France-Merrick Performing Arts Center, Baltimore, Maryland

Mechanical Construction & HVAC Systems Installation

The Construction & Renovation Project

The France-Merrick Performing Arts Center was a key construction project in the overall plan to revitalize Baltimore’s historic West Side. The project consisted of the construction of a new stage house and additional lobby space and the renovation of three historic buildings, the Western National Bank, the Eutaw Savings Bank and the original Hippodrome Theatre. Together this combination of new construction and renovation formed a state of the art performing arts complex.

Poole & Kent Mechanical & HVAC Contractor Role

Poole and Kent performed as the commercial mechanical contractor on this project installing the heating, ventilating and air-conditioning (HVAC) system, which included 14 standard and custom air handling units and VAV boxes with hot water reheat. Both the chilled water and the steam for the complex are provided by district utility systems. Poole and Kent installed the pumps and heat exchangers required to convert these utilities to chilled and heating water at the temperatures which the system design required. Additionally, Poole and Kent provided automatic temperature controls, sheet metal fabrication, insulation and water treatment services.

Mechanical Construction Challenges/ Achievements/ Goals

The Notice to Proceed was delayed by approximately six months, reducing the construction renovation project schedule from 24 to 18 months. Poole and Kent maintained an aggressive schedule to complete this project by the scheduled January 2004 completion date. Due to the necessary historical preservation of the buildings, Poole and Kent’s mechanical construction scope of work included installations of industrial HVAC equipment and systems in limited spaces of the ceilings and shafts, and heavy field coordination was necessary to resolve space confinement issues. The careful workmanship of Poole and Kent craftsmen played a vital part in the successful preservation of the historical integrity of the buildings during construction.

Client:
Maryland Stadium Authority

Architect:
H3 Hardy Collaboration Architecture LLC

Engineer:
Henry Adams LLC
 

General Contractor:
The Whiting-Turner Contracting
Company

Mechanical Contractor:
The Poole and Kent Corporation