stv ink news and views, Volume 5, Issue 2 - STV Group, Inc.

VOLUME 5 ISSUE 2 2008
In This Issue
2
STV Helps
Kutztown University Grow
8
Catering to the Tastes
of a New Generation
12
A Multiuse Building in the
Works for Truman College
stv | ink I

VOLUME 6 | ISSUE 2 | 2008
STV Group
205 West Welsh Drive
Douglassville, PA 19518
T 610-385-8200
F 610-385-8500
STV Incorporated
225 Park Avenue South
New York, NY 10003
T 212-777-4400
F 212-529-5237
info@stvinc.com
www.stvinc.com
Editorial Board
Dominick M. Servedio, P.E.
Linda Rosenberg
Richard M. Amodei
Managing Editors
Debra Trace
Jill Bonamusa
Contributors
Jennifer Callahan
Rachel Spevack
Graphic Design
Vladislav Shargorodsky
Whitney Plant
Front cover photo:
© LE Media/Shutterstock
table of
contents
1
2
6
8
12
16
19
2 8 12 16
A
A Higher Degree of Service for Higher Education Facilities
As many colleges and universities in the U.S. embark on renovation and
expansion programs, they are calling on STV’s specialists to realize
success on their projects.
Revamping a Campus: STV Helps Kutztown University Grow
For over a decade, the firm has been providing a wide range of expertise
to help this state university in Pennsylvania upgrade facilities on its
scenic 325-acre campus.
A History of Keeping Old Buildings in Top Shape
The company’s professionals are paving the way for modernizations to
heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems at the University of
Delaware, one of America’s oldest institutions.
Catering to the Tastes of a New Generation
The on-campus eating experience has changed markedly over the years,
and the firm has become one of the industry leaders in helping schools
transform their dining halls to appeal to today’s sophisticated students.
A Multiuse Building in the Works for Truman College
At this community college in Chicago, a new sustainable facility—
a combined Student Services Center and parking garage—is under
development. STV is serving as architect of record for this structure,
which is designed to harmonize with the neighborhood.
STV Takes Roofing Projects to New Heights
The replacement of roofing systems can pose certain challenges. The
firm’s professionals have gained solid experience in overcoming hurdles
and keeping roofing initiatives on track.
What’s New @ STV
The Waterfalls flow in NYC and several projects earned accolades.
+
A construction boom is under way at America’s
colleges and universities—fueled by the need to
renovate aging structures, accommodate expanding
enrollments and attract new students.
Many of these institutions are expanding their
campuses and erecting eco-friendly buildings and
high-tech flexible facilities to provide better learning
environments. In addition, more and more
schools have been upgrading their dining halls
and reinventing the campus dining experience to
satisfy the evolving tastes of their students, faculty
and staff. Safety and security initiatives are also
on the rise.
As a leading multidisciplinary firm in the
educational marketplace, STV has gained a strong
reputation for turning its clients’ goals into reality.
The company offers a dedicated higher education
design studio and numerous specialists in educational
facilities, including architects, engineers,
planners, interior designers, landscape architects
and construction managers.
The firm also provides special expertise in
areas like sustainability and security. For example,
STV’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental
Design Accredited Professionals (LEED* APs)
are experienced in helping clients achieve LEED
certification on their projects.
As a testament to the firm’s standing in the
industry, the company was listed eighth in the
top 20 university design firms category in the July
2008 issue of Building Design & Construction. In
* LEED ® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Green Building Council.
Hi g h e r De g r e e o f Se rv i c e f o r
Hi g h e r Ed u c at i o n Facilities
addition, the June 2008 issue of the Engineering
News-Record Sourcebook ranked STV 12th nationally
for A/E design work according to billings in
the educational marketplace.
In this issue of STVink, we report on various
projects for colleges and universities across
the nation, showing how the firm is providing
a higher degree of service to institutions
of higher learning.
Photo: © zimmytws/Sutterstock
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2
Revamping a Campus:
STV Helps Kutztown University Grow
Kutztown University is on the move.
Over the past decade, this state school in Berks County, PA, has seen a surge
in its enrollment, which currently numbers over 10,000 students. To accommodate
this growth and compete with other institutions in the Keystone State,
Kutztown University (KU) has been extensively building and rehabilitating
facilities on its rural 325-acre campus.
