Integrating Historic with Modern

2. Integrating Historic with Modern • Integrating Historic with Modern | Planning Process • 21st Century: Transform North High into a 21st-century, high-performing model campus while preserving its historic architectural features • Programming Adaptability: Create classroom and student spaces more conducive to flexible educational programming • Neighborhood Icon: Reestablish the prominence of North High School as a community landmark

3. Integrating Historic with Modern Integrating Historic with Modern | 21st Century

4. Integrating Historic with Modern Integrating Historic with Modern | Programming Adaptability

5. Integrating Historic with Modern Integrating Historic with Modern | Neighborhood Icon

6. Quality Control Quality Control of a Historic Landmark North High is a designated Denver Historic Landmark and on the National Register of Historic Places

7. Quality Control Quality Control | Goals • The Secretary of the Interior Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties • National Park Service Technical Preservation Briefs for specifics materials • Pressed metal • Mosaic tile • Plaster • Denver Landmark Preservation Commission Courtesy Review

8. Quality Control Quality Control | Challenges 1. Working with the Landmark Preservation Commission and on the National Register of Historic Places as they verify historical accuracy of design and ensure construction was completed to the highest level of quality. 2. Restoring pieces and structures that are often irreplaceable and require strict quality control and assurance.

9. Quality Control Quality Control | Challenges • Working with the Landmark Preservation Commission and on the National Register of Historic Places • There was concern that not all of the goals for the project could be accomplished in a 100-year-old building • Denver Public Schools did not want to compromise the historic nature of the building • Today’s building codes provide flexibility for historic buildings

10. Quality Control Quality Control | Challenges • Restoring pieces and structures that are often irreplaceable • Ornamental iron for stairs • Decorative ceiling tiles (pressed metal tiles) • Mosaic tile floors • Painted murals • Ornamental plaster

11. Quality Control Quality Control | Challenges • We hired an ornamental iron specialist to reconstruct stairs. Before After

12. Quality Control Quality Control | Challenges We had multiple tile restoration subs do mockups of mosaic tile floor restoration and we chose the best. Before After

13. Quality Control • Quality Control | Approach • Set up baseline methodology for quality control and protection of often-irreplaceable historic elements, using: • Mock-up areas • Atrial-and-error process to set standards for project tasks • Photo logs • Molds to replicate materials • Weekly walks with District representatives, architects and consultants. Resulting field reports were addressed on an ongoing basis.

14. Quality Control • Quality Control | Mock-Up Rooms • To set the standard for workmanship by all trades, we created mock-up rooms that were approved in advanced by both the owner and architect. Mock-ups were created for the following: • Floor refinishing • Millwork refinishing • Plaster texture matching (particularly difficult to accomplish) • Paint colors • Paint transitions between base and accent colors (specifically conduit runs where they crossed the crown moulding) • Metal ceiling tile patching • ACT cloud ceilings • Duct and register locations • Replacement cabinetry hardware • Mechanical chases • Base moulding installation • Routing of conduit/wiremold/ sprinkler piping/etc. along metal ceiling seams

15. Quality Control Mock-up rooms set the standard for workmanship.

16. Quality Control • Quality Control | Photo Logs • Series of photos were taken on a weekly basis from approximately 20 of the same locations to document progress throughout the course of the project. • Thousands of additional photos were taken prior to and during the course of the project to document and replicate conditions as needed.

17. Quality Control Quality Control | Replicating Materials We had molds made using existing materials to duplicate the plaster column adornment and cast iron stair baluster cap. Replicated Column Adornment Replicated Stair Baluster Cap

18. Quality Control Quality Control | Replicating Materials We harvested undamaged samples of the tin ceiling panels and sent them to a qualified outfit in Wisconsin to be replicated.

19. Quality Control • Quality Control | The Unexpected • We kept a close watch during demolition to ensure we were salvaging all of the historic materials we could so we did not destroy any elements worth saving. • Typical “Blow-and-Go” demolition would have eliminated: • Unknown decorative columns hidden in walls • Mosaic tile floors • Pressed metal ceiling tiles and wood casing, moulding, base, and more

20. Quality Control Quality Control | The Unexpected When unexpected conditions were encountered, we engaged the architect made “means and methods” suggestions in an effort to help them resolve whatever situations were encountered. Some tasks were accomplished using a trial approach.

21. Quality Control • Quality Control | The Unexpected • Example: Stairwell paint removal • This process started with chemical stripping, which did not work. • Next, we tried corn media, which was also ineffective. • We used sand blasting starting at low pressure and slowly working up until it stripped the paint without damaging the cast iron and steel beneath. Before After

22. Quality Control Quality Control | The Unexpected Examples: Decorative columns had been covered up and plastered over. We were able to restore them. Before After

23. Quality Control Quality Control | The Unexpected Examples: A tunnel opening was uncovered during demolition. An operable, lockable gate was added and casework was adjusted to accommodate.

