William Penn Charter School, Kurtz Center for the Performing Arts, Philadelphia, PA
The William Penn Charter School developed a campus master plan to address space and programmatic needs as the funds become available for their 44-acre campus. The school placed a high priority to raise funds to build a new performing arts center with a green building component. The resulting 30,100 sf LEED Gold Certified performing arts center includes a 650-seat theatre, a band and choral room, several offices and a storage area.
Nave Newell worked with the architect on the development of preliminary and final design for the new facility. Nave Newell participated in collaborative meetings with the architect, Penn Charter and neighbors to develop an acceptable building program for all parties. Additional services included the preparation of a zoning exhibit for submission to the City of Philadelphia to receive height variance, expert testimony before the City’s Zoning Board of Adjustment and a land development plan set to receive necessary City of Philadelphia approvals as well as provide site grading, landscape, lighting and E&S controls for the proposed building. Nave Newell was able to procure an NPDES permit from the PADEP and Philadelphia Water Department within 60 days.
Owner / Client: William Penn Charter School / Voith & Mactavish Architects
Services: Land Planning, Land Surveying, Civil Engineering, Landscape Architecture
1900 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA
The developer proposed a mixed-use development of three tower buildings to include 236 apartments, 10,000 sf restaurant/retail and office spaces on the first two floors as well as underground parking and a courtyard. Application for a zoning variance was required for this conversion. Nave Newell supported the Architect and Developer by completing an ERSA application and Conceptual SWM approval as a pre-requisite for the Zoning Permit application. The design included coordination for a green roof system as well as a stormwater cistern to be located within the underground parking garage.
Client: Stephen Varenhorst Architects (SVA)
Services: Civil Engineering, Landscape Architecture
Citizens Bank, Andorra Branch Improvements, Philadelphia, PA
Citizens Bank was in need of additional parking facilities for their existing branch located in the Andorra neighborhood and within the flood-prone Wissahickon Watershed. Nave Newell supported Citizens Bank and their attorney to secure an Environmental Variance from the Wissahickon Watershed standards which will allow them to improve their existing non-conforming site. Nave Newell also prepared a consolidation plan which joined their two separate parcels thereby improving the overall impervious coverage percentage when compared to a by-right development alternatives permitted for each parcel. As part of the entitlement process, Nave Newell coordinated and obtained Site Plan approval from the Streets Department, the Water Department and the City Planning Commission as well as presented the Site Plan to the local Neighborhood Association.
Client: Citizens Bank
Services: Civil Engineering, Land Surveying, Landscape Architecture
Chestnut Hill Friends Meetinghouse, Philadelphia, PA
The Chestnut Hill Friends have outgrown their current meetinghouse built in 1931 and selected a 1.83 acre site located on the edge of Fairmount Park for their new 8,500 sf facility. The new meetinghouse will be an environmentally friendly, traditionally-styled building surrounded by woods and gardens to comfortably accommodate the local Quaker community, incorporate energy efficiency and sustainability and honor the heritage of Quaker architecture.
Nave Newell assisted the architect in ensuring the sustainable features of the design were maximized to address the requirements of the Water Department and the Wissahickon Watershed Standards. Nave Newell also evaluated possible design modifications to reduce the City and State permitting costs for the Meetinghouse. Nave Newell has completed conceptual and schematic design and is poised to make submissions to the City of Philadelphia for necessary approvals.
Owner / Client: Chestnut Hill Friends / James Bradberry Architects
Services: Civil Engineering
1800 Lombard, Philadelphia, PA
The former Graduate Hospital campus was redeveloped into 155 luxury apartment homes, a physical rehabilitation facility and an acute care hospital. The project required reconstruction of the existing parking lot to support the modification of uses. Nave Newell completed an ERSA application, Conceptual SWM approval, Technical SWM approval and coordination with the Geotechnical Consultant and PWD staff to prepare a custom stormwater trench designed to address restrictions from existing buried debris and a clay layer prohibiting infiltration of stormwater. Nave Newell provided grading, drainage and stormwater management and construction support during the stormwater trench installation to assist the contractor and geotechnical consultant in certifying the custom trench design was in accordance with the approved drawings and PWD specifications.
Client: Stephen Varenhorst Architects (SVA)
Services: Civil Engineering
Dialysis Center and Doctors' Offices, Philadelphia, PA
Nave Newell provided land surveying and civil engineering services for the redevelopment of a one acre site with an existing building at 10 E. Moreland Avenue in Chestnut Hill. The project included site design and development of construction documents to support the conversion of the existing building into a new dialysis center and doctors' offices, as well as obtain the required Philadelphia Planning Commission, Streets Department and Water Department approvals in support of the client’s request for a Use Variance from the Zoning Board of Adjustment. Nave Newell coordinated a custom pavement overlay design with the client and their contractor in order to maintain a limit of disturbance under 15,000 sf, and qualify the project for an exemption from stormwater management. With the exemption, Nave Newell was able to help the client avoid a 450 foot extension of sewer main within public right-of-way. Nave Newell also supported the client and their attorney during re-zoning of the property, with the review of ordinances and expert testimony before various boards of the Chestnut Hill Community Association and the Zoning Board of Adjustment.
Client: Renal Enterprises
Services: Land Surveying, Civil Engineering
West Girard Avenue Parking Lot, Philadelphia, PA
Nave Newell has been assisting the Redemptorist Fathers of the State of Pennsylvania with Master Plan improvements including parking demand analysis and land planning support for their existing church campus. The redevelopment of an adjacent vacant parcel into a new parking lot was needed to meet current parking demands. Nave Newell assisted the client’s attorney in obtaining a use variance from the Zoning Board of Adjustment to allow parking to be the principal property use.
Prerequisite approvals obtained by Nave Newell included Streets Department approval for the proposed curb cut location and submission to PennDOT for a highway occupancy permit. Bus turning movements were analyzed to satisfy both client programming needs and Streets Department concerns regarding accessibility. Nave Newell also obtained Conceptual Stormwater Management Approval from the Water Department, including an ERSA submission. Zoning exhibits and testimony were provided for community presentations to the Kensington South Neighborhood Advisory Council and Olde Kensington Neighbors Association and were attended by the Girard Coalition.
Client: Redemptorist Fathers of the State of Pennsylvania
Services: Land Surveying, Land Planning, Civil Engineering, Landscape Architecture
Covenant House Rights of Passage Facility, Philadelphia, PA
Covenant House Pennsylvania planned to expand its Rights of Passage program which transitions homeless youth from street life to independence. Their goal was to build a new building which included 10 two-bedroom units of affordable homes along with outdoor recreational space, a lounge, laundry facilities and offices for program support staff. Nave Newell completed the ERSA application for Conceptual Stormwater Management (SWM) approval resulting in a waiver from stormwater management requirements, prepared the Act 537 Sewage Facilities Planning Module Exemption and provided site landscaping support to the architect in preparation of the LEED application for this project.
Nave Newell was able to reduce the cost of plan preparation and civil engineering design services by keeping earth disturbance under 15,000 SF and utilizing the architectural site drawings when possible. Construction is scheduled to be complete by spring 2011 and Covenant House will be providing 20 more beds to the region’s homeless youth.
Owner / Client: Covenant House of Pennsylvania / Stephen Varenhorst Architects
Services: Civil Engineering