Sgt. Alvin C. York Historic School

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2 Sgt. Alvin C. York Historic School TABLE OF CONTENTS I. Introduction II. III. IV. Historical Evaluation Architectural Evaluation Preservation Plan V. Design Parameters VI. VII. Master Plan/ Site Design Cost Estimate

3 Introduction I. INTRODUCTION An Alternative to Demolition The purpose of this adaptive reuse plan for the Sgt. Alvin C. York Historic School is to show, in detail, how the facility can be utilized as a multi-use facility to honor the legacy of Sgt. Alvin C. York, and to assemble written and visual material to present to prospective contributors for the construction of this project. The Sgt. Alvin C. York Historic School took its place on the National Register of Historic Places on September 20, By preserving the historical significance of the building, it will remain on the National Register of Historic Places, along with its status of National Significance by the U.S. Department of the Interior. In his days after the Great War, Sgt. York used as many resources as were available to him to further education on the Upper Cumberland Plateau. Many of the northern Middle Tennessee residents during that time were uneducated mountain people who were only privy to their lives on the farm. A great deal of effort was put forth by Sgt. York in the 1920s to raise funds for and to establish a state-of-the-art educational facility. The building was used as such from the time it was built in 1927 until it was vacated in From that time until 2008, the building sat unoccupied and gradually deteriorated from lack of attention, eventually causing the roof to begin to fall in, floors to rot, and the brick veneer to begin falling off the front of the building. In 2008, after the State of Tennessee had decided to demolish the facility because of its condition and the dangers it posed, the Sergeant York Patriotic Foundation (SYPF) approached the State in efforts to save the structure and began a campaign to make it usable once again. The State of Tennessee signed a Preservation Covenant on February 26, 2009 to allow the SYPF five years time to do this. To date, over $1 million of State money, grants, and donations have been used in stabilizing the structure but much work still lies ahead before the building will be able to be used. The intention of the SYPF is to reconstruct the interior of the building to a new condition so that educational opportunities on the Upper Cumberland Plateau continue. Through partnerships with such entities as York Agricultural Institute, Tennessee Tech University, TTU STEM Center, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Tennessee Technology Center, Roane State Community College, adult education, workforce development and others, this idea can become a success.

4 Introduction The building, to date, has been stabilized. All the structural components of the roof, which were failing, have been replaced, and a 10-year warranted temporary roof has been installed to keep the building dry of rain and free of other elements. All hazardous materials (asbestos, lead-based paint, etc.) have been removed from the building, and steel shoring has been placed in strategic locations along the perimeter walls to temporarily shore up the structure. All exterior windows have been boarded up from the exterior, protecting the historical metal window frames from exposure while preventing pigeons and such from roosting in the building. The portion of the wood flooring which was rotting has been removed, and a temporary air monitoring system has been installed to keep the building free of further moisture issues. The measures which have been taken will prevent any further damage to the structure until the building re-use project gets underway.

5 II. HISTORICAL EVALUATION Building Construction The Sgt. Alvin C. York Historic School was constructed in the 1920s and is an example of the Georgian type of architecture with some Palladian influence. The structure was originally symmetrical, approximately one hundred fifty feet in length by fifty feet in depth. Over time, a fifty-foot extension was made to each of the north and south wings of the facility to accommodate additional classrooms on the upper level, a library/ study hall on the lower level to the south, and a cafeteria on the lower level to the north. The two wing extensions each had flat roofs. An auditorium and gymnasium was added to the west, or the rear of the building. No record exists as to when these additions were made, but it is believed they were constructed in the 1950s. The extension to the north wing is the only modification that still exists. All other additions were demolished around the time the currently used Alvin C. York Institute facilities were constructed in The facility, in it s current state, makes up approximately 16,750 square feet. Exterior The exterior prominence of the building is set off by an arched Palladian-style axial front entry with decorative trim accent above. The only evidence of this is the framing that is still seen embedded in the brick, and old photographs of the building. One goal of the building s remediation includes restoring this trim to its original look. Other historical features on the exterior include symmetrical 4 x8 metal-framed schoolhouse windows. The lower 16 inches of each window included a crank handle, which allows each window to swing in for ventilation. These windows bear great historical significance, and will be retained during the renovation. The hipped low-pitch shingle roof has wide overhangs. The masonry exterior was accented by the use of a limestone belt course. Decorative brick patterns separate the upper and lower level windows, and directly beneath each window is a colored brick sill. A large chimney protrudes through the southwestern part of the building s roof. Historical Evaluation

