W.T. Rich - Salem Probate and Family Court

Salem Probate and Family Court

OVERVIEW

Located at 36 Federal Street in the heart of downtown Salem, the Salem Probate & Family Court (Salem PFC) building is an essential element of the City’s residential and civic historic district known as the Federal Street District. Historically known as the Registry of Deeds Courthouse, the original Court building was constructed in 1909. The primary goal of the Salem PFC renovation and addition project was to efficiently house the current and future needs of the Probate Court. The project approach comprised two key strategies: comprehensive, historic renovation and improvement of the 1909 building; and, construction of a new “rightsized” addition, replacing the existing, ill-suited one built in 1979.

HIGHLIGHTS

The original building required an exacting historic restoration to bring the building back to the original design
Use of highly skilled artisans was required for the complex replications of period details
Comprehensive renovation was also required, including complete MEP replacement and life safety upgrades that were tied into the new addition
The 30,000 SF new addition consisted of a structural steel structure built on over two hundred rammed aggregate piers
The project used extensive, high-end, exotic finishes both inside and out consisting of custom-made high-end marble from Italy, limestone masonry exterior façade from Portugal and extremely high-end millwork from Canada for all courtrooms and throughout public spaces within the project
The building's interior layout was completely reprogrammed to meet current courthouse circulation standards

Project Information

Location: Salem, MA

Completion: 2017

Contract Value: $41 million

Size: 75,000 SF

Type: Historic Restoration / Addition

Owner: DCAMM

Designer: Perry Dean Rogers, Boston, MA

Delivery Method: CM-at-Risk (M.G.L. Chapter 149A)

Awards and Honors:

- 2017 Preservation Award from the Salem Historical Society

- AGC Build New England 2017 Performance Award

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017,CHALLENGES & SOLUTIONS

The entire construction process was completed in a very dense urban downtown area with extremely limited laydown space with both residential and commercial abutters
Extensive hazardous material removal from gutting a 108-year-old building – entire interior space was demolished within containment
Full gut renovation while preserving and protecting historic building elements
Full building demolition of the 1979 addition while being only 30 feet from the fully operational Ruane Judicial Center and less than 10 feet set back from the pedestrian sidewalk at the pinch point
Mini-piles drilled within the existing basement of the historic 1909 building to reinforce the first floor – machinery had only inches of clearance for operational mobility

RESULTS

The project achieved substantial completion in February 2017 and was received by the new occupants with much fanfare and appreciation. All stakeholders have praised W.T. Rich for delivering the project with excellence, staying on budget minimizing the impact on the neighborhood and operational courthouse next door.

“I am sincere in calling the hard-working team at W.T. Rich my friends because that is what they have become over the course of this project. We've overcome numerous obstacles along the way, and W.T. Rich has produced an amazing facility. Their attention to detail and the response to any issues that arose was first class. I was always treated with the utmost respect and my opinions as the end user were always heard and addressed. To this day, the warranty issues and punch list items were still a top priority for the W.T. Rich team and it is greatly appreciated. Now as the torch, so to speak, has been passed on to us at Facilities Management, we will proudly up-keep and maintain our new facility, our new home.”

Norman J. Eldredge, Facilities Supervisor 1
Facilities Management & Capital Planning
Essex County (Salem) Probate and Family Court

“I am sincere in calling the hard-working team at W.T. Rich my friends because that is what they have become over the course of this project. We've overcome numerous obstacles along the way, and W.T. Rich has produced an amazing facility. Their attention to detail and the response to any issues that arose was first class. I was always treated with the utmost respect and my opinions as the end user were always heard and addressed. To this day, the warranty issues and punch list items were still a top priority for the W.T. Rich team and it is greatly appreciated. Now as the torch, so to speak, has been passed on to us at Facilities Management, we will proudly up-keep and maintain our new facility, our new home.”

Norman J. Eldredge, Facilities Supervisor 1
Facilities Management & Capital Planning
Essex County (Salem) Probate and Family Court
“The work performed by W.T. Rich Company as the Construction Manager deserves special recognition due to their “can do” attitude, unflagging professionalism and team mindset in their approach to construction. A lot is asked of the CMs that DCAMM hires – including (but not limited to) managing and sequencing numerous trades and sub-trades (many of which the CM has little or no say in the selection of due to the nature of the public procurement laws and MBE / WBE compliance considerations). WTR has steadfastly approached these things with a positive attitude, focusing on how to meet the requirements in the way yielding the highest net project benefit, rather than looking at them as burdensome constraints to be “worked around” as some others might. The efforts of the entire project team have made this project immeasurably better than most of the ones our agency executes in terms of design quality and simplicity/smoothness of execution.”

Jeffrey A. Novak, R.A., NCARB, LEED GA, Construction Project Manager
Division of Capital Asset Management & Maintenance
Salem Probate and Family Court Project

"The renovation and restoration of the Essex County Probate and Family Court in Salem has been an exemplary project for the Trial Court’s ongoing mission to bring its portfolio of facilities up to the highest standards of accessibility, dignity and efficiency. The contribution of the staff of W.T. Rich Company to this tremendous success cannot be overstated. The efforts and effectiveness of field staff, supervision and management were fundamental to the extraordinary results achieved by the entire project team. In my professional experience, I have rarely had the pleasure of working on a project with such strong players at every position. This project was a top 1% experience of my 30-year career. "

Louise Outler, Project Administrator
Court Capital Projects
Office of Court Management
Salem Probate & Family Court Restoration and Addition

“The Salem Probate and Family Court was a project five years in the making for Perry Dean Rogers Partners Architects (PDR). This complicated, historic renovation & addition project had its share of challenges, which were successfully overcome in each instance thanks to the expertise and collaboration of all parties involved. As the project’s Construction Manager, W.T. Rich brought their professionalism, enthusiasm and team-approach to the project from Day One. It became apparent that this positive attitude is deeply embedded in the WT Rich Company’s culture, from project management staff to field personnel. No matter what an encountered issue may have been, WTR led open and respectful communication between DCAMM, the building User Group (Office of Court Management and Court Facilities), and the Design Team in order to identify and incorporate the best solutions. Throughout three years of construction, PDR experienced a genuine, respectful and very enjoyable working relationship with each member of WTR’s Project Team.”

Tom McCarty, Associate Principal
Anne Brockelman, AIA, Senior Associate
Perry Dean Rogers Partners Architects
Salem Probate and Family Court Project

Salem Probate and Family Court

Project Information

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