Award of Merit: Higher Education/Research
To transform a 120-year-old dormitory into the new $38-million Gabelli School of Business at Fordham University, the team had to build a new steel structure within the existing historical facade. This involved fitting the facility's extensive high-tech interior program within the confines of a five-story building with a 125-ft by 50-ft footprint.
The original structure took up too much floor area and was supported by cast-iron columns along a central corridor, with steel girders and wood joists spanning to the granite exterior bearing walls. To create an effective interior plan with an open space, the team gutted the interior down to below the existing footings.
Removing the original structure while keeping the exterior walls intact created a series of construction challenges. The university did not allow for temporary bracing, citing aesthetic reasons along with site limitation and constraints.
In response, the team scheduled the installation sequence so that lateral support was maintained throughout all phases of construction by using portions of the new structural steel structure. This allowed for removal of the existing structure and the installation of the new structure by a crane positioned outside the building footprint.
Fordham University Gabelli School of Business - Hughes Hall Renovation, Bronx, N.Y.
Key Players
Owner Fordham University
Construction Manager Tishman Construction
Lead Designer/Structural Engineer HLW
Civil Engineer T.Y. Lin International Group/Medina
Civil/Geotechnical/Environmental Engineer GZA
MEP Engineer Jaros Baum & Bolles