Photo: © 2007 Barry Halkin
A Flexible Building Takes Shape
As institutions of higher learning expand, many
of them are seeking to capitalize on the benefits
of building high-tech, flexible facilities. The
technologically advanced spaces in these structures
allow schools to reconfigure them to better
meet their changing needs.
At Kutztown University, STV recently provided
design and construction management services
for the creation of a flexible building—the
two-story, 62,000-square-foot Academic Forum,
located on KU’s north campus. The facility houses
seven smart classrooms ranging from 85 to 200
seats, all equipped with cutting-edge AV technology
wired to each seat, as well as a 6,000-squarefoot
commons area with a 300-seat food court
and student lounge.
The project team designed the commons area,
a signature feature, to offer various seating and
interaction nooks to support the food-service
operation and encourage student collaboration
and socializing, said Stuart M. Rothenberger,
AIA, LEED AP, who served as design architect
and manager of the design phase.
The building, which is shared by all five KU
colleges, offers several other innovations, such as
state-of-the-art lecture halls that are well-isolated
from outside sounds, sights and smells. In addition,
the upscale dining atrium and food court are
flooded with natural light.
“STV came up with a design that uniquely
combined our academic, food-service and community
needs in one building,” said James
Sutherland, former vice president of finance and
administration for Kutztown University. “It saved
green space on campus, reduced utility costs,
incorporated general economies of scale and is a
home run with students.”
“This is a unique building type for which
there was no model,” noted Rothenberger, STV’s
higher education national practice leader.
Jeffrey S. Mosser, construction project manager,
provided construction management services
during the bid, construction and closeout phases.
The new facility, which opened on schedule in
January 2007, has earned industry recognition.
Continued on Next Page ►
Kutztown University
Academic Forum food court
To help achieve success with its efforts, this school in the borough of Kutztown
has been tapping STV’s broad expertise. In fact, since 1995 the firm has been
performing planning, architectural, engineering, interior design and construction
management services for numerous KU projects—from lab and academic facilities,
to dining and student centers, to residence halls.
For example, a few key recent and ongoing projects include the new Academic
Forum, which opened in January 2007, the Sharadin Art Building addition, and
renovation and the development of a major dormitory on KU’s south campus.
Photo: © 2007 Barry Halkin
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Kutztown University
Sharadin Arts Building
(Top) Kutztown University Academic Forum student lounge
(Bottom) Kutztown University residence hall
American School & University magazine honored
the Academic Forum as an outstanding project
in the common areas category of its 2007 Educational
Interiors Showcase competition. Lori A.
Burnley, ASID, served as the interior designer
for the project.
Expanding a Key Arts Facility
STV’s skills have been instrumental in the development
of many other academic facilities at KU,
such as the Sharadin Art Building.
To enhance its ability to offer a topnotch arts
education, KU initiated a program to renovate
and expand the Sharadin building, home of the
school’s College of Visual and Performing Arts.
Several years ago, STV studied the feasibility of
upgrading and enlarging the structure and the
nearby Schaeffer Auditorium.
After the study was completed in 2004, the
firm provided architectural, multidisciplinary
engineering and interior design services for the
Sharadin project, which involves building additional
classroom and studio spaces, larger teaching
labs, and new offices for art education and
crafts, communication design and fine arts.
“The expansion will help the College of Visual
and Performing Arts to bring all of its programs
into one building and better prepare for future
growth,” said Rothenberger, who served as STV’s
project manager for the design phase.
An STV team, led by Mosser, is performing
construction management services for this facility.
The effort includes equipment relocation, refurbishment
and reinstallation as well as mechanical
and electrical system upgrades and new finishes
throughout the building. The addition is being
constructed of structural steel and masonry with
brick veneer and precast concrete columns and
aluminum curtain wall.
The construction phase, which began in the
spring of 2007, is scheduled for completion in
time for fall semester occupancy in 2008.
Designing a New Dormitory
Besides working on academic building projects,
STV is helping KU add new housing facilities,
such as a new residence hall on the south
campus. Currently, about half of the school’s
10,000 students commute from home or
off-campus housing.
