonial groundbreaking and blessing with Archbishop Lori to commemorate our major renovation project! After salvaging all pews and religious artifacts, we have begun gutting the interior, demoing the slabs, and are preparing to shore up the historic stone corners to make way for the building’s additions. Over the duration of this 11-month job, we will see the building access, foundations of the structure, utilities, stained glass windows, roof, and mechanical system transformed to foster a better, brighter space for worship and education. Find more news on the updates at https://sjpmd.org/news-1

SARC: Construction With a Cause

CAM Construction is proud to have worked with SARC to provide a more comfortable, safer space for their mission of protecting victims of domestic abuse. While it was challenging to make alterations and additions to existing structures from different eras, we were able to integrate these buildings into our work and ensure the transition from structure to structure was as seamless as possible. Critically, CAM provided upgrades to security and ADA accommodations to the additions, which aligns with SARC’s goal of safety and accessibility for the people they serve.

DEMO TIME: District Courthouse Transformation

This $68,000,000 project will transform the existing five-story, 170,000 SF State of Maryland facility into the New Baltimore City District Court.  The overhaul includes not only new mechanical, electrical, and security systems, but it also replaces the existing 1980’s era brick façade with a contemporary glass, curtainwall, and metal panel façade. A complete interior renovation will include eight new courtrooms and Judges Chambers, clerk and other support staff areas, a record-keeping area, and separate and secure access for judges as well as for the accused.  From the retrofitted deep foundations to the 22,000 SF of green roof, this building will undergo structural, aesthetic, and sustainable upgrades to bring this building into the 21st century.

MUST SEE: Drone Fly-Through Video of Highlandtown EMS

It’s our pleasure to share this great drone fly-through video, produced by 21st Century Schools, showcasing the $22 million Highlandtown Project! Lots of natural light, beautiful ceiling details, and a seamless transition from the historic facility into the newly constructed Middle School wing (both inside & out). The school boasts new science labs, art studios, music room, and a makerspace/tech lab. Outdoor spaces include an all-new playground and recreational soccer field, fulfilling a long-held vision of the community that emerged as a priority during early planning meetings! Shoutout to John Srygley on another sharp design.

Scenes from the Ribbon Cutting at Montebello Elementary/Middle

A buzz of excitement was in the air as CAM wrapped up 2022 by hosting two major ribbon cutting ceremonies IN ONE WEEK, showcasing our recently completed 21st Century Schools Projects: Highlandtown Elementary/Middle and Montebello Elementary/Middle! We were overjoyed to have the chance to unveil these beautiful new facilities to the throngs of students and parents, eager to explore their new classrooms, libraries, dining halls, and collaborative learning spaces. Special thanks to leaders like Governor Larry Hogan, Senate President Bill Ferguson, Mayor Brandon Scott, Council President Nick Mosby, Principal Denise Ashley, Principal Troy Mitchell, and other city advocates who were instrumental in getting these plans approved, who came out to celebrate the momentous occasions and tour the final product.

What better feeling than to give over 1,400 young students the gift of a brand new school for Christmas! Certainly much more work to be done, but together we can change the lives of Marylanders for the better, one building at a time.

Montebello Transformation Featured in the BBJ

Melody Simmons, commercial real estate reporter with the Baltimore Business Journal, just published an excellent article in the BBJ following her tour through our recently completed Montebello Elementary/Middle School project in Central Baltimore.

CAM was proud to be a part of a ribbon cutting ceremony with Mayor Brandon M. ScottMichael Frenz, and so many other dignitaries yesterday! An incredible transformation and example of historic preservation, while incorporating modern finishes and cutting edge technology throughout the facility. The exterior design of the building is emblematic of the historic architectural style of the surrounding neighborhood, so the city committed to restoring the facades back to their original luster, while giving its design team the creative liberties to redevelop the interior of the facility has beyond recognition–optimized for modern occupancy! The stately character of the Field House is one area where Todd Vukmanic & his architectural team were really able to marry the exposed historic elements with the needs of today’s student athletes, performers, and general assemblies.

Executing the rear cafeterium addition, playground, and outdoor classroom spaces proved extremely challenging, given the constrained site conditions and limited points of access into the building for equipment and materials. Contending with steep slopes, working around historic window openings, maximizing views of the lake, and re-imagining the existing floorplates into a 21st Century learning environment proved a rewarding and challenging endeavor for our project management staff and the visionary team at Crabtree, Rohrbaugh & Associates. Moreover, redirecting pedestrian and vehicular traffic patterns along Harford Road, E. 32nd Street, and Curran Drive added to the complexities of managing this job. Shoutout to our PM, Vince Culotta, our Superintendent, Jeff Schissler, and Justin Wood at MSA for all their hard work on this one over the past two years.