Ohio Wesleyan University – Small Living Units (SLUs)
The Ohio Wesleyan University retained the team of BSHM and Little to design a themed, Small Living Unit (SLU) concept to house approximately 24 students as the first of multiple buildings to be built with a similar floor plan but varied facades. The location for the first and future SLUs is to be on an “L” shaped parcel along a strong pedestrian path connecting the western residential campus with the eastern academic and athletic campus. The SLUs are designed as a 6,000 SF duplex to house two groups of 12 residents with similar interests, or themes, with sleeping, bathing, social and limited cooking and laundry accommodations with separate, distinct entrances for residents and maintenance.
Multiple roofing materials are employed to vary the appearance and help create distinct buildings. Fiberglass shingles and standing seam metal are used where appropriate, requiring multiple methods of flashing and drainage.
Revere High School
Size: 187,000 SF
Construction Cost: $40,500,000
Project Scope: new construction
Delivery Method: CMR
The construction of several educational facilities for the Revere Local School District are concluding with the opening of the new Revere High School in September 2020.
The BSHM/Perkins + Will design team collaboration was selected for the significant district-wide project in 2017. The Revere projects consist of a new Elementary School, High School, bus garage, and athletic fields, in addition to renovations to the existing Middle and Richfield Elementary Schools. The BSHM/PW Design Team was selected for their thoughtful and genuine desire to assist the District with its transition to new learning environments. BSHM is the architect of record and became the lead as the project moved through the design and construction administration phases.
The BSHM/PW Design Team led a series of visioning workshops that engaged the community, Elementary School staff and High School staff. The Elementary School staff embraced the student-centered learning concept, while the High School staff leaned toward a traditional learning environment that incorporates various smaller flexible teaching spaces that are adjacent to typical classrooms.
In Fall 2019, Bath Elementary opened on the location of the previous school site. The new three-story facility has a traditional appearance to fit its location at the center of Bath Township.
The new bus garage is open, and renovation will soon conclude at the existing facilities remaining.
The new Revere High School opened on September 8, 2020 for students and staff. The building design is contemporary and well-suited for its placement where the former high school set. The increased building area provides several learning environments beyond the traditional classroom space. These spaces include commons and small group rooms at each academic wing level, conference and maker space areas in the renovated media center, and outdoor patio with tables outside the student dining area. There are two large gymnasiums, weight room and an auditorium. The building lobby provides a grand sense of entry with its two-story height open to a red cedar wood plank ceiling.
The exterior of the new high school, where demolition of the existing school is complete, and the new parking and practice athletic field will soon be completed.
Champion PK-8
The BSHM PK-8 building design creates academic houses that contain two grade levels in each pod. The classrooms are centered around an open Extended Learning Area (ELA) – each classroom is equipped with large operable doors to facilitate easy access to the ELA. The BSHM design provides a food service/dining commons that will allow the school to run two lunch periods simultaneously so that PK-4 students and grade 5-8 students are separately served. The dining commons serves as the event lobby for the twin gymnasiums.
The district acquired new acreage immediately adjacent to their existing grades 9-12 High School. While the current OSFC project consists only of the construction of a new PK-8 facility, BSHM is providing master planning services to create a comprehensive K-12 complex in the future. Upon completion of the new PK-8 BSHM will design the demo / abatement of the former middle school and elementary school.
The project is now LEED Silver Certified.
View the Exterior Animation
Edgewood Boys and Girls Club, Wooster City School District
On two separate occasions, Wooster City School District engaged BSHM to resolve a need for more space at the Edgewood Middle School. In 2014, BSHM was retained to convert the former Industrial Arts Labs into two Classrooms With the District’s previous elimination of the industrial arts program, BSHM prepared several design options for the Owner to review and the former shop area was renovated to create two additional classrooms for the District.
In addition to the renovation of the former Industrial Arts space, the District, two years later, entered into a shared use agreement with the Boys & Girls Club of Wooster to add program space for their offices and multi-purpose room while utilizing the existing Student Dining, Media Center and Gymnasium for summer and after-school activities.
PlayLab at Cornerstone Elementary in Wooster
The Cornerstone PlayLab serves Wooster City Schools’ students grades pre-k through fourth grade, in both traditional and special needs programs. The space incorporates a fenced preschool section, with lots of places to run and play, in addition to teachers’ capability to engage students differently than in the classroom.
Preschool students are able to use the main PlayLab, including Danny’s Hill, which can be climbed via stairs, a ramp and cargo netting. Accessibility is key, as the playground equipment and layout becomes adaptable for all needs, especially appreciated because of students with special needs attending Cornerstone Elementary.
