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A6.7 million dollar renovation project on the modern SUNY Cobleskill campus set out to elevate the presence and function of the outdated Mackey Facilities Complex, which houses the team that keeps the campus functioning and looking beautiful. Marked by a “Pizza Hut” roofline, the nondescript building had seen no improvements since it was constructed in 1967. The project had three goals: stabilize the building envelope, replace aging mechanical systems, and improve the layout and function of the complex. With a focus on sustainability, the project team started with the decision to reconstruct the existing building, rather than demolish it and build a new one. The facility’s exterior was reskinned in a palette that harmonizes with the campus aesthetic, punctuated with Cobleskill orange. The awkward roofline was redefined, and original tongue-and-groove roof planks were salvaged and reused on shop ceilings. The primary entrance to the complex is now easily located and features a vestibule designed to establish a welcoming entry to the building. The new main entrance is marked by a distinctive lighted metal feature, which is repeated at each shop entrance, defining the facility’s multiple functions. The new site features improved traffic flow, defined parking, and a new asphalt parking lot, all of which create a welcoming experience for staff and visitors. As part of the deep energy retrofit, outdated mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems, many of which were original to the building, were upgraded. The foundation received new waterproofing, drainage, insulation, and cladding.

Inside, a new layout provides defined spaces for both maintenance and administrative functions and includes formal and informal meeting spaces, a break room, a training area, and a patio overlooking the surrounding hills.

The complex reflects the importance of both the function of the building and the team that works there. l

The CUNY LaGuardia Community College Façade and Lobby Renovation Project transformed the 100-year-old, one million square-foot Center III Building in Long Island City into a structure that aims to support the activities of the College for the next century. The Project involved two major scopes of work: the complete replacement of the exterior cladding of the building, inclusive of all aspects of the ground floor, sidewalks, and signature billboard signage at the top of the building; and a reinvention of the entrance sequence and lobby of a building that serves hundreds of occupants daily.

On the exterior, years of neglect, patching, inadequate and sometimes damaging repairs contributed to exterior wall failures including chunks of terracotta falling from the building. A sidewalk shed to protect pedestrians from falling objects surrounded the building for over a decade while potential solutions were considered. The design team was directed to develop a new exterior cladding that respected the long history of terra cotta use on the façade, and to incorporate contemporary technology in the form of a unitized curtainwall system.

The Project also afforded an opportunity to reinvent the lobby and entrance sequence of the building, improving clarity, security, and flow. Multiple entrances, which created confusion, were reduced to one canopied primary entrance in the center of the front façade, where security was concentrated. This had the effect of opening additional interior space at the well-lit corner of the building for casual meeting, study and eating space. A two-story signature stair was added, for direct connection to the public spaces of the second floor. l

Mitchell Giurgola recently completed the full renovation of Houghton Hall on the campus of SUNY Fredonia in upstate New York. Originally designed by I.M. Pei and Partners, Houghton Hall forms a cornerstone of the campus as master planned by the Pei office in the early 1960s.

The design transforms this architecturally significant but obsolete original building into a vital and welcoming science facility for the 21st century. The Houghton Hall program combines the Computer Science, Math, Geology, and Physics departments which were previously located in disparate buildings. The renovation provides state of the art classrooms, laboratories, and a vivarium shared by users of the adjacent New Science Center, also designed by Mitchell Giurgola.

The renovation enlivens the building’s original dark interiors by reconfiguring the corridors to allow natural light to penetrate into new communal spaces. Glass partitions throughout the core introduce greater transparency into common spaces such as lounges and conference spaces. Visibility into these spaces creates a vibrant sense of activity and promotes collaboration among different disciplines. The design also incorporates “windows into science,” interior windows into research laboratories that also function as display cases and showcase the innovative research taking place within to promote interest in the sciences.

Distinctive elements of the original interior, such as its terrazzo floors and unique exposed precast concrete structure, were carefully restored to showcase the original character of the building.

The LEED silver rated design also replaced failing brick and obsolete windows with a highly insulated brick veneer and curtain wall envelope. The material choices and colors for the new envelope respect the unique geometry of Pei’s original design while lightening and brightening the material palette. This transformed exterior presents a welcoming façade composed of innovative, contemporary building systems appropriate for the 21st century academic environment. l

The Middletown High School Learning Commons and Café project developed an addition to house a Next-Gen Media Center and renovated a former library into a centralized food service café and informal learning center.

The Media Center supports changes in the instructional curriculum and creates a community space that can be utilized after school and completely isolated from the remainder of the building. The Media Center is comprised of a large central space that maximizes natural light with window walls overlooking the athletic fields and pick up drop off area and clerestory windows on two facades. The adjacent program spaces include a conference room and several smaller co-lab rooms. The District’s blue is utilized as an accent color throughout the space and finishes include flexible furniture, moveable stacks to allow for large group gatherings, and rolling white boards that conceal stacks and provide a place for collaboration. The lower level of the Media Center addition features a fully equipped professional level video production studio with a classroom-sized control room for video production design classes. Exteriorly, The addition features a green roof and a curvilinear design of that wraps around the drop off loop and presents an updated first impression for this innovative High School.

The Café, which was fitted into the former library spaces, supports the after-school meal program provided to students working in the Innovation Labs and provides a drop in space to eat a snack or work on a project. The adjacent program spaces include Co-Lab rooms, a Tech Garage, and a College and Career Center. The district’s blue is also utilized in the café and the furniture includes booths, counter height seating and hightop tables with access to charging. The project leveraged the District’s opportunity to create the infrastructure required for interdisciplinary learning communities and a school-wide neighborhood learning environment. l

Submitting Firm: Ashley McGraw Architects

General Contractor: Fahs Construction Group

MEP/Fire Protection Engineer: Phase 1: M/E Engineering, P.C.; Phase 2: Pathfinder Engineers

Structural Engineer: Ryan Biggs Clark Davis Engineering & Surveying

Landscape Architect: Trowbridge Wolf Michaels Landscape Architects

Photo Credit © Ashley McGraw Architects, © David Lamb Photography, © Revette Studio

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