Shalom Park Building Renovations: Behind the Scenes, on the Roof, Under the Ground

The Charlotte Jewish News August 2022

By Terri Beattie, Foundation of Shalom Park Executive Director

All the agencies at Shalom Park rely on Foundation of Shalom Park (FSP) facilities as they strive to fulfill their missions and remain economically sustainable. Often hidden from view are critical mechanical-electrical-plumbing (MEP) systems, major building components, and site infrastructure that make the buildings safe and habitable. MEP regulates temperature and humidity, keeps the rain out of classrooms, drains wastewater, powers elevators, and performs countless other functions. The need for these systems to be reliable cannot be overstated, yet replacing and modernizing these building elements, most of which are 20 to 35 years old, is often difficult, time consuming, and extremely expensive.

Replacement and modernization projects are vital to increasing customer satisfaction, employee productivity, energy efficiency, building safety, and property values. With these objectives in mind, FSP is behind the scenes, on the roof, and even underground, replacing and modernizing Shalom Park facilities each and every year. 2022 is an especially busy year.

In early 2022, FSP completed the installation of new carpet in the FSP common areas and event spaces and replacement of the Gorelick Hall walls. Since then, other projects, unseen, have been completed, including integration of a videoconferencing system in the Shalom Park board room, installation of a 120-gallon water heater in the Gorelick Education Building, repair of drainage and a sink hole on the athletic fields, and replacement and painting of the parking deck stairs.

As we enter the second half of 2022, many more behind-thescenes projects are underway:

- Installation of 30-ton AAON energy efficient HVAC unit and BMI system feeding the Levine Jewish Community Center (LJCC) locker rooms

- Upgrades to the LJCC indoor pool dehumidification and HVAC system

- Enhanced video and conferencing capabilities in the Sam Lerner Center

- Upgrade of a site-wide backflow preventer used to protect drinking water supplies from contamination

- Installation of an enhanced WiFi system for FSP building common spaces and the facilities of Charlotte Jewish Preschool, LJCC (indoor and outdoor), Jewish Family Services,

Center for Jewish Education, and the Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte

- Upgrade and installation of security cameras throughout the facilities

In conjunction with LJCC, FSP has been working on two projects:

- A 10-month construction project to renovate the men’s and women’s locker rooms. While the LJCC fitness members will enjoy renovated shower, steam room, and locker room facilities, unseen will be new underground plumbing, interior wall waterproof membranes, drainage system, and stainless-steel sprinkler heads.

- A major drainage system upgrade at the LJCC Tennis Complex

One of the largest projects to date will begin in late summer, the installation of a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) roof system and 27 skylights. This single-ply roof system material is made with a lower percentage of oil and petroleum than all other single-ply roof materials and carries both an Energy Star and Cool Roof Rating. PVC is the most eco-friendly of all roof types because it is highly efficient for heating and cooling, reflects the sun, and mitigates the heat island effect. It is also recyclable even after years of service life.

All of these renovations and modernization are a lot to manage, but behind the scenes, on the roof, and even sometimes underground is Paul Jacobs. Paul, a 35-year employee of FSP, is the facility manager who oversees the maintenance, custodial, and project management functions for all of Shalom Park. Paul’s deep knowledge of Shalom Park buildings and systems stems not only from his education and numerous building-related certifications but also from his career choice to support Shalom Park facilities beginning with the original building construction in 1987.

Almost $3,000,000 will be spent to accomplish these investments in infrastructure, ensuring both social and economic benefits to the Shalom Park community.

We are grateful for your patience during this process. Next time you are on Shalom Park and you have to dodge a construction dumpster, watch for wet paint, or stop while a crane is lifting building equipment, know that exciting upgrades, renovations, and modernizations are occurring behind the scenes, on the roof, and under the ground.

The Foundation of Shalom Park is a 501(c)(3) non-profit agency that owns and manages the properties and facilities for most of the organizations that are located on the central campus of Shalom Park, which includes: Temple Israel, Temple Beth El, the Levine Jewish Community Center, Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte, Jewish Family Services, Temple Israel Religious School, Temple Beth El Religious School, Consolidated High School of Jewish Studies, Charlotte Jewish Preschool, Charlotte Jewish Day School, Center for Jewish Education, Hebrew Cemetery Association, B’nai Brith Youth Organization, and the Charlotte Jewish News.

Paul Jacobs, Foundation of Shalom Park facilities manager