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SCHOOL, TRANSFORMED INTO CONDOS, TEACHES LESSON ABOUT 'ADAPTIVE REUSE'

May 11, 2007 12:35 am

BY RICHARD AMRHINE

Take a school that dates to 1919, an era when such buildings were generally dark, dank and austere, and turn it into luxury condominiums that would attract discerning buyers.

Did we mention that it has been vacant since 1980? And that efforts to maintain it have been countered by time, nature and vandalism?

This was indeed going to be a challenge, so it helps that there are companies out there with people who have taken on such projects before.

There is Echelon Resources Inc., which bought the building from the city of Fredericksburg, and sees virtue, value and profit in recycling old buildings.

There is Commonwealth Architects of Richmond, which has produced the designs that are the first step toward the rebirth of buildings such as Belle Grove, the 18th-century plantation house in King George County.

And then there is TRENT Corp. of Richmond, the general contractor for the project, which actually has to do the work. The company does all sorts of construction, including a lot of "adaptive reuse," as company owner and president Snead Luck puts it. It recently finished converting the five-story Berry Burke building, the Richmond clothing store, to condominiums, and is now doing the same with the eight-story Richmond Memorial Hospital.

David Clark is TRENT's on-site construction manager at Maury, the guy who has orchestrated the building's eight-month transformation.

"I've worked in new construction, but it's this kind of work gets me out of bed in the morning," said Clark, who has been making the daily commute from his home in Goochland County.

He likes the uncertainty of working within the physical architecture of an old building.

"We had to do a lot of field design. You have to be creative. You don't know what you're going to run into, so when a problem comes up, we discuss it, figure it out, and then move forward," said Clark.

To meet the tight deadline, Clark has needed plenty of labor. On any given day, he has had between 160 and 180 workers on-site. If you drive through the Barton Street/George Street area, you're aware of the activity.

Clark said that with so many workers, it helps that he gets to know as many of them by name that he can. And that seems the case as he greets workers during a tour of the building.

"It's key to instill a sense of ownership in the workers so they take pride in the work they're doing," he said. "That's how you end up with a quality project. We have had a great team here."

A visit last week found workers in every corridor, stairwell, and nearly every room of every condo unit. In some they are painting walls and woodwork, and refinishing the original maple floors to remove decades of grime. In others they are putting up drywall, or installing cabinets and trim. Peace and quiet is not found here.

Thanks to the preservation of many features, a student who went here would recognize the original yellow block walls, iron stair railings and hanging schoolhouse light fixtures.

Due to the age of the building, its physical constraints and various historical preservation requirements, no two units are exactly alike. They range in size from one bedroom, 1 bathrooms at 732 square feet, to two bedrooms and two baths in excess of 2,000 square feet. They share high ceilings that range from 11 feet to 16 feet; multiple, tall windows that include many original panes of glass and sash chains; rich kitchen cabinetry with granite-topped counters and islands. Many upper-level interior rooms now have skylights.

As owners move in, each unit is certain to get its own distinctive decor.

That will no doubt apply to the unique auditorium unit, which still has its stage and about 100 of the more than 700 seats once filled by students. It was part of a 1929 addition to the school, and includes several creatively designed loft units.

With an elevator nearby, it is also the part of the building with units accessible to disabled residents.

Security will be a primary feature at Maury, with a gated entry to the parking lot and key-card access to the doors. Contractors have even found a way to incorporate electronic security into the original schoolhouse doors.

But while security is important, gatherings around the rooftop barbecue grill and a bird's-eye view of Friday night James Monroe football games will probably rate higher on the fun scale.