St. Joseph Parish
The St. Joseph Parish project involved two additions and a 12,000-square foot renovation of the historic St. Joseph Parish sanctuary in Cockeysville, Maryland. This project, which won the ABC Excellence in Construction Project of the Year for Greater Baltimore chapter, included additions facilitated a new radiused seating scheme that provided parishioners with better visibility of the sanctuary. To meet this objective, our team had to shore up the original structure and integrate new steel framing into matching stone veneer additions, with copper gutters, downspouts, and slate roof, all while navigating immovable obstructions (foundation rock, etc.) that were pervasive beneath the church.
In addition to exterior wall modifications and various ADA site improvements, CAM’s work included the construction of a new altar with a stone arch hand-picked from the local quarry, new radiant piping, ductwork, underground plumbing, ornamental tile flooring, a coffered ceiling system with a dome and back-lit stain glass oculus, and a radiused cornice with cove lighting around the perimeter of the sanctuary. The original stained-glass windows were protected, and four windows had to be removed and reinstalled in the new openings created by the additions. The building is now equipped with a new sprinkler system, architectural lighting, hand-crafted millwork, and a 2,200-pipe Peragallo organ that was custom-built within this space and engineered to optimize the acoustical performance of the sanctuary. Additionally, MEP upgrades were made throughout the facility to extend the life and enhance the efficiency of existing equipment.
The construction of the dome required our tradesmen to curve approximately 80 steel studs to frame the shape of the dome ceiling structure. Five layers of drywall and thousands of screws were required to achieve not only the aesthetic design intent, but also the acoustic performance goals for the dome.
To integrate environmentally conscious features to the project, our team replaced all lighting with new LED fixtures replete with automation features and daylighting sensors. Additionally, we upgraded the controls for the mechanical system, which will lead to a dramatic decrease in energy usage and optimization of the existing HVAC units.
This project required numerous skilled trades to complete the myriad challenging tasks presented. Most notably, the majority of new framing and drywall work had to be conducted from a scaffolding platform to remove the old wood ceiling without damaging the original historic wood roof framing above. This challenge was compounded by the need to conceal the new mechanical distribution throughout before finishing the installation of the coffered ceiling system. To allow for the construction of the dome, extensive modifications had to be made to the roof truss construction as well as the relocation of MEP systems whose routing had to traverse the future dome.
Several unforeseen circumstances resulted in a temporary 2-month delay within the 11-month project timeline. In the early stages of work, the rock that was discovered within the historic portion of the church required CAM to reduce the size of the planned utility room, relocate the Fire Alarm Control Panel, and backfill the obstructed half of the basement. Asbestos was also discovered within the waterproofing of the historic church and required extensive abatement that delayed critical close-in of the new exterior walls. A key design feature was to remove and replace all of the existing sloping slabs with a new flat slab; however, the existing hot water heat piping was so close to the surface that it had to be entirely removed and replaced. Various replacement piping alternatives were presented and priced, and finally approved, sourced, and installed.
Daily correspondence between CAM and the owner facilitated a safe working environment that prevented disruptions to the operations of the adjacent, occupied, K-8th school facility. To this effort, our project management team coordinated deliveries so that they would not overlap with drop-off and pick-up times for the students. Furthermore, our superintendent and project manager worked closely with utility companies so that electricity and water services were never disrupted during the school’s hours of operation.
On several occasions, CAM saw opportunities to save the owner cost by value engineering different alternatives to line items that had to be purchased. By suggesting an alternative regulation to the heating system and enlisting a different lighting supplier who could custom-fabricate a pendant fixture that was comparable to the much more expensive fixture specified, CAM was able to generate over $100,000 in savings for the owner—a substantial percentage of those line items.
