flexiblefullpage
billboard
interstitial1
catfish1
Currently Reading

Denver's 107-year-old seminary campus modernized

Reconstruction Awards

Denver's 107-year-old seminary campus modernized

The scope of the St. John Vianney Theological Seminary project included the seminary dorms, library, and chapel, all of which posed their own set of obstacles.


By David Barista, Editorial Director | November 30, 2015
Denver's 107-year-old seminary campus modernized  St. John Vianney Theological Seminary

Photos: Terry Shapiro

The Building Team for the renovation of St. John Vianney Theological Seminary, a 107-year-old seminary campus, took great pains to modernize the buildings’ MEP systems while preserving the historic aesthetic. The scope of the project included the seminary dorms (ca. 1930s), library (ca. 1950s), and chapel (ca. 1930s), all of which posed their own set of obstacles.

BRONZE AWARD

Building Team: Haselden Construction (submitting firm, GC); Archdiocese of Denver (owner); 
The Abo Group (architect); Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates (SE); RMH Group (MEP)
General Information: Size: 110,000 sf. Construction cost: $8.7 million. Construction time: October 2013 to August 2014. Delivery method: CM at risk.

 

The chapel’s only source of cooling was a fan in the bell tower that pulled in outside air, which was less than adequate during the summer. The project called for a new chilled-water mechanical system, but, for aesthetic reasons, it could not be placed outside. To meet both requirements, the team shoehorned the 18-foot-tall, 24,000-pound unit inside the tower. The system was custom manufactured to fit in the bell tower (approximately 21 feet square), and to allow the individual pieces to fit through the bell tower’s arches (approximately 42 inches wide and 78 inches high).

Using a custom hoist, the pieces were lowered 70 feet and assembled inside the tower.

The team faced a similar problem on the library renovation. To fit a new cooling unit in the building, the 10x30-foot system was ordered as a set of unassembled pieces, which would be moved into the library basement and then assembled. But the manufacturer shipped the unit fully assembled. To keep on schedule, the team had to excavate and open the existing foundation to access the basement.

 

Related Stories

Government Buildings | Jan 9, 2023

Blackstone, Starwood among real estate giants urging President Biden to repurpose unused federal office space for housing

The Real Estate Roundtable, a group including major real estate firms such as Brookfield Properties, Blackstone, Empire State Realty Trust, Starwood Capital, as well as multiple major banks and CRE professional organizations, recently sent a letter to President Joe Biden on the implications of remote work within the federal government.

Giants 400 | Aug 11, 2021

BD+C Awards Programs

Entry information and past winners for Building Design+Construction's two major awards programs: 40 Under 40 and Giants 400

Reconstruction Awards | Mar 12, 2021

Call for entries: 2021 Reconstruction Awards

The 2021 Reconstruction Awards recognize the best reconstructed, renovated, or remodeled projects, based on overall design, engineering, and construction project quality. Entries are due July 16, 2021. 

Reconstruction Awards | Mar 12, 2021

2021 Reconstruction Awards Entry Information

Only projects completed or occupied between January 1, 2020 and July 16, 2021 are eligible.

Reconstruction Awards | Mar 12, 2021

2021 Reconstruction Awards 'How to Win' Tip Sheet

Keep this tip sheet handy when preparing your Reconstruction Awards entry, as these are some items on which your project will be judged.

Reconstruction Awards | Feb 5, 2021

The historic Maryland Theatre is reborn in Hagerstown

The Maryland Theatre project has won a Bronze Award in BD+C's 2020 Reconstruction Awards.

Reconstruction Awards | Jan 30, 2021

Repositioning of historic Sears Roebuck warehouse enlivens Boston’s Fenway neighborhood

Developer Samuels & Associates asked Elkus Manfredi Architects to reimagine the former Sears Roebuck & Co. warehouse in Boston’s Fenway neighborhood as a dynamic mixed-use destination that complements the high-energy Fenway neighborhood while honoring the building’s historical significance.

boombox1
boombox2
native1

More In Category


Giants 400

BD+C Awards Programs

Entry information and past winners for Building Design+Construction's two major awards programs: 40 Under 40 and Giants 400



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