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The Extraordinary Transformation of Parkside Terrace to
The Overlook at Oxon Run
Project Description: Total renovation of a twelve-story residential highrise apartment building in the Ward 8 section of the District of Columbia. The 316,181 sq. ft. building houses a total of 181 one-bedroom and 135 two-bedroom apartment units, and is split into two distinct uses. Floors one through seven provide 149 units for senior living, and floors eight through twelve are dedicated to working professionals and family units.
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The Overlook, formerly known as Parkside Terrace, was once a failed affordable family housing project and a source of blight in the community. Ridden with crime, drugs, and poverty, this twelve-story highrise building made headlines for the increasing levels of violence and deterioration that continued to worsen over time. The property was abandoned in 2005 and sat vacant for several years, creating an eyesore that grew worse by the day due to decay, neglect, and vandalism. Existing conditions were so deteriorated that a gut demolition was the only possibility for revitalization of the building.
The development team realized that creative design strategies would be needed to transform this “project” into a living, thriving apartment building that would promote community and eliminate poverty and destitution. The developer, Community Preservation Development Corporation (CPDC), decided to design the building to accommodate both working professionals and seniors. Design elements such as separate lobbies and elevators for the families and seniors, access control, and variations in finishes were introduced to create a unique design responding to the split program. Unit layouts were configured appropriately based on the needs of the different populations. Existing balconies, which often become visible storage units in many multifamily housing developments, were enclosed to create more desirable interior space. All apartment units are completely new, and the reconfiguration of the building to incorporate balcony space into the livable footprint resulted in an increase in the unit count and net living space. The redesigned building features new lobbies, lounges, a community room, a learning center, a fitness room, and medical suite for the residents. A new branch bank and retail space for a beauty salon, sundries shop, and other uses provide many services targeted to meet the needs of the residents.
The building condition presented a lot of challenges to the design and construction team. The exterior masonry skin was peeling off the façade and falling. Stabilization efforts included complete restoration with the addition of new relieving angles at each floor and thousands of masonry anchors to tie the remaining skin into a functioning whole. The new work allowed the introduction of a new contrasting masonry banding that took what was a major structural challenge and turned it into a design opportunity. Following the interior demolition of the building, it became apparent to Harkins that the exterior CMU masonry walls lacked the stability and strength to support the exterior skin and the new window system. Heavy gauge structural metal stud framing supported by concrete decks at top and bottom were used to provide needed backup for the exterior wall system.
The two different apartment uses, senior and family, also presented challenges, as the traditional stacked utility scenario typical of a highrise building needed to be interrupted and rerouted part way through the building. Existing column locations and core drilling restrictions in the proximity of structural members of the building also complicated the new unit layouts. Field modifications had to be made to both layout of the units and location of the utilities to accommodate these existing conditions. Separation of the two uses for safety and security of the senior residents was important to the owner, and this challenge of shared vertical circulation and separation of amenities was solved using a sophisticated access control system.
As is the case with most rehabilitation projects, abatement and demolition activities started shortly after notice to proceed, securing the site and installing safety provisions throughout all twelve floors of the building. These activities were quickly followed by layout of the new walls and partitions, core drilling and framing activities. However, to continue progress on the critical path of the project, we needed to dry-in, rough-in and close-in the units from the top floor coming down and begin finish trade activities. There were a few challenges to overcome. To close-in the balconies, now to be interior living spaces, we needed to install a structural steel column and beam system which was coming from the first floor up. The main electrical service cables, telephone, CATV, and fire alarm were also coming from bottom up. The roof had to be reconfigured to change the drainage from the inside to the outside perimeter. Cell towers and their structures and conduit systems were in the way.
Our site team and subcontractors were up to the challenge. The existing roof was removed ahead of schedule and a temporary roof membrane was installed immediately to keep the building dry until all other roof components could come together. A temporary steel jack system was designed and procured to provide interim support for the balconies until the permanent support system could arrive and be installed. Provisions were made for all rough-in trades to carefully allocate space for their respective service entries to the units so that framing and close-ins could commence without all of those services in place. This allowed a significant amount of trade activity to take place simultaneously and at all levels of the building. At one point, while abatement and demolition were still in progress at the lowest floors, the layout, core drilling, framing, rough-in, finish, and trim operations were in progress on various floors by all trades all at the same time. This aggressive scheduling and intelligent sequencing of the work enabled Harkins to complete 90% of the work in 2008, less than 12 months from the Notice to Proceed date of January 7, 2008.
Although the critical path of the project travelled through the completion of the apartment units, a great deal of other work had to take place for the project to achieve successful completion. A new elevator shaft was cut through the building and new elevator installed. All existing elevators were gutted and totally refurbished with all new machines and equipment. The exterior skin was totally renovated, with restoration of the existing brick façade and addition of new brick bands at each floor, closing existing balconies and covering these new elevations with brick, decorative block and EIFS, and installing all new windows and louvers, decorative railings, and sunshades.
Last but not least, we needed water, sanitary, and storm sewers for the project. The process for Street Cut / Public Utility permits had started months in advance of their needed dates, but it took several more months than anticipated. We had the project 98% complete, cleaned completed units, and did our first walks with the owner and architect with no water or sewer and storm utilities on site. This, of course, delayed turnover of the units as well as site finishes such as walks, loading docks, trash enclosure, fencing, landscaping, etc. However, teamwork and planning worked again. We finished all of this work within 30 days of connecting utilities and mitigated significant delays to the turnover of the building.
We thank the leadership and staff of Community Preservation and Development Corporation, especially Gerry Joseph, Mark James, and Pat Foca, and of Wiencek + Associates, especially Michael Wiencek, Alan Minor, and Kristan Jadwick. We appreciate their spirit of teamwork, the trust and confidence they displayed throughout the project duration, and their sense of urgency in solving some very challenging construction and planning issues. Our special thanks go to construction consultant Pat Foca for the utmost professionalism, wisdom and guidance he provided so selflessly.
Harkins is proud to say that we exceeded project goals for Local Small Disadvantaged Business Enterprises by six percentage points and that 51% of all subcontracted work went to LSDBE companies. Another important goal was achieved, a testament to everybody doing their job: $0 spent on punchout. Our subcontractors are among those deserving most recognition for making this project a resounding success: BBB Masonry; Bello, Bello & Associates; J.H. Bradby (LSDBE); C&R Carpentry; C&R Environmental Associates (LSDBE); Centennial Builders (LSDBE); CMC Concrete Construction; Corley Roofing; District Contractors; Charles E. Dorsey Landscaping; Engineering Contractors (LSDBE); Floors Etc.; Ben Lewis, Inc.; C.A. Lindman; LIW Ironworks (LSDBE); Mid-Atlantic Sports; Pro-Pave; Supreme Aluminum Products; Wolf Fire Protection. |