“We want students to be on campus as
much as possible,” said KU president Dr. Javier
Devallos. “It is good that we will be able to
provide more housing for our students and take
some of the pressure off of the borough.”
KU hired STV in the fall of 2005 to provide
project management, architectural and
structural design services for the new six-story,
258,000-square-foot dormitory, which will
house 857 students.
The building, which will become the largest
structure on campus, will be internally divided
into two separate areas, creating the impression
of two distinct wings. Each area will contain a
main entrance and lobby, a laundry room, offices,
student mailboxes, public restrooms, an elevator
lobby with two elevators and a vending area.
The student quarters were designed to include
efficiency apartments, suites and units fully compliant
with the Americans with Disabilities Act
(ADA), noted Rothenberger, project manager.
The building will offer 14 efficiency apartments
on the first floor. The second through sixth floors
will comprise a mix of suites, study rooms and
lounges. The exterior will feature brick and reinforced
cement board panels. A central landscaped
area will serve as the building’s focal point.
Construction of the new residence hall, which
began in December 2006, is slated for completion
in the fall of 2008.
In addition to these housing and academic
facilities, STV’s design and construction management
specialists have worked on scores of
other KU renovation and expansion projects
over the years.
William J. Sutton, former vice president for
advancement at Kutztown University, lauded
STV’s efforts at the school. “Your attention to
detail and your willingness to work on so many
projects has enabled the university to continue to
grow, to expand and to serve the young men and
women of this region,” said Sutton. “Kutztown
University today has a much different physical
appearance and environment than it did
10 years ago, and you have been an integral part
of that transformation.”
Photo: © 2007 Barry Halkin
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Photo: © University of Delaware, Kathy F. Atkinson
6
Keeping Old Buildings
in Top Shape
STV is helping venerable schools like the
University of Delaware (UD) keep their aging
building systems running like new.
One of the nation’s oldest institutions, UD
has evolved from a small private academy founded
in 1743 into a major university enrolling some
19,000 undergrad and graduate students. The
university’s main campus in Newark is steeped
in history, with buildings dating back to the
mid-19th century.
Maintaining and updating building systems
in these irreplaceable structures has been an
ongoing effort at UD. For several years, STV has
provided engineering and architectural support
services for a series of upgrades to heating, ventilation,
air-conditioning (HVAC), electrical and
structural systems to help ensure these buildings
meet 21st-century standards.
For example, as part of an ongoing taskorder
contract, the firm’s skills have paved the
way for successful modernizations to HVAC
systems in UD’s Academy Building, the oldest
structure on campus.
Photo courtesy of University of Delaware, Lane McLaughlin
Revamping an Historic Structure
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places,
the Academy Building was built on the town’s
market square to house Delaware’s oldest higher
educational institution. An 11,500-square-foot
wooden structure with a brick façade, the Academy
was constructed in three components in
1841, 1842 and 1872.
Over the years, the university has renovated
the building and restored many of its original
features. The facility is currently occupied by the
Office of Public Relations, with 30 private and
open offices, two conference rooms, restrooms
and support spaces.
Recognizing that its existing HVAC systems
were operating below par, UD hired STV in 2006
to perform an HVAC study for the Academy
Building. Based on the study’s recommendations,
the firm designed the system upgrade and
equipment replacements, closely complying with
requirements imposed by the building’s standing
on the National Register.
“We were not permitted to do anything
that affected the exterior façade,” explained Jon
S. Cassidy, P.E., project manager for the task
order contract. “All outside equipment had to
be accommodated in one small area not visible
from the street.”
In addition, Cassidy said, the property line
is adjacent to a new high-end condominium
development. “The code dictated the sound levels
we needed to maintain, so we specified a unique
chiller with low noise output,” he noted.
Renovating
Smith Hall
STV also is providing design services to rehabilitate
HVAC systems at more contemporary UD structures,
such as Smith Hall.
Constructed in 1970, this 96,000-square-foot,
four-story building serves 14 different groups, including
the Computing Center and the College of Arts and
Sciences. “Among these users is the group that administers
all UD tests, so security and privacy are important,”
noted Jon S. Cassidy, P.E., project manager.
