Top Projects 2019: Renovation Projects

Renaissance High School

At a special awards event held on Thursday, Sept. 19, the project was awarded First Place in the Renovation Projects category by the Idaho Business Review. The publication is available for free download.

The 44,750 square-foot renovation of Renaissance High School features collaboration spaces, industrial architecture compatible with the rest of the facility, LED lighting, improved acoustics and new mechanical systems. The new areas house the certified nurse’s assistant (CNA) and emergency medical technician (EMT) programs, general education classrooms, fitness program, lab/lecture spaces for chemistry and biology and a fully renovated auditorium space used jointly by the district and community.

The team demolished the existing weight room, the cardio room and the auditorium on the first floor. More usable space was created by combining the weight room and cardio room and updating and enclosing the auditorium. The second floor had been a wide open existing slab; 15 classrooms were added along with a sky bridge connecting the side of the classroom with the school administration side.The final phase of the project accommodated the growth of Renaissance’s student body to the full capacity of the high school.

Because there were no exterior walls or doorways to access the construction area, the construction team faced a significant challenge in accessing the site. In addition, the remodel took place during an active school year. The team removed an exterior storefront door at the end of a corridor and built construction doors for access. It also built barricades with fire egress gates surrounding the construction project that still gave the students access to their existing classrooms.

One unusual construction technique was to add acoustical ceiling clouds of varying sizes and heights to the auditorium. The variety of ceiling clouds not only helped with the noise level but was also architecturally pleasing. Large glass overhead doors were added to mitigate the sound transfer from the auditorium to the rest of the school.

Honoring the original industrial architecture of the building while tailoring it toward its new use, the project features open industrial structures, columns, and MEP systems with bright, contemporary colors to liven up the spaces. Polished concrete floors were integrated throughout the main walkways for durability as well as complementing the industrial aesthetic.

Timberline High School

The project was awarded Second Place in the Renovations Projects category by the Idaho Business Review.

Timberline High School (THS), rated as one of the “Most Challenging Schools in America” by the Washington Post, wanted to overcome future overcrowding concerns. THS also wanted to provide its students with the modern educational facilities expected at one of the county’s highest performing schools. Thus, the Independent School District of Boise requested that ESI construct an art and science classroom expansion to the existing high school.

The roughly 30,000 square foot, two-story addition also included an expanded administration offices area, restrooms and central counseling suite.

The ground floor is dedicated to the arts and contains makerspaces (a collaborative workspace) and instructional classrooms for ceramics, 2D/3D art, painting, drawing, computer graphic arts and photography. The second floor adds eight science, biology and chemistry classrooms, six of which have full student lab experiment stations with sinks.

The project was designed by Lombard Conrad Architects (LCA) to blend seamlessly with the existing architecture inside and out. Interior corridors flow directly into the existing structure.

Boys and Girls Club Kitchen

The project was awarded Third Place in the Renovations Projects category by the Idaho Business Review.

The Mosely Center located in Garden City has been a staple to the community and enriched the lives of thousands. The scope of the Boys & Girls Club Kitchen and Cafeteria Expansion was a complete addition to the existing facility. The project, a 6,670 square foot footprint on the South end of the building, ties directly into the preexisting gymnasium and kitchen. With a 5-month timeframe, the goal was to have the project complete and fully operational by the time the adjacent Future Public School opened its doors in order to share the cafeteria’s facilities.

This partnership was a great collaboration between the club, the local community and the new charter school.

The layout of the new facility was designed to accommodate foot traffic between the two buildings, allowing the school to use the auxiliary space during the day for its programming.

Northgate Shopping Center

The project was awarded Honorable Mention in the Renovations Projects category by the Idaho Business Review.

The 125,000 square foot original Northgate Shopping Center was built in 1984 and inherently sported an 80’s appearance. The new upgrade to the facade modernized and updated the shopping center with a blue, slate and white look that includes metal panels and a dry stack stone cladding treatment.

Steel trellises were added in sections to the anchor stores including Rite Aid, the Liquor Store and Reel Theatre. This was a much needed facelift for an extremely busy intersection of State Street and Glenwood.

This expansive renovation required constant communication with owners, architects, engineers, tenants and subcontractors to coordinate the build process in a safe, per-plan and timely manner, all while remaining within the budget of the project. All businesses continued normal operation throughout the life of the project.