AGC Build New England Awards Honors HMFH Architects’ Restoration of Cambridge War Memorial Recreation Center
Updated Access and Amenities Returned to the Cambridge Community
HMFH Architects, a leading architectural firm focused on the design of innovative learning environments, announced today the Cambridge War Memorial Recreation Center renovation for the City of Cambridge, Mass. was honored with a Performance Award from AGC of Massachusetts in the 2009 Build New England Awards. The awards were conferred on project teams at a gala at the Intercontinental Hotel on October 1, 2009.
Sponsored by AGC of Massachusetts, a professional association of commercial and institutional builders, the competitive juried awards program is notable for its recognition of the constructor, owner and primary designer and the important role that each play in delivering successful projects. The winning entries represent a wide range of project types, including offices, healthcare facilities, schools, laboratories, academic institutions and several notable public buildings from across New England. 24 projects in total were cited in the categories of Honor, Merit and Performance.
"The newly renovated Cambridge War Memorial Recreation Center, which serves all age levels, is a most important asset in our community," said Cambridge Deputy City Manager Richard C. Rossi, who also oversees Capital Projects for the city. "City leaders have worked diligently on this project since the mid 1990's. Under the direction of City Manager Robert W. Healy, we were able to secure a $9 million state grant to offset the cost to taxpayers. The facility is extremely popular with residents, and also serves as a memorial to those who dedicated their lives to protecting our country. We were very pleased with the end result and are now very honored to be receiving this recognition for our team's excellent work."
The Cambridge War Memorial Building Renovation project in Cambridge, MA consisted of a complete "gut" renovation of an existing, three-story 150,000 square foot building located at the city's public high school. Although the building was partially unoccupied during the construction period, the project was under strong pressure to meet aggressive completion times so the adjacent Cambridge Rindge and Latin School could re-occupy their newly renovated facility. With its attached swimming pool and field house, the War Memorial Recreation Center serves 2,000 students daily and functions as Cambridge's central community athletic facility.
The recreation center includes three pools, a gymnasium with basketball and volleyball courts, a state-of-the-art fitness room, a multipurpose room and separate locker room facilities for school and public use. An adjacent field house contains courts and an indoor running track.
"It is both challenging and rewarding to work on such a great building, to bring it up to date and to make it meet the current needs of both the schools and the community," said George Metzger, AIA, senior principal of HMFH Architects. "The existing building, which was solidly constructed in the 1950's, adapted well to new programs, resulting in easy and separate access for student athletes as well as community users of all ages. The entire project team of the City, W.T. Rich and HMFH worked together diligently to make this project successful in all respects, a goal not easily or often achieved in public sector design and construction."
As a complex and semi-occupied renovation project, the team was able to develop consensus-driven solutions for the renovation program, which maximized the public construction budget. The complex challenges included extensive asbestos and hazardous material abatement, as well as complete demolition and removal of the existing MEP system, partition walls and interior finishes.
The renovated facility provides better public circulation and access through new school and community entrances, new student locker and shower facilities, separate locker rooms for night and weekend use by non-students, administrative offices and classrooms for the high school and for recreation department programs, as well as flexible, shared spaces to serve all users.
"We were faced with one of our most difficult challenges in completing the renovations to the War Memorial Building at the Cambridge Rindge & Latin School," said Walter Rich, president of W.T. Rich. "We have served the public side of the construction industry for over 40 years and have seldom encountered a project of this complexity with such a condensed time schedule."
About HMFH
In the four decades since its founding in 1969, HMFH Architects, Inc. has built opportunities for learning on a local, regional and national level. With its distinguished range of award-winning work from renovated urban buildings to new rural campuses, HMFH is recognized as a leader in the design of innovative learning environments. HMFH's work, noted for its user-centered design and energetic use of color, has been exhibited nationally. For more information, please visit www.hmfh.com.
Contact:
Susan Shelby, CPSM
Rhino Public Relations
978.468.1528
susan@rhinopr.com
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