Center for the Arts Towson University

Towson, Maryland

 

 

General Project Data

Building Name:  Towson University, Center for the Arts

 

Location and Site:              7815 Osler Drive

                                                Towson, Maryland 21252

           

The site that was chosen is atop a hill at the Towson University Campus in Maryland.  The shape of the site is a triangular shape.  The site has the existing Center for the Arts building occupying it.  The existing structure was built in 1972 and is 166,000 square feet.  The site has a significant amount of rock and is very constrained.  There was major work on the site.  The storm water management was very costly and a large holding area was built to hold all storm runoff. 

 

Building Occupants:  Towson Universities Dance, Music, Theater, and Art Programs.  This includes the students, faculty, and staff

 

Occupancy or Function Types:  The building will house classrooms; the faculty and staff offices; art studios, galleries and classrooms; music classrooms; a dance and recital hall; a theater.

 

Size:               Existing Structure:      166,000 square feet

                                    New Addition:           122,000 square feet

                                    Total:                          288,000 square feet

 

Number of Stories above grade / Total Levels:

                                    Stories above grade:    2 stories

                                    Total Levels:                4 Levels

 

Primary Project Team:

Client: University Of Maryland, Baltimore Office of Facilities Management

 

Owner:  Towson University

                                                www.towson.edu

Construction Manager:  Gilbane Company

                                                www.gilbaneco.com

Civil & Structural:  Delon Hampton & Associates

                                                www.delonhampton.com

Landscape:  Mahan Rykiel Associates

                                                www.mahanrykiel.com

Theater And Lighting:  Davis Crossfield Associates

                                                www.daviscrossfield.com

Architects:      Design Collective, Inc.

                                                www.designcollective.com

                                                Wilson Butler Lodge

                                                www.wilsonbutlerlodge.com            

MEP:  Mueller Associates, Inc.

 

Geotech:  Froehling & Robertson

                                                www.fandr.com

Acoustics & A/V:  Acoustic Dimensions

                                                www.acousticdimensions.com

Cost Estimating:  Hanscomb Associates

 

Dates of Construction: August 2003 to August 2005

 

Actual Cost information:  Total Project Budget: $42 Million

 

Project Delivery Method: CM at Risk

 

Architecture

Architecture:         The exterior finish of the building consists of metal panels, brick masonry w/ cavity wall, and curtain walls.   The building structure consists of concrete masonry unit (CMU), cast in place concrete and structural steel.

The shape of the building is a long rectangular section stretching north to south with a semi-circular façade at the north-east end of the building.  The theater and recital hall is housed in the rectangular section.  This area also houses a majority of the music department in the north wing and the theater and theater department in the south wing.  In the semi-circular area of the building there are music classrooms, dance studios, and art studios.

 

Major National Model Codes:  Standard BOCA codes (1996) were followed in the design and construction

of this project.

 

Zoning and Historical:  The site is owned by the state of Maryland.  There is no historical significance to the site

 

Building Envelope:  The curtain wall system is a glazed aluminum, double pane system.  All pedestrian doors are insulated.  All exterior walls are CMU’s with face brick, metal panels, or the curtain wall system.  The roof is concrete over metal deck.

 

Electrical

Electrical power is supplied to the campus at 13.2 kV.  The local utility which supplies the power to the building is BGE.  The power is distributed to the building through an underground medium voltage distribution system.  This distribution system is configured in a series of feeder pairs.  Each feeder in a pair originates on a different bus in the main campus switchgear.  The electrical system is fed by two 2000 kVA transformers.  There are two main switch boards that service the entire electrical load.  Theses main switch boards are 3000 A, 480Y/277 V, 3 phase.   The emergency power is powered by a 125 kW natural gas generator. 

 

 

Lighting

There are several different types of lighting systems in this building.  There is direct/indirect fixtures, fluorescent parabolic troffers, recessed can down lights, perimeter lighting. There are also several types of specialty lighting in the building.  These systems are the Theater and Concert hall stage lighting, Dance studio #1lighting, the Asian Arts Exhibit, the Thesis Gallery, the Holtzman Gallery, and the Recital Hall.  Dayligting is also incorporated in the design of the building.  There is glazing along most of the northern and eastern façades.

 

Mechanical

The central cooling plant consists of three refrigeration units piped in parallel for lead-lag operation.  The chillers feed the air handling units main cooling coils.  The central heating plant consists of two hot water boilers piped in parallel.  The hot water boilers feed hydronic radiant flooring through out the building, air handler primary heating coilers, and reheat terminals.  Most mechanical equipment motors are controlled by two motor control centers.  Many of the motors through out the building are controlled by variable frequency drives.

 

Structural

The structural system of the renovation is post-tensioned concrete columns and beams cast-in-place, there is also non-post-tension concrete used throughout the project.  The roof consists of structural steel.  The cast-in-place slabs are cast on composite floor deck.  The walls are primarily concrete masonry units.  The new structural system is integrated into the existing system.

 

Fire Protection

The fire protection system is an overhead, hydraulically designed automatic wet pipe sprinkler system in accordance with NFPA 13.  The sprinkler heads used are quick response sprinkler heads.  The fire protection system is fed through an existing 6” incoming fire service.  Smoke and heat detectors are located throughout the building and in the duct work.  Manual pull stations activate the system.  

           

Transportation System

        There are four hydraulic elevators that service the building.  There are two existing elevators and two new elevators being added in the new construction.  

           

Telecommunication System

Throughout the facility, there are internet and telephone connections.  The internet service is standard RJ-45 connection.  The building has individual networks as well as a connection to the overall Towson University network.  Cable trays are run through the building to carry the data/communication wires.    

       

       

 

 

 

This page was last updated on Wednesday, November 3, 2004.

This page was created by Benjamin R. Mitten and is hosted by the AE Department.