Because the building is used extensively throughout
the whole year, STV developed a detailed construction
phasing plan to minimize disruption. In addition, since
Smith Hall is situated in the midst of campus activity
and adjacent to a major campus shuttle bus depot,
the project poses significant logistical issues. “This total
HVAC gut and renovation is occurring at one of the
busiest intersections in the middle of Newark’s downtown
business district,” Cassidy explained.
To resolve these concerns, STV developed a logistical
plan that addresses traffic patterns, trailer locations,
student protection, contractor parking, equipment
security and other challenges. Construction for this
HVAC upgrade project began in March 2007 and is
scheduled to be completed in October 2009.
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Catering to the Tastes
of a New Generation
Photo: © Steve Wolfe Photography
Left: Lock Haven University
Bentley Dining Hall;
right: College of Saint
Benedict Gorecki Dining
and Conference Center
Photo: © Jerry Swanson Photography
8
Gone are the days of the old-fashioned college cafeterias
with limited selections and uninspired design.
Institutions of higher learning today are expanding and
refurbishing their dining centers to satisfy growing enrollments
of savvy, demanding students. They’re offering their collegians
and employees such features as a more diverse and healthy
cuisine, more comfortable seating arrangements, eating areas
open around the clock and the ability to grab prepackaged
foods and go.
To compete with off-campus restaurants, these
schools have been transforming the look and
feel of their dining halls—making them fun and
friendly places to eat a meal, have a snack or just
socialize. Amenities like TV viewing and Wi-Fi
Internet access are not uncommon. In addition,
these institutions having been upgrading their
banquet and conference areas for internal use and
rental to outside organizations.
With its broad array of planning, design and
construction services, STV has helped numerous
colleges and universities successfully build and
revamp their food-service facilities. For example,
the summer of 2007 marked the opening of two
notable STV projects—the new Gorecki Dining
and Conference Center at the College of Saint
Benedict (CSB) in Minneapolis, and the renovation
of the Bentley Dining Hall at Lock Haven
University (LHU) in Pennsylvania.
Designing a New Dining Facility
For the College of Saint Benedict
Located in St. Joseph, MN, CSB is a private,
Catholic liberal arts college for women that shares
an academic program and faculty with the nearby
Saint John’s University (SJU), a private, Catholic
liberal arts college for men.
Several years ago, CSB launched a program
to create a new, enhanced dining center to better
meet the needs of the growing CSB/SJU
student body, and offer banquet and conference
space for college functions and special events held
by external groups.
In October 2005, the college hired an STV
team, led by Stuart M. Rothenberger, AIA, LEED
AP, higher education national practice leader, to
provide architectural, interior and structural
design services for this new dining and banquet
facility. After conducting an in-depth study of the
school and its food-service operations, the team
designed a 52,000-square-foot, two-story structure
that is located in the heart of the campus.
The new building, named the Gorecki Dining
and Conference Center, opened in August 2007,
in time for the start of the 2007-2008 school year.
The center’s exterior, which features face brick
with cast stone, includes a sloped shingled roof
that complements adjacent structures.
“For the interior, we used a palette of orange,
yellow and green to create a warm and friendly
atmosphere,” said Lori S. Burnley, ASID, senior
interior designer for the project.
The first floor houses a main dining area,
a lobby and a dividable conference room.
Offering a broad selection of cuisines, the main
dining area features seven food stations—many
with attending chefs—and the option to select
grab-and-go meals.
The dining area holds about 400 people and
features a variety of seating arrangements and
television viewing options. Small intimate eating
areas are distinguished by special floor and ceiling
finishes. Outdoor seating is also available in
an adjacent courtyard.
Continued on Next Page ►
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Lock Haven University
Bentley Dining Hall
‘ For the interior, we used a palette of
orange, yellow and green to create
a warm and friendly atmosphere.’
Lori S. Bunley, ASID
Photo: © Steve Wolfe Photography
The first floor lobby offers a cozy setting, with
a large decorative fireplace, soft seating, wireless
Internet access, and a coffee shop and bakery open
almost all day long. The lobby entrance area also
serves as a stop for buses running between the CSB
and SJU campuses.
The second floor features a 7,400-squarefoot
banquet hall that is dividable into three
smaller rooms for conferences and meetings. It’s
equipped with high-speed Internet access and
other advanced technologies.
