Bellows
BYLINE FALL 2019
Project Profiles Presbyterian School, Early Childhood and Lower School Christ Church Cathedral, Restoration and Renovation
Projects in Progress River Oaks Baptist School, Expansion Concho Resources Inc., Concho Center 3 Office Building and Garage
Company Milestones Medical Center Renovation Team’s 10th Anniversary
Project Profile Presbyterian School, Early Childhood and Lower School / Houston, Texas
New Spaces and Happy Faces Presbyterian School is one of the premier education providers in the Houston area and continues to maintain its position by offering the best-of-the-best when it comes to the scholastic experience for their students. Like most growing schools, Presbyterian School knew their strategic growth plan required attention and it was time to ‘Make Room’ on their campus. The School wanted a building that would accommodate innovative teaching methods and provide the best environment for a variety of teaching and learning methods. The School’s capital campaign, Make Room for the Future, was created to raise over $20 million dedicated to expanding their School’s footprint, allowing them to continue and bolster their academic programs. Architecture firm Gensler was brought in to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the current and future space needs and included input from parents, faculty, and staff. Once the research was completed, a new campus master plan was developed that answered the School’s critical needs and facility issues. The School wanted a building that invited teachers and students not only to consider innovative and creative teaching and learning but also to see and feel the presence of God all around them all the time. The intentional transparency at the core of the building’s structure provides a daily reminder of the foundation of the School’s Core Values: Reflecting God’s Love.
Learn Everywhere The new four-story, 53,165-sf Early Childhood and Lower School is complete and bustling with students from pre-K 3 through fifth grade. When students, faculty, staff, and visitors enter the building, there is an immediate sense of school pride, reverence, and joy. It’s a remarkable haven in which students can thrive on their educational journeys. The sweeping staircase located at the entrance is perhaps one of the most eye-catching features of the School. Not just for traveling from one floor to the next, the staircase is also used as learning space and for chapel, parent education, and social events. Formerly located in the main building, a welcome/check-in center greets people upon entering the new building. The on-site check-in provides more convenience and autonomy while also adding an extra layer of safety. Natural light pours in from the entryway curtainwall spanning all four floors. The light illuminates the white color palette that is complemented with bright furnishings and the School’s colors of blue, green, and magenta. Additional amenities include two terraces and an outdoor play area outfitted with turf and a playground. The terraces often function as a fun alternative for learning spaces and are also utilized for chapel and special events. The first floor is dedicated to pre-K 3, pre-K 4, and kindergarten as well as the admission offices and the Health Clinic. There are three classrooms per grade which allows for smaller classes and translates to a lower student-teacher ratio.
Bellows Byline | Fall 2019
Project Profile Presbyterian School, Early Childhood and Lower School / Houston, Texas
Each classroom is designed to be multi-purpose and has a smart TV, white-erase write wall, and fabric wall used for tactile learning techniques and displaying art projects. The second floor includes second grade classrooms, administrative space, and a state-of-the-art music room with sound-absorbent ceilings and walls. The open-concept faculty break room is also located here. The faculty space opens into the commons area shared by first and second graders and was requested by headmaster Dr. Mark Carleton in order to communicate teacher accessibility and transparency, both of which tie into the School’s mission. The third floor houses the headmaster’s office, academic enrichment department, counselor’s office, learning commons/library, business offices, and third and fourth grade classrooms. The fourth floor is dedicated to the innovation lab, art room, science lab, and fifth grade classrooms. The upper grades have collaboration rooms where the classrooms can open up to one another. Each floor has a large hallway, or common space, that is used for exercising motor skills, individual and group work, and comes with moveable furniture so the space can transform as needed. The Early Childhood and Lower School is the result of thoughtful planning, quality craftsmanship, community support, and prayer. Presbyterian School is a beacon for innovation and opportunity, and as the builders of their original campus and outdoor education campus, as well as every building and the memorial garden on the church campus, we at Bellows were thrilled to return to construct this exceptional project for the School.
Project Profile Christ Church Cathedral, Renovation and Restoration / Houston, Texas
Christ Church Cathedral was founded in 1839. Their current church building is a nationally registered historic Houston landmark that was built in 1893 and has undergone various construction and renovation projects. Bellows teamed up with Stern and Bucek Architects for the most recent restoration which focused on the sacristy, cathedral, and vesting areas. Exterior restoration work included masonry repair and repointing; removal and reapplication of stucco protective coatings at projections; rust jacking repairs; and repair and reconditioning of original wood windows, doors and features. All exterior finishes were restored to historic 1893 colors. Interior restoration work at the cathedral included the installation of new tie rods; floor refinishing; plaster repair; repainting of walls and trim to historic 1893 finishes; LED lighting retrofit; and the modification of existing under-window voids to conceal new individual VRF air conditioning units as part of a complete HVAC overhaul. Interior work at Golding Chapel included plaster repair and repainting and the relocation of air grilles. Interior renovation work at the sacristy and vesting areas included a complete spatial reconfiguration. All vesting areas were relocated to the second level, allowing the first level sacristy to significantly expand. All original materials were retained and restored, and new finishes and cabinetry were meticulously detailed to complement the historic character. This project was recently the recipient of a 2020 Good Brick Award for excellence in historic preservation.
