Building Up, Not Out: A Case Study of the Cadet Dormitory at Mass Maritime Academy

By Rick Jensen and Steve Allen the school investigated a number of options to add residential space including expanding the existing residence hall by either building out horizontally or building up vertically. While vertical expansion was the most appealing, they had been told it would be too disruptive, expensive, and impractical to do so. When they put the project out to bid, the decision makers at MMA were not completely convinced that building on top of their existing residential buildings was out of the question and maintained hope that theyd be able to preserve their free land while still adding beds on campus. The Construction Manager/ Architectural team of Erland Construction and Prellwitz/Chilinski Associates (PCA) won the project and immediately went to work on developing a case study of the schools different housing options. The team had to assess whether Mass Maritime should build a new 250-bed dormitory or expand its present resi-

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With land at a premium in both cost and availability in New England, colleges and universities are now thinking creatively when considering options for expanding their campuses. Monopolizing precious unbuilt land for new residence halls to accommodate the inux of new students is no longer a schools only option to increase the number of beds on campus. By thinking differently and exploring alternative choices, a school can identify more innovative options for increasing residential capacity while preserving land that can be earmarked for other future projects like additional classrooms, a new library, or an athletic facility. The administration at Massachusetts Maritime Academy (MMA) in Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts, faced this exact problem. With the number of potential cadets interested in attending MMA increasing annually, the school began to look into adding more residential space. They had hoped they would not have to use the very limited open space on their 55-acre campus for a new residence hall, but instead save it for a new library. Located on Cape Cod, at the mouth of the scenic Cape Cod Canal, the small MMA campus has nearly a dozen buildings, all tightly clustered together, including one residence hall divided into six cadet sections arranged in Companies numbered 1-6, each with four oors of double occupancy bedrooms. The residence hall was laid out horizontally and was all interconnected.

The residence hall is located in the center of campus and contains a chapel, a student center, the Academy store, a snack bar, a game room, the student health center, a reception center, the placement ofce, the technology services ofce, the counseling ofce, and cadet organization ofces. The dining hall, classrooms, and the post ofce also surround the dormitory complex. This year, as enrollment continued to grow, 1,000 students occupied the 1960s dorms that were designed to accommodate 880. With the cadets cramped into such tight living quarters,

The vertical addition at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy Dormitory can be seen here in Company 1 and 2. To the right of the building is Company 4, without an addition.

dential complex through an analysis that considered complete cost ramications of both options. The Erland/ PCA Team evaluated the concrete and masonry structure of the existing dormitory using core testing and slab x-rays. They then proposed practical solutions to reinforce the buildings exterior frame for seismic loading and additional oors with minimum intrusion to the interior. Once told the option of adding oors on top of the existing, occupied dorm was not only possible but also plausible and safe, MMA decided to go forward with that plan thereby, saving their remaining land for a future project. Process How to Build on Top of an Existing Building The nal solution for the MMA project consisted of adding two oors on top of Companies 1 and 2 and demolishing a one-story connector building that united these two companies on the rst oor. The team then rebuilt the connector building into a 6-story structure to house a new elevator. In order to complete this project successfully, the project team, in conjunction with MMA personnel, mapped out a detailed site utilization plan that determined the minute details of the project including the proper phasing of work, where to place the cranes to ensure safety when swinging steel, and an evacuation plan for cadets and the construction crew. One of the most complex and time sensitive components of the project was the radar scan of the existing castin-place roof. This required the team to peel off the roof one small section at a time to scan the area for rebar locations, and then drill down into the roof making sure to miss the reinforcing steel and provide the proper placement for supports to secure the new addition. Because the buildings were occupied throughout this process and the team couldnt leave the cadets

without a roof over their heads, it was done in phased sections. In addition to the roof, the team also performed a radar scan on the ground underneath the one-story connector building to understand the current condition before they demolished the structure and rebuilt a new one. The process uncovered power lines and teldata under the existing slab requiring an immediate change in the construction schedule to reroute the lines so they wouldnt be destroyed or compromised during construction. Since the existing residence hall was built in the 1960s, the construction team was understandably concerned about the structural integrity of the building while attempting to add two oors on top. However, concrete core samples showed that the compressive strength of the concrete had continued to increase over time to a value of over twice the original design requirements, which is not an uncommon characteristic of concrete. The increased con-

