PS 82R Immaculate Conception School Conversion

The project involved the conversion of the Immaculate Conception parochial school, which had been built in 1927, for use as a K to 8 public school. Sharing the site with Immaculate Conception Church, the building has three floors, two separate mezzanines and a partial cellar. It is served by four stairs, two of which rise the full height of the building, while the other two stairs serve mezzanine levels. The 1st floor is mostly occupied by a multi-use space, two thirds of which has a double height, while the remaining third has a lower ceiling. The mezzanines house classrooms and offices. The 2nd and 3rd floors have sixteen classrooms organized around central corridors. Toilets for boys and girls adjoin the stairs.

The conversion involved the creation of a functioning high school within the framework of the original parochial middle school. The project had an unforgiving schedule requiring the school be occupied by September 2017. Design and construction of the $10,000,000 project were accomplished in twelve months.

After a comprehensive Site Assessment report, the design was commenced. No reliable existing documentation describing the original construction was found and the work proceeded on the basis of field measurements and visual observation of exposed conditions. The actual construction uncovered unexpected surprises. The removal of ACM contaminated slab toppings revealed an enclosed system of steam heating pipes. Excavations at the first floor uncovered a set of concrete service channels which enclosed mechanical piping. Water leakage into the gymnasium had caused the wood floor to buckle and warp and required full replacement.

The site was rearranged with fencing and landscaping to separate the school from the church. The layouts on all floors were reconfigured by the removal of partitions and installations of new partitions and finishes. New lighting, meeting the SCA standards was installed. The mechanical systems had to be augmented and adjusted. A new warming kitchen was created. The underground piping and grease traps required the replacement of the slab-on-grade at the entire kitchen area.

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