6 Historical Evaluation Interior The interior of the walls were originally finished with 1½ of plaster and paint. Window trim on the interior is very simple, consisting of plaster header and jamb returns, and painted 1x wood sills. A portion of the plaster and trim is still intact, but the majority has been removed from around the interior of the windows, leaving exposed brick. The floors of the classrooms were exposed hardwood, but the majority of the wood rotted during the years of neglect, and has been removed. A small amount of the classroom floors still exist, revealing the wood floors. The main corridors of the building are poured concrete and look to be in good shape structurally. Structural All load-bearing components on the main level of the building, both interior and exterior, were constructed of brick masonry which was typical for the time period in which it was built. The footings on this building are likely constructed of brick that has been stepped out at the bottom to add bearing capacity. The interior floor framing system beneath the classrooms was constructed of 2 x 10 lumber. Few of these joists remain, as most were removed due to their poor condition. The pockets still remain where the joists sat on the brick walls. The wood roof framing is in good shape structurally. All the roof joists that had deteriorated were replaced in 2009 when the building was dried in. MEP All mechanical, electrical and plumbing have been removed from the building with the exception of a few plumbing fixtures and temporary lighting.

7 Architectural Evaluation III. ARCHITECTURAL EVALUATION Code Compliance When originally designed, the building was obviously not meant to conform to modern building codes. Under the state-adopted 2006 International Building Code, upgrades will have to be made to address life-safety issues such as a new fire suppression system, ADA ramps at the exits, new emergency lighting and exit signage. The existing interior stairways are not code-compliant, but they do have a significance historically to the building. Efforts to keep the existing stairs will be made through coordination with the Tennessee State Fire Marshal s office. These upgrades will not have a significant impact on the historical aspects of the building. Accessibility The two main entrances at the front of the building currently have steps and will require ramps to make these entrances fully accessible. Once inside, the main corridors are currently wide enough to be used as an educational facility. Plans to install an elevator in the building will make the upper levels accessible to those with disabilities. The restrooms on both levels will be modified to accommodate modern accessibility standards. Energy Efficiency Currently the building has no insulating components. The existing exterior brick walls have very little thermal qualities and there is no insulation currently in the attic. The existing windows have no thermal break and are single paned glass. To fully make the facility usable, it will be pertinent to address these issues. Wood furring with insulation on the exterior walls will likely be used in conjunction with insulated storm windows to improve the thermal properties of the outside walls. Blown cellulose insulation will be used to protect the interior of the building from heat loss through the attic space. Other building components will be carefully chosen to positively impact the efficiency of the building such as efficient lighting and HVAC.

8 Preservation Plan IV. PRESERVATION PLAN Windows Many of the existing windows are broken and there is surface rust on the frames. All of this glass is to be removed and the frames will be media-blasted to the bare metal. Fresh coats of primer and paint are to be applied to the frames and new glass is to be glazed in. New aluminum storefront storm glass is to be installed on the interior of the windows, with thermal break and dual pane glass. The frames of these storm windows will be as small and unobtrusive as possible, and will be powder coated to match the paint on the window trim. Two panes of glass at the top and bottom of the historic windows shall have small, round, baffle vents as to allow air to neutralize in the air gap between these windows and the storm windows to prevent condensation in this area. Masonry A large amount of the masonry was replaced/ repaired in 2009 when the building was dried in. The main entry is still in need of work along the top coping. The brick in the rear of the building was painted in years past and doesn t match the natural brick on the remainder of the building. It has not yet been decided how this area will be treated. Roof The current 10-year membrane roof was installed on the building temporarily in 2009 to dry-in the building. A permanent shingle roof will be installed on the sloped roof and a permanent membrane roof will be installed on the flat part of the roof during the final building construction.

9 Preservation Plan Walls and Partitions The masonry walls that are currently in the building are bearing and will require wrapping with furring and sheetrock. The furring will have to be deep enough to recess electrical outlets. All other non-bearing partitions will be wood stud with sheetrock finish. The sheetrock finish will be much like the original plaster in appearance, but will be straighter and visually more appealing due to the irregularity of plaster. It is likely that some of the brick walls will remain exposed in strategic areas, as to create a reminder of the beauty of the old building construction. Floors A very small portion of the wood floor remains. These areas of flooring will likely be removed and reused in the foyer area of the building as an accent. The makeup of the flooring elsewhere in the building will be hardwood. Ceilings Currently the ceilings on the main level are plaster, and the ceilings on the upper level are non-existent. The ceilings on the main level will be furred down with wood, and finished with sheetrock and paint. As mentioned above, the sheetrock ceilings will be similar in appearance to the old plaster, yet truer and straighter. Lighting None of the original lighting exists in the building. It will be the goal of the designer to choose lighting for the project which would be consistent with the lighting used in the time period in which it was built, yet providing efficient lighting that meets current energy codes.

