Designed by Chicago architect Jarvis Hunt and constructed in 1903, Building 13 is one of 39 structures within the Great Lakes Historic District at Naval Station Great Lakes, Ill. The original boathouse, considered a “contributing structure with major significance,” reflects the Beaux Arts vocabulary and classical forms that Hunt applied to his work (1902-1911) at the Naval Station campus.
After more than a century of use, however, the building envelope, brick, terra cotta, windows, and roof were in sore need of repair, even as the Navy was seeking to expand the function of the nearly 27,000-sf boathouse to support year-round marine activity of the Great Lakes harbor with the addition of shops, classrooms, offices, toilets, and showers. However, any renovation had to be done within the strict guidelines of the Secretary of the Interior Standards for Rehabilitation, the National Historic Preservation Act, and the Base Exterior Architecture Plan (BEAP).
The design-build team, led by Chicago firm Johnson Lasky Architects, took on the structural problems more or less from top to bottom. Visual and physical inspections, materials testing (including brick and mortar analyses), and soundings on each individual terra cotta unit were conducted.
The roof was replaced with shingles over three-inch polyiso ventilated nail base insulation panels. Forty-year asphalt shingles rated for 110 mph wind loads were used to meet the BEAP’s historic requirements. New copper gutters, flashings, and terminations were installed.
At the turn of the 20th century, terra cotta was used as a mass-produced alternative to carved stone, and Hunt made extensive use of it in Building 13. Damaged terra cotta was replaced with new matching material from California manufacturer Gladding McBean. Brick was salvaged from Navy supplies of matching historic brick. Mortar was replicated based on an analysis of existing original material. New exterior doors replicated the original wood panel design. The glass transom above the main entrance door was fitted with laminated glass.
Windows were completely restored off site; missing glass was replaced with glazing that matched the original in texture, thickness, and type (“wavy”) to meet state historical preservation standards.
With the building now providing year-round use, it was necessary to upgrade the mechanical system to forced air, with an air handler, ductwork, controls, and other equipment. The Building Team solved this problem by housing a new mechanical room between two existing mezzanines on opposite sides of the building within the warehouse.
In granting the project a Gold Award, the jury praised the Building Team’s attention to detail. “They had to tackle a lot of different components: brick, terra cotta, the windows, etc.,” said K. Nam Shiu, PE, SE, VP at Walker Restoration Consultants, Elgin, Ill. “This was a labor of love. It doesn’t look like any corners were cut,” said Tom Brooks, VP, Restoration Division, Berglund Construction, Chicago. “Instead of remove and throw away, they chose to remove and restore,” said George Tuhowski III, LEED AP, Director of Sustainability and General Superintendent, Leopardo Construction, Hoffman Estates, Ill.
Judge Darlene Ebel, Director, Facility Information Management, University of Illinois at Chicago, called it “a good restoration, with good sustainability. The building still fits in with the whole area.” BD+C
* Note: Walker Johnson, FAIA, recused himself from the proceedings during the judging of this entry.
PROJECT SUMMARY
Building Team
Submitting firm: Johnson Lasky Architects (architect)
Owner: Naval Station Great Lakes
Environmental design: EDI, Inc.
Structural engineer: AHG Structural Engineering
MEP/fire protection engineer: KJWW Engineering
GC: Boaz Friedler Joint Venture
General Information
Area: 26,900 gsf
Construction cost: $5 million
Construction time: May 2007 to August 2009
Delivery method: Design-build
Related Stories
| May 30, 2012
Boral Bricks announces winners of “Live.Work.Learn” student architecture contest
Eun Grace Ko, a student at the Ryerson University in Toronto, Canada, named winner of annual contest.
| May 30, 2012
Hill International to manage construction of Al Risafa Stadium in Iraq
The three-year contract has an estimated value to Hill of approximately $3.3 million.
| May 29, 2012
Torrance Memorial Medical Center’s pediatric burn patients create their version of new Patient Tower using Legos
McCarthy workers joined the patients, donning construction gear and hard hats, to help with their building efforts.
| May 29, 2012
Reconstruction Awards Entry Information
Download a PDF of the Entry Information at the bottom of this page.
| May 29, 2012
AIA expands Documents-On-Demand service??
Six new documents added, DOD offers nearly 100 contract documents.
| May 29, 2012
Legrand achieves over 20% energy-intensity reduction in Presidential Challenge
West Hartford headquarters announced as Better Buildings, Better Plants “Showcase” site.
| May 29, 2012
Thornton Tomasetti/Fore Solutions provides consulting for Phase I of Acadia Gateway Center
Project receives LEED Gold certification.
| May 24, 2012
2012 Reconstruction Awards Entry Form
Download a PDF of the Entry Form at the bottom of this page.
| May 24, 2012
Gilbane’s Spring 2012 economic report identifies multiple positive economic and market factors
Anticipating increasing escalation in owner costs through 2014.