Coventry High School
The Coventry project is new construction of grades 9-12 High School to serve 735 students. The location of the new school is the site of the pre-existing Erwine Intermediate School. Due to the compact site, the abatement and demolition of the middle school was included in the BSHM services. The District’s competition football field as well as practice football field and track are located on site and remained in full operation duration of the demolition and construction of the project.
The project was the OSFC’s first Design/Build new construction project in the State and was recently featured at the 2014 OSFC Annual Conference due to the positive collaborative effort by the Project Team members. The fast track nature of this Design/Build project required several expedited bid packages and multiple GMP’s.
Johnstown Monroe – Elementary School
Working with the District’s existing property located in a residential neighborhood, the BSHM design maximized the use of the small eleven (11) acre site by locating the building to minimize the proximity to the existing adjacent homes, yet providing open green space for play fields and separation of car and bus traffic.
The design included an efficient floor plan to create a building massing and exterior appearance to blend with the character of the existing residential neighborhood. Once the new K-5 building was completed, BSHM designed the demolition/abatement of the existing elementary building.
Flexible learning spaces are incorporated to align with the District’s movement toward a Student Centered Learning Environment.
The project is now LEED Silver Certified.
Youngstown State University Tod Hall
Tod Hall at Youngstown State University is home to the University President, Administrative Offices, and the Board of Trustees Meeting Chamber. The building, constructed in 1955 and remodeled several times, had a non-descript entrance. With the University undertaking a major reorganization to the sequence of visitors entering the Campus, Tod Hall, which is located on University Plaza, became the new focal point. The project provided not only a new entrance to the building, but also identified Tod Hall as the President’s Office and Trustee Meeting Chamber.
The concept called for the demolition of the entire northeast corner of the building which contained an enclosed fire stair. A new parti was developed with a floating stairway enclosed within a three-story glazed atrium. The new entrance, facing north to University Plaza, is further identified by a stone buttress flanking the entry that is in context with similar stone walls on University Plaza.
The new Entrance, with an integrated lighting system on the exposed steel structure, has become a beacon welcoming visitors and students alike, to Tod Hall and the Youngstown State University Campus.
YWCA
The Youngstown YWCA was originally built in two Phases in 1911 and 1916, with an addition in 1951.
This Project required the removal of a portion of the 1951 addition. Existing Administrative and other areas were reprogrammed to create spaces relevant to the YWCA’s current mission. The heart of this created 30 new apartments on the 2nd – 5th floors by revising interior non-bearing partitions, while maintaining the existing corridor walls and door openings. The project included new casework, counters, built-ins, appliances and furnishings for the apartments. The historic 2nd floor gym and balcony was renovated for meeting space, the historic lobby was reprogrammed as a cafe, and the first floor dining room was restored to its new original function.
Existing windows installed in the late 1970’s were replaced with new energy-efficient, thermally broken windows following the original 1911-1916 window design motif. The exterior masonry was cleaned and repaired, minor structural issues were addressed, roofing, flashing and sealant joints were repaired.
The building’s plumbing fixtures, lighting, and mechanical systems were replaced and/or upgraded – life safety and accessibility issues were addressed as well.
Other reprogrammed areas and renovations included a daycare center, as well as the restoration of the 1911 veranda.
BSHM worked with the Owner and Contractor to develop a Phasing Plan which allowed the Owner to maintain partial occupancy and a majority of the building’s operations during the renovation process. The completion of the apartments was phased to allow existing residents to move to renovated spaces as they were completed, without leaving the premises.
This Project was funded through OHFA (Ohio Housing Finance Agency, Federal Home Loan Bank, Ohio Housing Trust Fund and Clean Ohio) and also received Historic Federal and State Tax Credits which were released to private investors in exchange for additional funding and loan guarantees.
Visual Arts & Dance at Seton Hill University
For years, the departments of Visual Arts & Dance at Seton Hill University were scattered throughout the multiple buildings on campus. Opened in September of 2015, this 45,000 SF three-story Seton Hill Arts Center is situated in downtown Greensburg, Pennsylvania at the southern gateway to the University. The decision to locate this venue off campus and linked directly to Greensburg’s downtown, was intentional, with the site one block away from the Seton Hill Performing Arts Center. The facility houses studios for both the Departments of Art & Dance, which have significant community outreach programs as a part of their curriculum. In addition, the first floor contains a public gallery and a small retail component for the sale of student art and a café. The exterior form reflects the industrial roots of the city and the combination of opaque, translucent and transparent skin visually engages the public and animates this important intersection, formerly occupied as a parking lot. The project was designed to meet a minimum of LEED Certification and was built through a hybrid bid delivery process; combining Design-Build (D/B) and Construction Manager-at-Risk (CMR) strategies. The project was a joint venture with designLAB architects of Boston, Massachusetts.