10 Design Parameters V. DESIGN PARAMETERS Space Planning The interior of the building has been initially laid out for use as an educational facility with standard classrooms. As prospective tenants become more involved in the project, it is the intent of the SYPF to further finesse the layout to best suit the use of each tenant. A total of 18,740 square feet will be available. The main auditorium at the north end of the building will be remodeled in the first phase of this project. This multi-use space will be designed with removable chairs and an upper level mezzanine to encourage the community to utilize the space for public meetings, private parties and events such as birthday parties, bridal showers, music events, etc. Also this room will be complete with an adjacent kitchen and a temporary bathroom for convenience. The space will be finished out nicely with decorative railings and painted exposed steel structure. The foyer at the entry of the building will be widened to 25 to create an open feel to the entry. Visitors will be directed forward into a Sgt. York honorary display area. This area will include the majority of the buildings permanent historic features, including a glass case holding Sgt. York memorabilia with the original brick wall exposed behind, a floor insert showing the remaining portion of the wood floors, and decorative lighting. The new elevator will also be located in this area. The long main corridors will remain virtually the same with some of the door locations changed to suit the layout of the classrooms. The men s and women s restrooms on each level will be laid out to be fully accessible and to meet current codes. New stall partitions and energy efficient fixtures will be used in conjunction with new ceramic tile floors. At least one original brick wall will be exposed in each restroom to remind visitors of the building s heritage.

11 Master Plan VI. MASTER PLAN Site Planning The site on which the Sgt. Alvin C. York Historic School Building is located has very limited flexibility due to the close proximity of the currently used Alvin C. York Institute high school to the west and south. Drives surround the building to the north and east serving as the main entries to the campus. Also, the SYPF has ownership of the land around the building only out to the existing sidewalks, not ten feet away. An estimated 80 parking spaces, as well as bus parking area, will be required for this project to make the building fully usable. The best choice for additional parking is directly in front of the building to the east, provided the land at this location is obtainable. A small parking area currently exists here, but has very limited space. An 80-space parking lot in this location has been submitted as Option A to the State of Tennessee for their review. A large rolling field lies nearby to the north of the building, which would be the second best choice for parking from a location standpoint. This area currently has ROTC obstacle course equipment on it, which would require moving. Also, a large amount of grade work will be required to prepare this area for paving. An 80-space parking area in this location has been submitted as Option B to the State for their review. A third option, Option C has been submitted to the State showing a new 80-space parking area in a more remote location behind the existing ROTC building. Each of these parking options include modifying the parking spaces near the front door of the facility to accommodate persons with disabilities. Negotiations with the State of Tennessee will resume to determine which of these areas are available to use as parking. In addition to a new parking area, new surrounding sidewalks and landscaping will be needed to enhance the building visually.

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13 Cost Estimate VII. COST ESTIMATE Preliminary Cost Summary Building Renovation Basement Floor Level 275 s.f. $ $ 72, Main Floor Level 9430 s.f. $ $2,498, Upper Floor Level 9310 s.f. $ $2,467, Elevator 1 LS $85, $ 85, Historic Window Preservation 109 ea. $1, $ 163, Energy Systems Upgrades 18,740 s.f. $22.00 $ 412, Roof & Façade Work 98 sq. $ $ 58, $5,758, Furnishings Classroom Furnishings s.f. $16.00 $ 294, Kitchen Buildout 1 LS $32, $ 32, Museum Furnishings 1 LS $76, $ 76, Technology 1 LS $34, $ 34, Misc. Decorating s.f. $3.00 $ 56, $ 498, Site Improvements New Paving & Base Stone s.f. $3.00 $ 105, Site Utilities 1 LS $172, $ 172, Site Grading 1 LS $68, $ 68, Landscaping 1 LS $26, $ 26, $ 371, Contractor s Overhead Taxes 5.0% $ 331, Bonding and Insurance 1.0% $ 66, Permits & Fees 0.5% $ 33, $ 430,820.98

14 Cost Estimate Contractor s Profit Profit 5% $ 331, $ 331, Total Construction Budget Estimate $7,390, Architectural/ Engineering Fees Fees 7.0% $ 517, $ 517, Contingency Project Contingency 25% $ 1,847, Change Order Contingency 3% $ 221, $ 2,069, Total Overall Budget $9,976,819.58