24. Quality Control Quality Control | The Unexpected Examples: Historic murals in front entry were discovered to be significantly cracked and delaminating from their plaster substrates and in desperate need of cleaning and touch up. A&P contracted a mural restoration specialist who strengthened, cleaned and reconditioned them to last another 100 years. Before After

25. Quality Control Quality Control | The Unexpected Examples: This "ship's wheel' was used to open and close the no-longer functioning skylight. We assigned one skilled carpenter to rehabilitate the entire skylight system. He dismantled it, sandblasted it and restored it, then he cleaned and reconditioned the pulley and linkage system and restrung new steel cable. The skylight now operates as it was intended. Before After

26. Quality Control Quality Control | The Unexpected Other Examples: • The basement floor was discovered to be quarry tile and mortar bed, which was too soft and not suitable for ROTC activities so it was torn out and replaced with high-strength reinforced concrete. • High water table flooding elevator pit. • One Olympic-sized pool worth of water per month being lost in the domestic water system. Spent months trying to track down problems.

27. Safety Safety |Students and Staff Safety NOTHING is more important than keeping the children and school staff safe.

28. Safety • Safety | Site-specific Safety Plan • For this type of project, site-specific safety plans must include BOTH: • Techniques for ensuring student and staff safety on an occupied campus, and • Safety issues common in aging buildings

29. Safety Safety | Site-specific Safety Plan Our team isolated the 1911 building from the 1913, 1959 and 1983 buildings on three sides of us using temp walls and doors.

30. Safety Safety | Site-specific Safety Plan We limited fence access at east side to early morning prior to school start and afternoon after school hours. No access during school hours.

31. Safety Safety | Site-specific Safety Plan • Primary fence access on west side crossed student travel path between 1983 building and 1913 building and temporary library. • We instructed all subs to have delivery drivers call from the street and wait for help on the ground to watch for foot traffic and to guide them in safely.

32. Safety Safety | Site-specific Safety Plan Every worker assigned to the site went through site orientation which included safety and interaction (or strict lack thereof) with staff and students. • Every worker then received a numbered sticker for their hardhat. • Staff or students that had an issue with a worker did not have to worry about a name or description, just look at their hardhat and remember the number and A&P could track the person down. • No reports were received during the course of the project.

33. Safety Safety | Site-specific Safety Plan • No worker parking in east or west access areas • Separate and secluded worker parking was provided to the west of the site • Helped eliminate the potential for interaction between workers and staff/students Separate worker parking helped reduce worker/student interactions

34. Work in Aging Buildings Aging Building Concerns | Fire Biggest concern was the potential for the 100-year-old wood structure to go up in flames. • Daily hot work permits were mandated and STRICTLY enforced. • Fire extinguisher locations were well in excess of standard practice. • Hot work permits had to be completed and closed out daily. • Hot work required a dedicated spotter during activity and for 30 minutes following completion of activity. • Fire extinguisher had to be kept within arm’s reach of person doing work and another in hands of spotter.

35. Work in Aging Buildings Aging Building Concerns | Loose/ Decayed Floor Boards Floor boards were carefully monitored during the demolition phases and any loose and/or decayed floor boards were immediately fastened or replaced on an as-needed basis.

36. Work in Aging Buildings Aging Building Concerns | Failing Structural Components Failing structural components were an issue we had to remain constantly aware of. Once they were identified, our team halted work in that area until the structural engineer could address the issue.

37. Work in Aging Buildings Aging Building Concerns | Fall Hazards • Temporary guard rails were immediately installed upon demolition of existing five-story mechanical chases. • Infill of existing elevator shaft and installation of new five- story elevator shaft as well as other locations where fall hazards existed. • Roofing work took place on steep existing slippery metal roofing panels. • Had system of safety posts attached to structure with steel cable running between posts. • 100% double tie off for all workers on roof. • No falling incidents during course of project.

38. Work in Aging Buildings Aging Building Concerns | Bad Lighting Many areas, particularly in the basement, had very limited or no lighting. • Temporary construction lighting was closely monitored and maintained. • Head lamps were required where temporary lighting could not be installed.

39. Work in Aging Buildings Aging Building Concerns | Confined Space Confined space protocol was closely followed in a handful of locations. Where possible these were addressed by adding a second access/egress point thereby eliminating the confined space issue.

40. Work in Aging Buildings • Aging Building Concerns | Lead-Containing Materials • Five-story stairwells at all four corners were lead-based paint. • Stairwells were isolated one at a time while sandblaster cleaned them down to bare metal ready for repair and repainting. Before After

41. Work in Aging Buildings Aging Building Concerns | Asbestos • Asbestos-containing materials were encountered on numerous occasions. • At these points, work on that material ceased while the District got their on-call abatement contractor to come and dispose of the asbestos containing material (ACM). • The process was quick and seamless and did not cost a single day on the overall schedule.

42. Work in Aging Buildings Aging Building Concerns | Before/After Before After

43. Work in Aging Buildings Aging Building Concerns | Before/After Before After

44. Work in Aging Buildings Aging Building Concerns | Before/After Before After

45. Work in Aging Buildings Aging Building Concerns | Before/After Before After

46. Work in Aging Buildings Aging Building Concerns | Before/After Before After

47. Work in Aging Buildings Aging Building Concerns | Before/After Before After

48. Community Impact Community Impact Dedication and Grand Re-opening ceremony July 29, 2011 during the school’s Centennial Anniversary year

49. Community Impact Community Impact Our team was successful at creating a majestic space for both students and community members to gather and discover for the next 100 years.