crete strength could carry the interior loads of the two new oors. To reinforce the building during upward construction and bring the building up to current seismic codes, the team used shotcrete a process where concrete is projected or shot under pressure using a feeder or gun onto a surface to form structural shapes including walls, oors, and roofs. Shotcrete has high strength, durability, low permeability, excellent bond, and limitless shape possibilities. After reinforcing the building, the team was condent it would be able to hold the lateral forces of the two extra oors because of the extra strength provided by the shotcrete process. Additional seismic considerations included adding seismic clips to the top of the masonry room partitions during the summer and winter breaks. Moving Forward with Construction Safely Because the campus is occupied all year except for three months in the winter when cadets are on their winter cruise and Companies 1 and 2 remained in

An iron worker installs the steel for the 5th and 6th oor additions to the dormitory in Buzzards Bay.

use during the majority of construction, safety was the construction teams rst priority. The Erland team worked hard to develop an effective safety plan that didnt disrupt the daily lives of the cadets, faculty, or staff. Some of the items needed to prepare for the beginning of construction included: Fencing off the construction site Blocking off certain staircases to reroute trafc around the construction Installing covered walkways outside to allow safe passage for pedestrians around construction In addition to these precautions, Erlands Superintendent, John Adams, details the rest of the safety plan, We were very aware of the safety issue while working on the MMA campus and we worked hard to accommodate the needs of the school. When the cadets were on campus, our construction crew only worked from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. and we shut down construction completely during the Coast Guard exams and nal exams to ensure we werent disturbing their studies or daily routines. The rules and regulations on campus are very strict and regimented so it was important to the school that any disruption caused by construction be very minimal. Typically summer break heralds a time when students leave campus and construction crews can continue working unencumbered by the student population. But at MMA when the cadets leave for the summer, overnight campers take their place. These campers both younger and less disciplined than the cadets presented an even bigger challenge for the construction team. In order to contain the construction site and ensure the safety of the campers, John Adams and the Erland team constructed permanent walls in Compa-

nies 1 and 2 to keep the campers away from any potential hazards onsite. Once the bulk of heavy construction was completed, the walls were taken down and campers and cadets were once again allowed to travel through Companies 1 and 2 a popular short cut to get from the dormitories to the dining hall and post ofce. In addition to these standard safety precautions, Erland also developed three project-specic safety plans in collaboration with the school and the project subcontractors for: Roong In order to build on top of the existing structure, Erlands team had to peel off the old roof while keeping the building watertight, which required extensive fall protection planning. Steel erection Because steel was being erected on top of a 4-story, occupied structure, it was important to pay close attention to safety procedures. John Adams and Erlands Safety Ofcer, Clarence Reid, spent many hours with the steel erection subcontractor and the schools safety ofcer to develop this plan. Evacuation procedure Erland coordinated with the school to ensure students to could enter and exit the dormitories safely throughout construction. Random, surprise drills were performed to test the effectiveness of the plan. The Value of Having Options In addition to the two extra oors and the new 6-oor connector building, Erland also performed many aesthetic upgrades to all the rooms of Companies 1 and 2, including a fresh coat of new paint, and new sinks and mirrors. Each room was also made ADA-com-

pliant. Towards the end of the project, all 540 dorm rooms on campus were outtted with a new security system operating on electronic pass cards. Adding two stories to Companies 1 and 2 and upgrading the interior and exterior of the entire complex resulted in 150 new beds and equal housing accommodations for all cadets. But the project didnt just solve MMAs housing problem, it also gave them the gift of open land for future projects. By building up, instead of out, Mass Maritime now has the luxury of having additional residential space while also moving forward with plans to build a new library complex.

About the Authors Rick Jensen has been with Burlington, Massachusetts-based Erland Construction since 1981, advancing from eld supervisor through the ranks to his current position as Group Manager. Complementing his thorough knowledge of the construction process is his interest in technically complex projects, which is evident in his analytical approach.

Steve Allen, AIA is a principal at Prellwitz Chilinski Associates, Inc. For over twenty-ve years, he has provided solutions to clients with institutional, residential, academic, retail, and restaurant projects. Steve recently completed residence hall additions and renovations at the Mass Maritime Academy and Westeld State College, and retail buildings in Mashpee, Massachusetts. Currently Steve is renovating a Westin Hotel in Stamford, Connecticut and designing a mixed use retail / residential / ofce complex in Newton, Massachusetts.