400 Bed Dormitory

This four-phased project for a new 400 bed facility, within the occupied correctional facility perimeter, was completed under very strict security conditions. The project included an extremely complex utility replacement of the gas, high-pressure steam, water, storm, underground electric and telecommunications systems which fed five separate buildings including the laundry, boiler and kitchen buildings which remained operational with uninterrupted service throughout the project, all within the critical security setting. The entire electrical distribution system for the correctional facility was relocated to the basement of the new building even before construction was completed and without all of the staging originally anticipated. CAM’s revised phasing plan included installation of the relocated utilities beneath the corner of the new building, construction of the dormitory with its new raised plaza connecting the dormitory to the kitchen/dining building, construction of a new exercise yard, sitework, and permanent perimeter security fencing.  By pro-actively changing the originally designed temporary walkways, CAM was able to allow continual access between the existing buildings throughout the project.

Chick Webb Recreation Center

CAM Construction was hired by the Baltimore Department of Recreation and Parks to complete extensive renovations and an addition to the historic Chick Webb Memorial Recreation Center in East Baltimore. The Rec Center, which was built in 1947, serves as a community hub for East Baltimore, and was threatened with demolition in 2017 before receiving its historic designation. When complete, the ~43,000 sqft Chick Webb Recreation Center will feature a new pool, gym, basketball court, walking track, office space, locker rooms, a teen lounge/game room, kiln room, and a recording studio and vocal booth, in honor of Chick Webb’s musical legacy.

Baltimore City District Courthouse

CAM Construction was hired by the Department of General Services to complete a fully comprehensive renovation of the Baltimore City District Courthouse located at 500 N. Calvert Street. The virtually new building will be approximately 170,000 square feet and will include eight courtrooms, chambers for the judges, offices, detention areas, and DGS facilities management offices; four of the eight new courtrooms will be dual purpose, where both civil and criminal cases can be tried, and partially underground parking garage. The building will be the first DGS courthouse to be eligible for LEED certification.

SARC

CAM is proud to have worked with The Sexual Assault/Spouse Abuse Resource Center (“SARC”) in Harford County to provide a safer, more comfortable space for their mission of protecting victims of domestic abuse. While it was challenging to make alterations and additions to existing structures from different eras, we were able to integrate these buildings into our work and ensure seamless transitions between structures. The new facility provides (2) large central kitchen/gathering spaces, (2) laundry rooms, a childcare area, fitness room, counseling offices, as well as suites designed to house up to twenty (20) families of three. Critically, CAM provided upgrades to security and ADA accommodations to the additions, which aligns with SARC’s goal of safety and accessibility for the people they serve.

Graceland Park O’Donnell Heights EMS & Holabird Academy

Within the inner city of Baltimore, two (2) existing Elementary/Middle Schools were replaced with two (2) new duplicate zero-energy facilities, less than two miles apart from each other. The Holabird Academy has a distinct and individual exterior palette, however shares an identical footprint with Graceland Park/O’Donnell Heights EMS. CAM utilized a project management crew that had a Chief Superintendent & Senior Project Manager oversee both sites with individual project management teams at each site accordingly.

The school is equipped with student gardens, outdoor classrooms, rooftop solar labs, and vegetative roofs. Both schools were completed simultaneously, opening on-time during the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. Unique elements of this LEED Platinum certified project included the fact that these were Net Zero replacement schools with Geothermal Wells, ICF (Insulated Concrete Form) Perimeter Walls, and Solar Panels.

Via an allowance, CAM hired a firm (CMTA) that provided an integrated monitoring and building information system for the kids to learn and monitor the building, and features and performance. This occurs through a touchscreen monitor in the main lobby/atrium-mounted at an appropriate height for touching by children.

This was a multi-phased project insofar as the new buildings were completely built while maintaining continuity and use of the old structures a mere 100 feet away, and once occupancy of the new facilities took place, CAM had to remediate and demolish each of the old buildings to make way for new ballfields, playgrounds, and running tracks.

Eastern Family Resource Center

 

The new, 80,000 sf, three-floor, LEED Silver Eastern Family Resource Center (EFRC) is located on the campus of Medstar Franklin Square Medical Center. This facility replaces and expands the previous shelter for men, women, and families, while containing the capability for an array of programs operated via Baltimore County Department of Health and Human Services.

With capacity for 330 residents, EFRC provides safe and stable transitional housing, dining, and educational resources for its residents. In addition, there are numerous health and medical capabilities, including: dental, clinical, audiology, and WIC services. The shelter space was designed around the specific needs of those who occupy the building, with childcare and child development areas, an outdoor playground, and program collaboration/flexible office space for partnering agencies.

The new building houses multiple Health Department functions, including the Infants and Toddlers Program, Substance Abuse Treatment, a Sexually Transmitted Infections clinic, Family Planning, and the Womens, Infants, and Children Supplemental Nutrition Program. Healthcare for the Homeless is also housed within EFRC, as they engage in a partnership with the County to allow for the expansion of primary care, behavioral health, and supportive health services.

Youth Education and Rehabilitation Center

 

The Youth Education and Rehabilitation Center (YDC) is a 81,000- square foot facility that houses 60 detainees and is located on Greenmount Avenue in Baltimore. Located at the northeastern corner of the Correctional Complex campus, the facility comprises new construction and renovated areas formerly occupied by the Baltimore Pre-Release Unit. The new construction was in place of the main facility of the Baltimore Pre-Release Unit, which was demolished for this project. The area that was renovated was part of a former warehouse building.

The YDC is a dedicated pre-trial facility for youths that provides the extensive support services required of a juvenile population, including a full educational program operated by Baltimore City Public Schools. The facility also includes medical and mental health as well as athletic/recreational spaces geared toward the specific needs of a youth population.

