GSA modernises Cesar E. Chavez federal office building in Denver
The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) has commenced the renovation of Cesar E. Chavez Memorial Building, its 25-year old federal office building in Denver with the aim of converting it into a high-performing green building.
The 10-storey office building, constructed in 1984, accommodates an assortment of federal tenants. The Internal Revenue Service occupies the largest amount of the building's space. The building suffers from a poor skin and deficient parking structure. Old-fashioned and incompetent mechanical systems are other setbacks. The modernisation project has been designed to achieve LEED-Silver certification.
The modernisation project designed by Tryba Architects has been funded by $33,390,000 million dollars through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. According to GSA, the work encompasses demolition of an existing structure, geotechnical testing, site preparation/ excavation, design, construction, commissioning, and construction management.
The Cesar E. Chavez building featuring a post tension frame with an aluminum curtain wall system will be remodelled from top to bottom thanks to the new design/build capital project. The curtain wall system of the building will be replaced, structural repairs will be undertaken, the parking structure will be replaced, the mechanical system will be upgraded to a modern energy-efficient system, and elevators will be upgraded. Lobby areas will be expanded and renovated, ceilings will be replaced, energy-efficient lighting and controls will be installed, and new recycling centre will be created.
Project completion is scheduled for December 2012. GSA’s main aim is to transform the Cesar E. Chavez Building into a state-of-the-art, high-performing green building. The facility will be remodeled to meet federal energy and water conservation by slotting in excellent architectural form and optimised building systems.
The Chavez Building spans 179,375 square feet and was designed by the architectural firm of Murata Outland Associates, Inc. It was constructed in 1984. The building features pedestrian-oriented covered arcade along the west elevation with mature trees, formal planting beds, travertine, and granite stone completing the structure's image.