Also on the second floor is the President’s dining
room, a signature space designed with highend
finishes. This upscale eating area, located in
the tower above the building’s main entrance,
seats up to 30 people for catered meetings and
offers a commanding view of the campus.
With its innovative features and tasty mix
of food options, the Gorecki Center has become
a popular place for students to eat and relax
between classes. It has also generated positive
reviews in local media.
For example, Amy Bowen, a food reporter
for the St. Cloud Times, noted the following on
August 22, 2007, in her blog, Dish with D’lish:
“I visited the College of St. Benedict’s Gorecki
Dining and Conference Center last night. I must
say, the dining center is amazing. It features a
Mongolian grill and a wood-fire oven for pizza. I
taste tested the pizza, and it is far better than any
of the local pizza joints. ...”
Renovating Lock Haven University’s
Bentley Dining Hall
Besides private institutions like CSB, the firm
has made its mark in improving dining centers at
numerous state schools, such as LHU.
Located in central Pennsylvania, LHU is a
growing public university with an enrollment of
around 5,000 students. The school’s main eating
facility, Bentley Hall, was built in 1965. The university
found the building too small to handle its
expanding student population.
So LHU hired STV in 2005 to provide complete
architectural and engineering services to
enlarge and upgrade the two-story, 40,000-squarefoot
structure. The project involved increasing the
building by 21,000 square feet, with the addition
of a new floor and about 600 new seats.
“A key focus,” said Rothenberger, who managed
the project, “was to make the dining hall
more functional, spacious and inviting.”
The STV team performed site development
and architectural design services, including new
interiors, furniture specifications and finishes.
The team’s engineering services encompassed
civil, structural, mechanical, electrical and
plumbing design. New fire protection, public
announcement and telecommunications systems
were also engineered.
The expansion included new conference
rooms, dining areas, restrooms, an elevator, stair
towers and offices. In addition, the building’s new
dining room extension can be partitioned off
from the dining area to serve as a banquet space
for special events. The usability of the hall’s loading
dock was also enhanced by this project.
The revamped Bentley Hall, which opened on
schedule in August 2007 for the fall semester, has
been a hit with students. For example, an article
in LHU’s student newspaper, published shortly
after the opening, noted that Bentley Hall users
felt that the upgrade had created a much more
comfortable and better looking dining center.
Whether it’s renovating dining halls or designing
new, cutting-edge food-service facilities, STV
is transforming the campus dining experience.
Photo: © Jerry Swanson Photography
Photo: © Steve Wolfe Photography
Top: Gorecki Center dining area; bottom: Bentley Hall dining area
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A Multiuse Building
12
In t h e Wo r k s
Fo r Tr u m a n Co l le g e
To better meet the needs of its students, faculty and local
community, Truman College is developing a combined
Student Services Center and multilevel parking garage
that will enhance its small urban campus and harmonize
with Chicago’s historic Uptown neighborhood.
Once it’s completed, this versatile structure will allow
the school to consolidate its student services in one
location, add 1,138 much-needed parking spots and free
up classroom space in its main building.
A Key Design Role
As architect of record, STV is playing a major role
in the $55 million project for the public two-year
institution, one of the City Colleges of Chicago.
An STV team—comprised of 16 architects, landscape
architects and engineers—has been working
on the project since August 2006.
STV’s contract is with Illinois Capital Development
Board, but the City Colleges of Chicago
and Truman are also providing funding for the
project. All three had a say in selecting the design
scheme, said Terence R. Russell, AIA, LEED AP,
project manager.
Truman College is seeking a LEED (Leadership
in Energy and Environmental Design) certified
rating from the U.S. Green Building Council
for the project, Russell said. STV’s duties include
sustainable design for this new structure, which
will be one of the tallest buildings in the neighborhood
when it’s completed by 2010.
The facility will be located on the southeast
side of the campus, adjacent to residential areas to
the south and west. The western side of the structure
will be four stories high to stay in scale with
the surrounding residences. STV has designed the
facility to permit vertical expansion. “You always
want to allow the owner some flexibility in the
future,” explained Russell.
The eastern side of the building, which is
adjacent to a Chicago Transit Authority elevated
train line, will be seven stories high and will face
a retail complex in the future.
