flexiblefullpage
billboard
interstitial1
catfish1
Currently Reading

28th Annual Reconstruction Awards: Bringing Hope to Cancer Patients

28th Annual Reconstruction Awards: Bringing Hope to Cancer Patients

A gothic-style structure is reconstructed into comfortable, modern patient residence facility for the American Cancer Society.


By By Tim Gregorski, Senior Editor | January 3, 2012
28th Annual Reconstruction Awards: Bringing Hope to Cancer Patients
The gothic architecture of Hope Lodge was fully restored, including the masonry. The slate roof was also replaced, and new steel
This article first appeared in the January 2012 issue of BD+C.

The B. Thomas Golisano Hope Lodge Hospitality House, located on the edge of the Colgate Rochester Crozier Divinity School (CRCDS) campus in Rochester, N.Y., was destined to change the lives of many who have called the building home.

Constructed in the 1930s, the structure hosted CRCDS’s theological studies while serving as a seminary dormitory. Composed and rendered in the collegiate gothic style by architect James Gamble Rogers, the “Castle on the Hill” echoed similar structures found on the campuses of Yale, Columbia, and Northwestern.

Over time, the number of students requiring dormitories dwindled, and CRCDS found itself with more space than it needed.

Eventually, school officials decided to operate within a smaller footprint. However, CRCDS was still tasked with maintaining all campus buildings, including the now-vacant structure. As expenses related to the building mounted, school officials considered demolishing it.

With the future of the structure in doubt, the nearby American Cancer Society’s Rochester Hope Lodge was quickly outgrowing its facility of 25 years. It did not take long before CRCDS and American Cancer Society realized the benefits of a partnership.

 Click here to view profiles of other reconstruction projects that have been recognized as part of BD+C's 28th Annual Reconstruction Awards.

As the partnership between CRCDS and American Cancer Society evolved, the CRCDS’s vacant theological studies center and seminary dormitory were selected as the home for the new Hope Lodge. Design concepts were quickly formulated, and a budget established thanks to $8 million in fundraising efforts, led by philanthropist B. Thomas Golisano.

The early stages of the reconstruction project progressed smoothly until a hazardous materials survey conducted on the facility revealed the presence of asbestos in the finishes and roofing materials. But it was also infused in the plaster covering the walls and ceilings throughout the buildings.

GIVING THE BUILDING ENVELOPE THE ONCE-OVER
In addition to the asbestos removal, the existing floor layout would have to be gutted as the narrow double-loaded corridor did not meet current egress requirements. The single-occupant rooms were cramped and much too small for the needs of Hope Lodge. Finally, the historic masonry exterior and the slate roof of the building had suffered decades of deferred maintenance and were in need of repair.

“We were, in many ways, creating a new building envelope. The restoration of the historic exterior required close coordination with the new interior perimeter,” says Jim Durfee, AIA, principal architect, Bergmann Associates.

The Building Team, consisting of local firms Bergmann Associates (architect), Torchia Structural Engineering (structural engineer), and LeChase Construction (construction manager), faced other design issues on the Hope Lodge project as well.

PRODUCT LIST
B. Thomas Golisano Hope Lodge, Hospitality House, Rochester, N.Y.

Masonry Cleaner: Sure Klean
Roofing: Carlisle Epdm
Windows: Oldcastle Ogep Series 2000
Gypsum Board: USG
Window Treatments: Drapery Industries
Interior Signage & Donor Wall: Id Sign Systems
Artwork: Great American Art (Brontman’s Corporate Dimensions)
Furniture: Om Workspace (Carolina & Grand Rapids)
Lamps: Crown Electric
Interior Architectural Woodwork: Solid Surface, Zodiak
Solid Surface: Corian
Plastic Laminate: Formica
Plastic Laminate: Wilsonart
Acoustical Ceiling: Acoustical Ceiling Tile, Armstrong World Industries, Inc.
Tile Carpeting: Modular Tile Carpet, 24" X 24" Shaw Contract Group Collection, Dressed To Kill
Modular Tile Carpet: 18" X 18" Bentley Prince Street Collection, Saturnia
Modular Carpet Tile: 24"X24" Patcraft & Design Weave Collection, Construkt Series 
Walk-Off Mat: 12"X12" Roppe Surface Walk-Off Mat Collection, 'Rop-Cord' Rubber (Tire Tread) Tiles
Interior Paint: Sherwin Williams, Pro-Green Interior Latex
Toilet Compartments: Hadrian
Plumbing Fixtures: American Standard
Fan Coils: Enviro-Tec Johnson Controls
Heat Recovery Units: RenewAire
Air Handlers: Mcquay
Elevators: Otis

One complicated design-related issue involved the original engineering of the two adjoining structures, Trevor and Eaton Halls. The independent structures each had their own floor levels, which did not align. “The existing footprint was particularly challenging. The fact that these were really two separate buildings separated by a quirky staircase made achieving a clear floor layout difficult,” says Durfee.

In order to get the buildings to function as one structure, a strategically located ramp allowed the second level of the structure to function contiguously while a centrally located stair with multiple flights and landings to each building provided occupant circulation.

The Building Team also faced low floor-to-ceiling heights that complicated insertion of a new HVAC system. Eventually, a four-pipe, console fan coil system was installed in order to minimize the need to extensive air distribution ductwork.