This project has a significant communal impact, which CAM embraced throughout its various phases. When the church was first constructed in 1852, stones from the local Beaver Dam Quarry were used to create the building, and many of the Irish immigrant quarry workers were members of the parish. For this project, our crew created a stone arch that mirrors the original entrance and surrounds the crucifix, above the new tabernacle, to extend the sense of being welcomed just as the front door symbolizes; this was done by sourcing stone from the very same quarry from which the church was originally built. This feature not only serves as the most prominent visual focal point behind the priest during mass but also as a reminder that the parish is a place built by the community and for the community.
Maryland Food Bank – Foodworks Addition
CAM completed 21,000 sqft of interior expansions and additions at the Food Bank’s 100k sqft headquarters facility in Halethorpe, MD, which remained fully functional over the course of construction, to avoid any interruption in service to those in need. This project improves Food Bank’s distribution capacity, provides educational opportunities to certify new chefs and kitchen managers from low income communities, and greatly enhances the administrative office environment needed so their nearly 200 hardworking staff members can better carry out their mission. Our scope of the work included a substantial Kitchen Expansion and Renovation, building a new Loading and Receiving Queue, Dry Storage Area, state-of-the-art Conference Rooms, Private Offices, and Collaboration Areas, a new Break Room & Training Area, and a New Celebrated Entry to the sorting warehouse for volunteers and employees. This project was extremely challenging given the need to establish a temporary kitchen, insert completely sound-proof mezzanine structures within an occupied facility, interface additions with a pre-engineered building, and keep the Food Bank completely operational over the course of construction, given the mission-critical work that they carry out on a daily basis.
SARC
Connection Center – NPBC
The Connection Center is a new 7,500 sf, multi-purpose center that will be primarily used for ministry and fellowship activities. This center will serve as the congregations hub for connection.
The project includes a large gathering and welcoming hall, administrative offices, and large banquet kitchen; it will provide the ability to do ministry in an even greater way.
Basilica of the Assumption – Adoration Chapel & Exhibit
Prior to its restoration, the Adoration Chapel below the sanctuary of the Basilica of the Assumption was just one of a number of small rooms. Though certainly a sacred space for contemplation and prayer, the chapel presented less than an inviting space for worship; however, a fisherman at Loch Raven reservoir “caught” a most unusual item – an antique Gothic monstrance – which he gifted to the Archdiocese of Baltimore. This restored monstrance sits beneath the octagonal baldachino, with its white Corinthian columns and brilliant blue tiles at the altar within the restored Adoration Chapel.
Belying its small size, restoration of the chapel involved a tremendous amount of work. CAM’s forces completed virtually all of the work themselves, with the exception of the new marble flooring, construction of the altar, and installation of the new lighting. The plaster arches were modified and restored, the brick flooring removed, and the substrate leveled for installation of the marble flooring. The wrought iron gate was designed, custom fabricated, and installed to provide a distinctive entrance into the chapel. Previously exposed conduits were hidden behind new drywall. A new railing mimicking that of the sanctuary above was installed to separate the nave of the chapel from its seating, and new millwork was installed throughout to provide the sense of history that a chapel within America’s first cathedral warrants.
Though very small in size, the renovation of this chapel presented challenges not often seen in a project of this magnitude. The Basilica above remained operational throughout the project, necessitating careful coordination to deliver new materials and dispose of the debris, and noise had to be kept to a minimum so as not to disrupt the frequent masses within the sanctuary above. The work of CAM’s Field Superintendent was often reviewed by the on-site priests and the Monsignor who, after living through two restorations of the Basilica itself, had become quite adept at scrutinizing the quality of workmanship.
In his dedication, Archbishop William Lori acknowledged the anonymous fisherman whose gift inspired the restoration of the chapel, where the faithful come to pray for priestly and religious vocations each day.
Upon its completion, the new Adoration Chapel was dedicated to the great work of Monsignor Arthur Valenzano, vicar of the Basilica, who had originally established the small adoration chapel, but sadly has since passed away after the dedication of the project.