Bellows Byline | Fall 2019
Project in Progress River Oaks Baptist School, Expansion / Houston, Texas
The River Oaks Baptist School Expansion has seen some big strides in progress. On November 6, the project team, faculty, and families celebrated a construction milestone at the topping out luncheon for the new Mosing Middle School building. The topping out was signified with the installation of the largest support beam for the building. The beam is 40” tall, weighs 593 pounds/foot, and was erected in two pieces with a total weight of approximately 23,720 pounds, or 12 tons. Mr. Beam, named by ROBS students, was signed by a kindergarten class before making the trek across town to the project site. The team also recently completed steel erection and has moved to framing and sheathing the exterior walls. The building will then be set to be waterproofed and roofed by mid- to late January. One of the biggest challenges the team has faced was tropical storm Imelda. She brought a total of 13” inches of rainwater in three days with over 7” on that Thursday alone. Rainwater sheeted across the new level one slab and flooded the newly enclosed basement to a depth of 18” which was pumped out on Friday and Saturday. However, even with this setback, the project is moving along and back on schedule. Project Fun Facts: To date, the team has poured over 13,840 cubic yards of concrete, drilled 254 soldier piles and 10 piers in the basement and west property line, and drilled another 41 piers at the Sarofim Leadership Center. The total amount of steel on the entire project is 709 tons - the equivalent to four blue whales!
Project in Progress Concho Resources Inc., Concho Center 3 and Garage / Midland, Texas
Construction is underway on Concho Resources’ new six-story, 205,000-sf office building and four-level, 310,270-sf parking garage on property adjacent to their Midland, Texas headquarters campus. Level 1 will be equipped with a large conference room as well as a pre-function area with dedicated catering room for hosting events. Levels 3-6 will feature a collaboration space for employees to synergize together. The office building boasts 586 offices and includes a command center and control room for their field operations, loading dock, and a monumental stair that extends from level 3 to level 6. The lobby spans two floors allowing sunlight to fill the entire space. Floor grills will be installed in the lobby perimeter to keep it cool during the summer months. Employees can enjoy the view from the level 2 balcony that overlooks the spacious lobby. The garage is four floors with 811 spaces and ties into Concho Center 3 via an elevated bridge located on Level 2. The garage is a hybrid construction of composed pre-cast structure and cast-in-place floors. It’s common for residents to drive large, oversized trucks and SUVs which normally don’t fit into the average parking garage. In order to cater to their employees’ needs, Concho’s parking garage is 16’ on level 1 and 7’-11” on levels 2 - 3. This is Bellows Construction’s third project with Concho Resources. We completed the Employees’ Center and Day Care in 2016.
Bellows Byline | Fall 2019
W. S. Bellows Construction Corporation 1906 Afton | Houston, TX 77055 713.680.2132 | 713.680.2614 Visit our website: www.wsbellows.com
Company Milestone: Medical Center Renovation Team Turns 10!
10
CELEBRATING
YEARS
On November 12, Bellows Construction gathered together with our clients, colleagues, and friends to celebrate the Medical Center Renovation Team’s (MCRT) tenth anniversary. On this exciting milestone, we can’t help but think back to January 12, 2009, the day the MCRT opened its doors. Our mission was simple - to better serve our healthcare and institutional clients in the Texas Medical Center (TMC). Bellows was one of the first general contractors to work in the TMC and has since completed over 2,000 projects on nine member institution campuses. The MCRT is comprised of highly specialized and experienced personnel who execute complex renovation projects within occupied hospitals, research facilities, and institutions of higher learning. Our top priority is to safely build spaces that complement our clients’ missions. Nick Mathews, Vice President and MCRT Director of Operations, said, “The renovation work we do in the Texas Medical Center may not be grand in size, but its significance for hospital staff, patients, families, and our community is immeasurable. Our team has a part in propelling technology, enhancing patient care, and increasing client satisfaction. Knowing that our impact extends beyond the walls of the hospitals and clinics makes what we do so worthwhile.” As we at Bellows reflect on ten years of serving the TMC member institutions, we thank them for allowing us to be part of their missions and look forward to future years of transforming thoughtful designs into innovative spaces.