Continued on Next Page ►
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‘ We’re trying to enhance the overall
visibility and appearance of the
college to the public.’
Sharon Huber-Plano, RLA, LEED AP
The first level throughout the entire building
will comprise the 75,600-square-foot Student
Services Center, including offices for the
bursar and dean, the registrar, financial aid and
student activities. The student services functions
are relocating from the main educational
building, which is more than a block long and
three stories high. The freed-up space in that
facility will provide additional classrooms for an
expanding student population.
Harmonizing with the Community
The structure’s remaining three levels on one side
and six levels on the other will consist of 351,000
square feet of parking facilities for students, faculty
and staff. That won’t be apparent from the
street, however. Chicago’s public garage ordinance
requires that all aboveground parking facilities be
designed to blend into the surroundings and not
look like garages.
To satisfy this requirement, STV’s architects
integrated rooftop planters with vines growing
in them into the design of the structure. Planter
boxes will be installed around the perimeters of
the fourth and seventh floor roofs where there is
exposed rooftop parking, another requirement of
the ordinance. In addition, ramps will be concealed
through architectural louvers, and there
will be thin brick on the precast concrete panels
of the garage reflective of brick materials in the
adjacent neighborhood.
The parking facility will be open to local residents
and guests on weekends (for a fee).
Revitalizing the Image of the Campus
STV developed four different design schemes for
the new building. The selected design has a precast
concrete façade and a glass vertical element at the
entry which contains the two-story lobbies of the
parking garage. It ties in all of the vertical circulation
for the building. Adjacent to the entrance
will be a large student gathering space with angled
glass walls and a curved roof. The public student
spaces were designed to give a sense of ownership
and excitement to the students.
“It’s going to be very open, welcoming and
contemporary,” said Donald Currie, AIA, design
director. “It will be the new focal point for the
campus.” The new structure, like the other two
buildings on campus, will have free Wi-Fi access.
The design includes a window wall system that
resembles storefronts around the entire perimeter
of the first floor. It’s a streetscape look, one that
keeps the scale pedestrian-friendly. There will be
student lounge areas within the elevator core.
These smaller spaces will provide quiet places for
students to study and read. The lounge areas will
be glass-enclosed, double-height, well lit and very
safe due to the high visibility from the exterior
and lobbies above.
In addition, STV’s landscape architects have
been rethinking the entire campus to create a
new image for it. “We’re trying to enhance the
overall visibility and appearance of the college
to the public,” said Sharon Huber-Plano, RLA,
LEED AP. She explained that at the front of the
campus, it’s easy to walk by the college and not
be aware of it.
The new design will incorporate sculptures or
other artworks alongside a new walkway extending
from the entrance plaza at the front of the
school straight through the campus to the main
entrance of the new Student Center.
“The most prominent piece of artwork would
be at the entrance to the new building,” noted
Huber-Plano. “It visually brings you into the
site.” As for the new walkway, “the concept is to
invoke the adjacent rail line in the paving pattern,
incorporating the names of the college departments
in faux concrete railroad ties,” she said. The
new landscape also features sustainable elements
including native plant species, a rain garden and
permeable pavers to allow rainwater infiltration.
If one of the biggest challenges of the Truman
College project is “integrating a fairly large building
into a residential neighborhood and keeping
everyone happy,” as Currie put it, STV’s professionals
are more than equal to the task. Construction
is scheduled to start in September 2008.
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Kingsborough Community
College, Marine Academic
Center (images left and right)
16
STV Takes Roofing Projects
to New Heights
As a full-service firm, STV is well-versed in helping higher
education institutions renovate and replace their roofing
systems. Whether performing inspection, design or construction
management services, the firm has built a reputation
for providing a higher level of service on these projects. For
example, STV teams have been providing special expertise
on challenging roofing projects at Kingsborough Community
College (KCC) in Brooklyn and the State University of New
York (SUNY) at Stony Brook, Long Island.
Roof Replacements at KCC
Under a construction management contract
with the Dormitory Authority of the State of
New York, STV project manager Eugene T.