All Saints Evangelical Lutheran Church
Nearing his retirement as Head of Procurement for Morgan State University, Churchill Wortherly became the Pastor of All Saints Lutheran Church in 2009. A fire, originally thought to be arson but later determined to be electrical failure, severely damaged his Church and virtually destroyed the lower level offices, social hall, kitchen, restrooms, and classrooms on the lower level of the building. The sanctuary, offices, and classrooms above suffered damage from both the fire and the firemen as they put out the blaze. What was not burned was either broken or suffered smoke damage, precluding both worship and the pre-school that the building facilitated.
Pastor Wortherly contacted CAM Construction with whom he and his congregation had worked at Morgan State University to restore the Church building and aid them in receiving the appropriate funds from their insurance company. CAM developed the scope of work needed for the restoration, provided pricing for each portion of the project on an individual basis, and then worked directly with the Church and their insurance company to ensure that the Church could maximize the replacement value from their policy.
The lower level social hall, which was most severely damaged by the fire, had both lead paint and vinyl asbestos tile flooring, which needed to be remediated; the heat had severely damaged the walls and ceiling, and the kitchen was a total loss. The windows in the sanctuary had been broken out, the narthex received smoke damage, the handicap lift had been destroyed, and the ceilings and insulation throughout the complex had been contaminated by smoke.
With a very limited budget, CAM was able to completely restore the lower level, restore the wall and floor finishes at the sanctuary, provide new windows at the sanctuary, install a new elevator, provide new finishes for all of the classrooms and offices, and not only restore all the restrooms but bring them into compliance with current ADA standards. Through the efforts of CAM and Pastor Wortherly, all insurance funds were used judiciously. Also a challenge was that the Church remained operational throughout the restoration and the replacement of the electrical service.
Very sadly, Pastor Wortherly succumbed to an illness and did not live to serve his congregation in their newly restored home; his loss added to the challenge of the project because of his personal involvement in the design and construction and his relationship with the insurance provider. However, CAM was able to complete the project on time and within the small budget available to them.
It was Pastor Wortherly’s dream that the restored Church be “better than ever before”, and no one doubts that he is smiling down from Heaven now that the project is complete.
LSOP St. Martin’s Chapel & Postulate Renovations
Throughout CAM’s history with the Little Sisters of the Poor at St. Martin’s Home, multiple, individual, design/build projects have been constructed within the home. One project included the completion of the design/build renovations to the Chapel, its gathering and parlor areas, and the Convent and Postulant residences.
It is important to note that all electrical, plumbing, HVAC, and fire protection work was completed and added to the existing operating systems within the home.
As with the entire project, chapel renovations included full hazardous materials abatement, removal of all but two walls within the chapel space, replacement of the existing glass panels with new handmade art glass, replacing the entry doors, and a new level five finish barrel vault ceiling was added. All of the electrical and HVAC equipment is housed above the ceiling. Lighting is provided by 46 pendant lights, high-hat perimeter, and accent lighting. The lighting system has eight dimming zones to provide multiple configurations for the various services. The high ceiling at the perimeter of the chapel was constructed as a drywall cove that was sprayed with an acoustic treatment.
The newly constructed altar platform, with its ramped entry, consistent with the remainder of the chapel, is finished with specially selected 16”x 32” stone tile flooring. At the altar area, hand-finished plaster accent walls draw the eye to the stone-clad wall behind the crucifix. Niches for artwork and side adorations were constructed, and the arched drywall openings on either side of the altar area lead to the sacristies and celebrant’s restroom. Included in the Chapel renovation project were the renovations to the gathering/parlor area and work to the offices adjacent to the gathering area.
Two of the many unique challenges of the project included ensuring sound attenuation for the air handling units located directly behind the altar as well as matching the marble of the liturgical furnishings, which were removed, protected, and re-installed. The marble was finally matched by using reclaimed and re-cut materials specially fabricated for this project.
Similarly critical to the Sisters were the light level and the comfort of worshipers via the spacing of the pews. These decisions were finalized only after visiting and documenting finished spaces in three similar chapels.
