While past renovation and restoration work on Liberty Island received more fanfare—particularly the tedious rebuilding of Lady Liberty’s copper skin in the mid- 1980s—the latest update arguably has had a greater impact on the three million people that visit the monument each year. What started out as a straightforward fire and life safety upgrade to bring the entire site up to code turned into a much grander mission for the Building Team: to improve the overall experience for visitors.
The scope of the project included the insertion of two enclosed exit staircases and an emergency evacuation elevator in the statue’s pedestal to replace outdated infrastructure, construction of two exit stairs from the terreplein at the base of the pedestal, and upgrades to all visitor facilities.
At each step of the project, the team factored visitor experience into its design solutions. The new pedestal staircases, for instance, were configured to offer more intimate views of the structure’s massive concrete walls and riveted steel members.
STATUE OF LIBERTY NATIONAL MONUMENT
New York, N.Y.Building TeamSubmitting firm: Mills + Schnoering Architects (architect)Owner: National Park ServiceStructural engineer: Keast & HoodMEP engineer: Joseph R. Loring & AssociatesConstruction manager: Atkins North AmericaGeneral contractor: Joseph A. Natoli ConstructionGeneral InformationSize: 52,790 sfConstruction time: October 2011 to October 2012Delivery method: Design-bid-build
The team utilized laser scanning and BIM modeling to determine the optimal arrangement of the winding staircases and elevator shaft within the confined space. Their goal: to get as close as possible to the historic elements while still meeting fire/life safety and program requirements. In one section of the facility, for example, the bottom of an Eiffel steel beam forms the ceiling of the enclosed staircase, allowing patrons to reach up and touch the beam and its fasteners. High-efficiency lighting was used throughout to highlight the historic fabric and elements.
Complicating the project were the logistics of material and equipment delivery. Everything required for the project, including the labor force, had to be shipped by boat from Jersey City, N.J., and screened by the U.S. Park Police on every trip. All deliveries had to be scheduled in advance to ensure that USPP personnel and K9 teams were available. Stabilizing admixtures had to be added to the concrete to delay the curing process during the 35-minute barge ride. Once on Liberty Island, materials and equipment were moved by crane to four access points around the pedestal and carefully maneuvered inside the structure through the standard-size doors.
“Between working in the confined, historically sensitive spaces and managing the logistics of getting everything to the island, the team deserves this award,” said judge Daniel L. Doyle, PE, LEED AP O+M, President of Grumman/Butkus Associates (www.grummanbutkus.com).
Related Stories
| Oct 13, 2010
Hospital tower gets modern makeover
The Wellmont Holston Valley Medical Center in Kingsport, Tenn., expanded its D unit, a project that includes a 243,443-sf addition with a 12-room operating suite, a 36-bed intensive care unit, and an enlarged emergency department.
| Oct 13, 2010
Modern office design accentuates skyline views
Intercontinental|Exchange, a Chicago-based financial firm, hired design/engineering firm Epstein to create a modern, new 31st-floor headquarters.
| Oct 13, 2010
Hospital and clinic join for better patient care
Designed by HGA Architects and Engineers, the two-story Owatonna (Minn.) Hospital, owned by Allina Hospitals and Clinics, connects to a newly expanded clinic owned by Mayo Health System to create a single facility for inpatient and outpatient care.
| Oct 13, 2010
Biloxi’s convention center bigger, better after Katrina
The Mississippi Coast Coliseum and Convention Center in Biloxi is once again open for business following a renovation and expansion necessitated by Hurricane Katrina.
| Oct 13, 2010
Tower commemorates Lewis & Clark’s historic expedition
The $4.8 million Lewis and Clark Confluence Tower in Hartford, Ill., commemorates explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark at the point where their trek to the Pacific Ocean began—the confluence of the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers.
| Oct 13, 2010
Maryland replacement hospital expands care, changes name
The new $120 million Meritus Regional Medical Center in Hagerstown, Md., has 267 beds, 17 operating rooms with high-resolution video screens, a special care level II nursery, and an emergency room with 53 treatment rooms, two trauma rooms, and two cardiac rooms.
| Oct 13, 2010
Campus building gives students a taste of the business world
William R. Hough Hall is the new home of the Warrington College of Business Administration at the University of Florida in Gainesville. The $17.6 million, 70,000-sf building gives students access to the latest technology, including a lab that simulates the stock exchange.
| Oct 13, 2010
Science building supports enrollment increases
The new Kluge-Moses Science Building at Piedmont Virginia Community College, in Charlottesville, is part of a campus update designed and managed by the Lukmire Partnership. The 34,000-sf building is designed to be both a focal point of the college and a recruitment mechanism to get more students enrolling in healthcare programs.
| Oct 13, 2010
Cancer hospital plans fifth treatment center
Construction is set to start in December on the new Cancer Treatment Centers of America’s $55 million hospital in Newnan, Ga. The 225,000-sf facility will have 25 universal inpatient beds, two linear accelerator vaults, an HDR/Brachy therapy vault, and a radiology and imaging unit.
| Oct 13, 2010
Apartment complex will offer affordable green housing
Urban Housing Communities, KTGY Group, and the City of Big Bear Lake (Calif.) Improvement Agency are collaborating on The Crossings at Big Bear Lake, the first apartment complex in the city to offer residents affordable, eco-friendly homes. KTGY designed 28 two-bedroom, two-story townhomes and 14 three-bedroom, single-story flats, averaging 1,100 sf each.