“The biggest challenge was threading new utilities through the new layout working around a very limited floor to floor height. This required careful design and utility coordination in order to maintain our aesthetic goals for the space,” says Durfee.

Handicap accessibility throughout the facility also proved problematic. The development of two exterior access points on different levels of the complex and the strategic insertion of two new elevator shafts provided a solution.

BUILDING TEAM EARNS CLIENT’S RESPECT
Hope Lodge provides free lodging and support for out-of-town patients drawn to the regional medical treatment centers in Rochester. By offering patients and caregivers a temporary home during extended periods of treatment, the Hope Lodge program frees patients from emotional and financial burdens, allowing them to concentrate on care, recovery, and quality of life.

The new 28,000-sf B. Thomas Golisano Hope Lodge Hospitality House doubled the capacity of the former Rochester Hope Lodge, while also providing 8,000 sf of office space for the American Cancer Society.

Irregular shell space resulted in unique layouts for all 30 guest rooms, each of which included a private bathroom. Common spaces and services include laundry, kitchen, dining room, living area, and a library.

On the exterior, the gothic architecture was fully restored, including the masonry, the replacement of the slate roof, and new steel sash windows that maintained the appearance of the original windows.

“I was initially concerned about the various complexities inherent in this project and with the structure of the building we were to renovate,” says Matthew Flanigan, regional vice president, American Cancer Society. “Very quickly, the Building Team assured us they were up to the task, and just as quickly began to show they were qualified. Working with this team of professionals was seamless through the many phases of planning to post-construction wrap up. Ultimately, it’s the Hope Lodge Hospitality House guests that have confirmed our true pleasure in this outcome.” BD+C
--
Click here to view profiles of other reconstruction projects that have been recognized as part of BD+C's 28th Annual Reconstruction Awards.

Related Stories

| Sep 23, 2013

The art of rewarding employees

What’s the best way to reward those employees who go the extra mile, particularly when it’s not always feasible to give large financial bonuses? According to author and “recognition expert” Dr. Bob Nelson, the most effective employee rewards are also the least expensive. 

| Sep 23, 2013

Six-acre Essex Crossing development set to transform vacant New York property

A six-acre parcel on the Lower East Side of New York City, vacant since tenements were torn down in 1967, will be the site of the new Essex Crossing mixed-use development. The product of a compromise between Mayor Michael Bloomberg and various interested community groups, the complex will include ~1,000 apartments.

| Sep 20, 2013

August housing starts reveal multifamily still healthy but single-family stagnating

Peter Muoio, Ph.D., senior principal and economist with Auction.com Research, says the Census Bureau's August Housing Starts data released yesterday hints at improvements in the single-family sector with multifamily slowing down.

| Sep 19, 2013

What we can learn from the world’s greenest buildings

Renowned green building author, Jerry Yudelson, offers five valuable lessons for designers, contractors, and building owners, based on a study of 55 high-performance projects from around the world.

| Sep 19, 2013

6 emerging energy-management glazing technologies

Phase-change materials, electrochromic glass, and building-integrated PVs are among the breakthrough glazing technologies that are taking energy performance to a new level. 

| Sep 18, 2013

Annual SteelDay to include 125 free events around the U.S.

Hosted by the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC), its members and partners, SteelDay invites the AEC community and the public to see the contributions the industry has made in the design and construction of steel buildings and bridges. 

| Sep 18, 2013

WHR Architects opens first European office, in Copenhagen

WHR Architects has opened its first European office in Copenhagen, Denmark. The decision to locate in the Danish capital was spurred by the Danish healthcare system’s initiative to renew and expand their facilities across the country.

| Sep 17, 2013

NCARB convenes special task force to explore additional pathways to architectural licensure

Potential new pathways to architectural licensure are being explored through the work of a new Licensure Task Force launched by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB). Led by NCARB Immediate Past President Ronald B. Blitch, FAIA, FACHA, NCARB, the group held its first meeting at NCARB offices on September 6-7 in Washington, DC. 

| Sep 17, 2013

SMPS Foundation announces new business development research book

The SMPS Foundation has released its latest research book, A/E/C BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT – The Decade Ahead. 

| Sep 17, 2013

Healthcare project will merge outpatient clinic with YMCA to promote wellness and prevention

Penrose-St. Francis Health Services and the YMCA of the Pikes Peak Region announce collaboration, along with developer The Boldt Company, to create next-generation wellness facility.  

boombox1
boombox2
native1

More In Category


Urban Planning

Bridging the gap: How early architect involvement can revolutionize a city’s capital improvement plans

Capital Improvement Plans (CIPs) typically span three to five years and outline future city projects and their costs. While they set the stage, the design and construction of these projects often extend beyond the CIP window, leading to a disconnect between the initial budget and evolving project scope. This can result in financial shortfalls, forcing cities to cut back on critical project features.



Libraries

Reasons to reinvent the Midcentury academic library

DLR Group's Interior Design Leader Gretchen Holy, Assoc. IIDA, shares the idea that a designer's responsibility to embrace a library’s history, respect its past, and create an environment that will serve student populations for the next 100 years.

halfpage1

Most Popular Content

  1. 2021 Giants 400 Report
  2. Top 150 Architecture Firms for 2019
  3. 13 projects that represent the future of affordable housing
  4. Sagrada Familia completion date pushed back due to coronavirus
  5. Top 160 Architecture Firms 2021