St. Thomas the Apostle School

Project Team

Structural Engineer: Gilsanz Murray Steficek
Structural Engineer (for post-tensioned concrete parking garage): Seneca Structural Engineering
Owner: St. Thomas the Apostle Parish
Architect: Griffin Enright Architects
General Contractor: Del Amo Construction
Steel Joist Manufacturer: Vulcraft
Steel Detailer: Supan Detailing Service
Steel Fabricator: Coastline Steel 
Steel Erector: Coastline Steel

Project Type: Non-Industrial

Project Description

St. Thomas the Apostle School is a K-8 parochial school located on a tight and highly constrained site in the densely populated Pico-Union district of Los Angeles. The $12.5 million project consists of renovations to the existing 19,000 square-foot three-story  school building, originally built in the 1930’s, the addition of a new 15,000 square-foot building and new playground, atop a new 26,000 square foot subterranean parking structure. Faced with the challenges of trying to double the school’s building area while  working within the constraints of the school’s limited budget and small site, the project team developed an efficient and cost-effective design. Their solution was to infill the site at grade with the new parking structure while encircling the site’s perimeter  with the new driveway, thereby creating an elevated plinth to support the school’s new building, playground, and surface parking.

What Makes This Project Interesting

The new building is constructed using structural steel with concentric braced frames. The small second level is composite steel beams with concrete on metal deck slabs. The roof is constructed of metal deck supported by off-the-shelf trusses spanning  60 feet over the gym/multipurpose room and cantilevering 23 feet to create a shaded outdoor gathering space at the playground below. On three sides the Concentric Braced Frames are enclosed within the exterior walls, but on the west side, they are 10 feet  outside the multi-purpose building. By using 10” diameter standard pipe sections as braces, this frame becomes a distinctive architectural feature. This space is a new nexus for the school, functioning in a variety of ways, accommodating an outdoor lunchroom  and base for aftercare, serving as entry to the school and library, a second story balcony accesses the new and existing classrooms above. The balcony can also serve as a pulpit / lectern for the large parish celebrations. 
 

Advantages Of The Chosen Structural System

Seismic loads were minimized by using standard joists, with light-weight roofing. This allowed the designers to keep the bracing members slim – highlighting an interesting feature architecturally on the west side of the building and enveloping the braces  in the building skin on the other facades. Joists also provided flexibility in the schedule. The Phase I renovations to the existing building were performed during the summer of 2008. In the fall of 2008, students and faculty reoccupied the renovated school  building while construction began for Phase II. The subterranean parking and new steel school facility were completed in June 2010, enabling use for the 2010-2011 school year. 
 
 

Project Scope

This two phase project started with renovation of the existing three-story school building including MEP upgrades, as well as the excavation of two sides of the building down to the basement slab in order to create a new outdoor play area. Phase II of  the project included construction of an entirely new 15,000 SF steel frame building atop a new 26,000 SF cast-in-place concrete subterranean parking garage with a post-tensioned concrete playground slab. This new “Urban Porch” provides a new identity for the  school and St. Thomas parish within the City and it is linked back to the public street via the long ramp. The new building contains a new gym/multipurpose room, library, and art rooms. Bridges, a stair and a new elevator (which upgrades ADA for the existing  building) connect the existing building with the new building and engage the covered outdoor space.

Project Details

Project Construction Cost: $12.5 Million
Joist cost, including fabrication and erection: $80,000 
Size (square ft.): 15,000 (building footprint)
Roof area using joists (square ft.): 11,200
Joist area (square ft.): 11,200
Joist engineering to delivery (# days): 10 weeks
Joist erection (# days): 5

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