The pre-trial center will provide educational and service benefits to its occupants. This new center will provide the mandatory sight and sound separation from the adult population, while allowing the occupants to take part in an educational program operated via Baltimore City Public Schools. Before this facility, the youth population was detained with hardened criminals, as they awaited trial without the ability to take part in educational and rehabilitative services.

The educational wing separates the school from housing, which will increase a sense of normalization for the youth population. With spaces like state-of-the-art classrooms, a full-sized gymnasium, art-room, media center, and collaboration centers, this facility will focus on educating and rehabilitating rather than just housing its occupants.

The building offers the ability to provide a full assortment of medical servicing capabilities. The facility includes a medical infirmary, full dental clinic, exam rooms, isolation rooms, psychology and behavioral health services and dialysis, and a spacious waiting area within the medical wing. This medical/health wing was designed and constructed around the specific needs of a juvenile population.

The facility achieved LEED Gold certification. A few of the integrated sustainable features include urban site selection and site density, reduction of water usage, a highly efficient building envelope, high-performance HVAC systems, efficient LED lighting sources, and recycled or readily renewable materials and finishes.

 

 

Hereford HS Renovation & Addition

This 188,000 square foot renovation and addition project was scheduled for twelve distinct phases and necessitated double shift work for over two years. The tightly scheduled project also  remained occupied throughout its duration.

Due to the complexity of the job, the aggressive schedule and the sheer acreage of the facility, CAM managed the renovation, the addition, the site work and the creation of a new pre-treatment waste water facility as four individual sub projects. Each of these sub projects had its own shifts and crews.

For nearly the entire duration of the project, the renovation required that CAM work two full shifts during all times when the school was closed to mitigate any impact to the administration and student population. The day shift proceeded form 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. while the second shift worked from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. The second shift included an entirely different workforce and superintendent who worked closely in concert with the day shift superintendent.

This twelve-phased 143,000 square foot renovation included remediation of asbestos and removal and disposal of PCB ballasts. Renovations also included demolition throughout the school, installation of all new finishes and fixtures, new casework and classroom accessories and work to the mechanical, sprinkler and electrical systems.  Tightly coordinated phasing mandated that work be completed for the students to return to the renovated classrooms in accordance with the schedule. Parts of the building were vacated during breaks which allowed for unimpeded progress in some areas.

The addition was primarily constructed during the day shift.  It consisted of a new three-story, 45,000 square foot building with a cafeteria and STEM science addition. The addition is connected to the existing building via a new enclosed second floor bridge link.  The new structural steel, brick and cast stone structure also creates the new feature entry into the school.  Upon completion of the new addition and entry, the school moved into the new spaces while the renovations and site work continued.

The addition includes a new cafeteria with a full service kitchen, pantry and serving areas, eleven new Biology classrooms, Chemistry and Physics laboratories with prep and storage rooms, restrooms, offices and circulation areas.  Science casework, shelving and fume hoods as well as extensive IT requirements differentiate these spaces from typical high school classrooms.  A new HVAC system was also installed that includes a two pipe chilled water system and boiler.

The site work on this 270 acre facility was also primarily performed during normal working hours.  Additional night shifts were incorporated during work which required tying in to the existing electrical infrastructure. Site work also included extensive grading, paving for roadways and parking lots, and the installation of utilities and drain fields.

Twelve new storm water management ponds were also installed adjacent to five athletic complexes all of which needed to remain operational throughout the school year and for scheduled recreation programs during the summers and school breaks.

The fourth sub-project represented the construction of a new waste water/pre-treatment facility. The facility has the capability of handling 10,000 gallons/day.  In addition to serving the school as a waste water treatment plant, the building also serves to house and care for livestock associated with the school’s agricultural program.

During the entire project CAM managed logistical challenges as well.  Since there was only a single entry and exit to the school and site, deliveries were tightly coordinated with the 40 school buses and student and staff vehicular traffic. Materials for the project could only be received during specific windows of time which varied with the school’s event calendar.

Despite nearly three years of continuous construction activity, major school activities including concerts, proms and athletic activities were incorporated into the schedule and proceeded without interruption.

Waverly Elementary/Middle School

The new award winning Waverly PreK-8 School is a multi-phased, 3 story 130,000 square foot building including an 11,000 square foot underground parking garage. This LEED Gold Project was the first new Baltimore City School built in decades.

Special LEED features included a green vegetative roof, sunshades, extensive use of natural lighting, and high efficiency building systems. Post bid, CAM was requested to add Solar Panels to the facility, and in a design build delivery, ultimately chose to utilize roofs on both Phase 1 & 2 structures to optimize exposure.

The school houses an extensive media center, and a three story feature atrium entry which separates the cafeteria/auditorium and kitchen for community uses.

Architectural features include curved drywall and sloped acoustical ceilings, multiple styles of metal panels, a barrel vault metal roof, and two large skylights which provide natural lighting into the building core. Special attention was provided in this very tight occupied site to safely transition the middle and elementary students into this new facility.

Phase 1 of the new school has been constructed directly adjacent to the existing occupied elementary school and just across the street from the existing middle school and nearby residences.

Upon the completion of Phase I the elementary and the middle school students and administrators relocated into the new building during the winter break.

Dedication of the Phase 1 part of the school was held in early April 2014 and attended by the Governor, Mayor and other high ranking City officials who celebrated the first project being constructed under the City Schools’ aggressive program to improve their educational facilities.

Phase 2 added additional classrooms as well as a new gymnasium. The exterior of the gymnasium is adorned by relief art panels.