McCarthy has been leading an engineering team
on roof replacements for several KCC buildings
that have experienced leaking. The two most
challenging elements of the project have been the
Marine Academic Center (MAC) building and
the power station facility.
The MAC building is a recent addition and
the architectural showpiece of the Kingsborough
campus. In addition to several classrooms, the
building is home to an aquarium, a large Playhouse
Theater, and The Rotunda—a reception
facility that overlooks Jamaica Bay. Although
these different areas were all part of the same
structure, they did not fit underneath one roof.
In fact, with the MAC building’s numerous
connecting walkways and bulkheads, McCarthy
had to coordinate the ripping and roofing of 21
different roof levels, measuring a total of 65,000
square feet. STV started designing the renovation
of the MAC building’s roofing system during the
summer of 2006.
“The immediate goal was to eliminate as many
leaks as possible within the first few weeks and put
all the permanent roofing systems in place before
the winter weather arrived,” said McCarthy.
With the assistance of college personnel, STV
identified and repaired the worst leaks in the old
roofing system. Afterwards, a contractor brought
vacuum trucks on site to remove tons of ballast
stones that were protecting and holding the
roofing system in place.
The project design originally called for an
extensive replacement of the corrugated metal
deck located underneath the old membrane and
wet insulation. However, after careful inspection,
the design team determined that only a resurfacing
was necessary, saving the client thousands of
dollars. Once the deck was cleaned and painted,
the contractor insulated and then covered it with
hot asphalt and the initial membrane.
“This work had to be closely coordinated with
the contractor and school administrators to avoid
noise and odor complaints,” said McCarthy. In
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Kingsborough Community
College roof replacements at
Marine Academic Center
What’s New
@ STV:
addition, McCarthy, a licensed New York City site
safety manager, noted that the project has benefited
from a strong focus on safety, with daily inspections and
frequent communication with on-site staff in order to
help prevent accidents.
On another part of the Kingsborough campus,
the college’s power plant roof posed a different kind of
challenge. That roof was home to several large cooling
towers that the college insisted be turned on no later
than April 15, 2007. Due to the drips and sprays the
towers produced, hot asphalt roofing could not take
place underneath while the towers were operational.
As a result, STV and the contractor had only a short
window of time at the end of the winter of 2007 in
which to install the roofing. Planning and coordination
were vital to achieving success. The entire surface area of
the existing roof was “hot,” or had measurable amounts
of asbestos containing materials and therefore had to be
abated by an asbestos contractor.
Further complicating the removal and delivery of
materials, the roof was surrounded by 15-foot-high
parapet walls to block the view of the towers from the
ground. With a few breaks in the weather, the asbestos
contractor was able to rip off large sections and the
roofer was able to install 10,000 square feet of new roof
under the cooling towers by the required deadline.
STV is now assisting in the new design and installation
of a monorail system to transport heavy equipment
and large motors around that roof.
A Roofing System at Stony Brook
The firm has also been involved in a roofing replacement
initiative at Stony Brook.
As part of a task-order contract with the State
University Construction Fund, an STV design team,
led by Samir Eid, P.E., performed a comprehensive
investigation of the roofing system and the boiler
stacks for Stony Brook’s East Power Plant. This facility
heats and cools the east part of the campus, including
the university hospital.
STV’s examination of the stacks revealed significant
deterioration of the inner liners and corrosion and buckling
of the outer liners, signaling the need for replacing
the stacks. Also, several of the roof’s tectum planks were
damaged due to water penetration.
The team has prepared design documents for the
project, and construction for the replacement of the
entire roofing system is currently under way. Since the
station is operational 24 hours a day, seven days a week,
work has been scheduled in a manner not to impact the
operation of the plant. Special staging areas have been
set up to allow construction to be performed from the
outside without interfering with the plant operation. The
project is expected to be completed by the end of 2008.
Both the Stony Brook and KCC roofing projects
have had unique issues to resolve, and STV has been
working closely with each client to help overcome
these hurdles and keep the projects on track and within
budget. Whether by using innovative engineering
or cost-effective approaches, the firm is helping colleges
and universities achieve success in revitalizing
their roofing systems.