The Postulant and Convent area renovations included a total gut, hazmat abatement, and total systems replacement. Major structural modifications to the roof allowed for a new clerestory on the second floor; new shingle and flat roofs were constructed as well. An elevator was installed within the modified existing shaft, and new windows were also installed on both floors. Further additions include construction of the bedrooms and bathrooms for the Sisters and Postulants, a library, exercise room, laundry, refectory, pantry, offices, archival storage, and a devotional chapel within the Convent. The simple yet detailed finishes provide the Sisters and their guests with a welcome place of respite from the round-the-clock duties serving the elderly residents.
As with each of the previous projects on this site, CAM’s work had to be scheduled so as not to interfere with the ongoing activities of the home, and to minimize disruption to the population, staff, and the Sisters themselves.
Saint James Episcopal Church – Nursery School
St. James was in need of additional space to fulfill the needs of its ever-growing population and provide for various educational requirements for the children. CAM met with the church early in the design process to provide a design build approach. CAM value was engineered several times from the preliminary drawings to try and maximize the utility of the structure for the parish. The project called for an addition to the current structure as well as a hallway with classrooms to transition between the new and existing structures.
The addition included several classrooms, bathrooms, a large hall, and two large gathering areas. CAM worked with the owner to maximize the use of the additional space and was able to recognize that an additional classroom could be incorporated into the design for a minimal cost.
The exterior structure consists of CMU with Stucco finish and is brightened by windows, including a stunning Geometric Gothic window. Attractive FRP columns adorn the front of the structure and provide for the inviting porch at the entrance of the addition. A cupola and custom-made weather-vain provide an architecturally pleasing feature to this country setting. An exterior border encompasses the addition and provides a pleasing visual break.
The interior includes vaulted ceilings and curved arches with dramatic elevations. Of special note is the dramatic appeal of the corridor, which provides a church-like aisle to the onlooker.
The whole addition was completed in months to the delight of the parish. The church was very proud of the new addition and continues to receive accolades from its members and visitors.
Our Daily Bread Employment Center
CAM Construction was selected as the CM to complete the construction of the new 52,000-square foot, three-story structure for Our Daily Bread, located near Baltimore’s prison. The building was designed by CSD Architects as the new home of four of Catholic Charities’ important programs, and the space will assist Baltimore’s challenged residents in becoming self-reliant through employment. This brick, decorative block, and cast stone structure includes the Our Daily Bread soup kitchen, dining room, storage areas, classrooms, large and small conference rooms, phone/privacy room, dormitories, and residential apartments for up to 60 men.
Outdoor amenities include open space areas, a basketball court, and a garden, which enhances its urban setting. As a testimony to the importance of the project, the September 2005 groundbreaking ceremonies brought together the Governor, Cardinal William H. Keeler, directors and trustees for Catholic Charities, and three of the four living Mayors of the City of Baltimore.
The Our Daily Bread soup kitchen annually serves nearly 250,000 hot meals to an average of 683 guests. Opened in 1981, and now relocated to the Fallsway corridor, Our Daily Bread is able to provide food for more guests than ever before. The Christopher Place Employment Academy, which occupies the third floor of the new structure, provides an intense 18-month residential job-readiness, education, job placement, addiction recovery program, and follow-up services. Complementing the Christopher Place program is the St. Jude’s Employment Center, which affords walk-in aid to those seeking job readiness skills and employment referrals as unskilled or low-skilled workers.
The Samaritan center, also located in the new structure, is a joint emergency services program between Catholic Charities and the St. Vincent de Paul Society, which annually assists City residents with eviction prevention support, utility assistance, and traveler’s aid, as well as referrals for health providers, addition recovery, and housing services.
The Our Daily Bread Employment Center was funded by Amazing Grace: the Campaign for Catholic Charities, and it received both State as well as City funds. The construction contract required MBE participation, which is unusual for a private project, but CAM ably met the requested goal.
Construction proved challenging when an unexpected and large building foundation was found below the surface of the site. Extensive excavation of up to 20’ in depth, during one of the rainiest seasons in City history, was required to complete this project.
