Pre-K through 12 and Performing Arts Center

Project Team

Structural Engineer: Harrison-Hamnet, PC
Owner: East Orange Public Schools
Architect: DIG - Design Ideas Group
General Contractor: CM - Jospeh Jingoli & Son, Inc
Steel Joist Manufacturer: CMC Joist and Deck, Commercial Metals
Steel Detailer: Nicolas Bouras & Commercial Metals
Steel Fabricator: Nicolas Bouras & Commercial Metals
Steel Erector: Arnold Steel

Project Type: Non-Industrial

Project Description

The project is the new construction of facilities for the educational use of grades Pre-K through 12, community functions and the centerpiece of the City’s Redevelopment area focus as its Performing Arts Center. Consisting of over 280,000 square feet of space on 11 acres adjacent to the City Hall, the property was assembled through donations of an abandoned school site by the School District, Streets and Rights of Way from the City, and the purchase of properties and/or condemnation with relocation and including remediation wherever necessary. The State of New Jersey, under the demonstration Program concept provided the total funding including 80,000 square feet plus of ‘particularized needs’ unique to the mission and vision of the Facility for Performing and Fine Arts and serving the students as well as Community needs. It is unique in the extensive spectrum of programs offered in the facility and, therefore, the resulting types of spatial requirements and adjacencies. The building reflects the plan arrangement as well as the three dimensional characteristics of varying heights, curvilinear walls and varying storied heights facilitated by the use of steel joists. The dead load of equipment in rooms-TV/broadcast studio, scenery shops, practice rooms, instrument storage - required the use of steel framed floor systems on the 3-story areas, while the live loads of dance rehearsal and practice studios demanded the same.
 

What Makes This Project Interesting

What makes this project interesting: In a combination of public/private cooperation, the City of East Orange, The School District of East Orange as Redevelopment Entity, Joseph Jingoli & Son, Inc as Redeveloper and Construction Manager, and the State of New Jersey Department of Education and Schools Development Agency combined efforts and resources to meet the end goals of the project. Most importantly however, is Ms Cicely Tyson for whom the school is named. The facility represents not only her lifetime in the theatre, various performing arts and continuing participation and contribution to the hometown where she lived as a child, but also her vision for the comprehensive integration and necessity for appreciation of the arts in the future. A teaching museum area will house exhibits of Ms. Tyson’s awards and interests to be utilized during her periodic visits to the site with students. The building houses a major performance theater (with fly loft and multiple catwalks), a rehearsal theatre, a black box theatre, a major TV/broadcast studio, technology based classrooms, scenery and costume shop areas, multiple dance practice rooms, choral and instrumental music suites and practice rooms, community health suite, Pre-K learning center, art, ceramic and sculpture studios and extensively equipped multimedia centers to broad brush some of the major spaces of interest.

Advantages Of The Chosen System

What were the advantages of the chosen structural system? As indicated above the variety of three dimensional spatial requirements and adjacencies were readily accommodated by the use of steel framing with joists. Outside the roofs of the standard classroom wings with engaged stair towers – all in a rectangular form – it is the unique spaces that used the system for not only enabling the forms of the wall and the variety of heights, but more importantly, enhanced the overall three dimensional character and visual massing of the facility. This characteristic is most prominent in the steel erection area in the plaza complemented by the finished enclosure at the public entrance plaza area- as shown in the erection photograph and the subsequent finished view from the same area-Photos 01 and 03. Additionally, while the overall timeline for the project encompassed almost seven years from start to finish, within that timeline, the processing and erection of the steel/joist system was the key construction element that quickly advanced ahead of the weather delayed footing and foundation placement. In the end, steel joist work enabled savings in spite of the early delays.

Project Scope

What was the scope of this project? The scope of the project delivery was borne by the Redeveloper East Orange Demonstration School Development, LLC (project subsidiary of Joseph Jingoli & Son, Inc) as authorized by the Redevelopment Agent (the City) on behalf of the end User/Owner (the School District) while meeting the requirements of a multi stage Grant Agreement between the East Orange public Agencies and the NJ Schools Development Authority. This agreement included Pre-development, Acquisition and Design, and Pre construction Services; a guaranteed Price for full construction of a turnkey facility based on a GMP; and full furniture and technology equipping of the facility. Over 40 services were provided under the Design/Build, Redeveloper, Program Management and Construction Management umbrella of Joseph Jingoli & Son, Inc.

Project Details

Project Construction Cost: $107,000,000.00
Joist cost, including fabrication and erection: $441,000.00
Size (square ft.): 280,095
Roof area using joists (square ft.): 91,000
Floor area using joists (square ft.): 10,000
Joist area (square ft.): 101,000
Joist engineering to delivery (# days): 120
Joist erection (# days): 60

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