The NYC Waterfalls Opens
The Waterfalls project opened June 26th in New York City. As the
engineer-of-record, STV played a major role in this exciting public art
project, which is making national headlines. This temporary exhibition,
conceived by Danish-Icelandic artist Olafur Eliasson, consists of four
enormous man-made waterfalls at the mouth of the East River along
Upper New York Harbor. The highest waterfall, between Piers 4 and 5
below Brooklyn Heights, measures 120 feet, and the widest, underneath
the Brooklyn tower pier of the Brooklyn Bridge, is 80 feet.
Nick Altebrando, P.E., vice president, led STV’s Waterfalls team,
which included: Mike Tumulty, P.E., who oversaw the critical environmental
permitting aspects of the project; Chih-Ping Fan, P.E.; Joseph
Alonge, P.E.; John Pizzi, P.E.; Peter Burger, P.E.; and Kent Pollaro. STV
provided structural, civil, environmental and construction inspection
services, and coordinated all the environmental aspects of the project.
We also developed a plan to protect fish and aquatic life.
The project was commissioned by the Public Art Fund and is being
presented in collaboration with the City of New York. It’s being funded
with private support. STV, with the Public Art Fund and Tishman Construction
Corp., the construction manager, participated in the complex
coordination among the many agencies and affected communities. The
waterfalls will be up until October 13th.
ACEC New York Honors STV Projects
The American Council of Engineering Companies of New York (ACEC
New York)—a state chapter of the prestigious national organization—
recognized various STV projects in the New York metropolitan region
during its 2008 Engineering Excellence Competition.
Chief among them was the 9th Precinct Building Renovation,
which earned a Diamond Award—the top honor at the state level—in
the Structural Systems category. An STV team, led by Joel Davidson,
AIA, is providing zoning analysis, programming, structural evaluations
and design services for this gut renovation project in Manhattan,
which will create a cutting-edge precinct for the New York City Police
Department. The project involves preserving the historic façade of the
structure, originally built in 1936, while creating new program spaces to
enable the facility to better accommodate modern police requirements.
The NYC Waterfalls project
9th Precinct Building Renovation
ACEC Diamond Award - Structural Systems
Photo: © Ruggero Vani Photo: © Anthony Perrotto
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The High School for Construction Trades,
Engineering and Architecture
ACEC Silver Award - Structural Systems
Photo: © 2006 Michael Macioce
Newark Light Rail Transit Broad Street Extension
ACEC Platinum Award - Transportation
The firm received a Platinum Award—the
second highest accolade—in the Transportation
category for the Newark Light Rail Transit
Broad Street Extension. An STV joint venture
team oversaw the construction of this 1.5-mile
extension of the Newark City Subway, a light
rail vehicle-based system in New Jersey’s largest
city. Peter S. Gentle, P.E., P.S., served as
project manager for this complex initiative,
which took place in a crowded urban environment
and involved extensive roadway and utility
improvements. Besides enhancing transportation
in the downtown district, the light rail line
is fostering redevelopment.
STV’s entry panel for the Broad Street Extension
itself stood out, besting over 130 panels to
earn ACEC New York’s first Best Panel Award.
Hudson Yards Development Project (inset - existing site)
ACEC Silver Award - Studies, Research
and Consulting Engineering Services
The organization initiated the honor to promote
communication of engineering excellence
through panels that are visually exciting and
stimulating to read, while advancing achievements
in the profession.
In addition, ACEC New York honored two
STV projects with Silver Awards. The High School
for Construction Trades, Engineering and
Architecture received a Silver Award in the Structural
Systems category. STV, assisted by another
firm, provided architectural design services and
served as architect-of-record for this new 925 student
high school in Ozone Park, NY. The building’s
various programmatic elements are defined by
shape, color and material to offer students a strong
example of clear architectural design. Harris Feinn
served as project manager.
The Hudson Yards Development Project
garnered a Silver Award in the Studies, Research
and Consulting Engineering Services category. An
STV team, overseen by Nicholas Mazzafero, P.E.,
is creating technical documents and design guidelines
for the development of the Eastern Rail Yard
site, a portion of the Long Island Rail Road West
Side Storage Yard in Manhattan. The site is the last
remaining undeveloped parcel on the borough’s
West Side. The firm’s services for this major mixedused
development include planning, engineering
and construction scheduling.
Photo: © Norman McGrath
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