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HomeMy WebLinkAboutProject Narratives - 04/21/2025AXIS International Academy Design Narrative 3939 Automation Way Fort Collins, Colorado 80525 The Property and Zoning The building site is located on Lot 1 of the Collindale Business Park, Larimer County, State of Colorado in Fort Collins Colorado. The nearest major street intersection is E Horsetooth Road and S Timberline Road. The property address is 3939 Automation Way, Fort Collins, 80525. The subject property consists of an irregular-shaped parcel of land of approximately 6.38 acres (+/- 277,913 SQ. FT.). The existing site consists of an office / manufacturing building with associated parking and athletic fields. The site is bound by Union Pacific Railroad right-of-way to the west, multi-tenant commercial buildings to both the north and south, and Automation Way to the East. The property was originally zoned as I-P in 1989. Current zoning is Community Commercial (CC). Building Structure and Construction The existing building is approximately 42,595 G.S.F (footprint) in size. The original office / manufacturing building was built in 1989. The original plan code analysis indicates V-N construction under the 1985 U.B.C. That translates to a Type V-B construction today with the 2021 I.B.C. A frontage increase allowance would need to be used to allow the existing building square footage with the current code. The building is a one story (approximately 23 feet in height) steel column-beam frame construction with exterior tilt up precast wall panels. The buildings structure is set up with a 25 foot by 40 foot bay spacing for the most part. Roof structure is steel bar joists with metal deck, rigid R-13 insulation and original single ply membrane roof. The perimeter edge of the roof is ballasted. The low sloped roof drains both to the west and east with through parapet wall scuppers. The original roof membrane will require replacing and the rigid insulation would need to be replaced and/or increased to meet current minimum R-30 insulation energy compliancy. Existing exterior tilt up precast walls not currently furred out will require either rigid or spray foamed insulation to meet current minimum R-11.4 insulation energy compliancy. The tilt-up precast panel walls and other foundations walls are provided with existing 1-1/2” perimeter rigid insulation on the inside face of the wall. This is half the required R-value required to meet current code energy compliancy. Without being able to change this condition, some other areas of the building may require additional energy efficient methods. The existing building concrete slab floor varies in thickness from 4” at office areas to 6” at existing production areas. Proposed School Scope The proposed project will consist of a complete gut and demolition of all interior spaces including the mezzanine with exception to all the existing office spaces, conference room, and break room along the west wall. The existing Waiting area will be converted into a conference space. The existing reception area would be reconfigured to face the secure lobby and vestibule. Additional administration areas would include a Clinic, staff workroom and staff toilets. The remainder of the building will include three rounds of pre-school through third grade classrooms lined along the perimeter of the building current manufacturing area. Kindergarten rooms are set up along the south wall and preschool classrooms will occupy the east wall of the building. The pre-school and kindergarten rooms will have dedicated in classroom children toilet rooms. The pre-school classrooms with have direct access to the exterior to a new pre-school playground area at the east side of the building. Second grade classrooms will be located at the NE corner of the building followed by first grade classrooms along the north wall and third grade classrooms at the NW corner of the building. There will be two fourth grade and two fifth grade classrooms that are internal to the exterior face of the building. Additional classroom spaces include Intervention, Sensory and Student Services. Classroom sizes range from 715 NSF up to 930 NSF. An approximately 5,871 NSF Multi-Purpose space is set up in the center of the building along with an adjacent and connecting approximately 2,843 NSF Cafeteria space. The wall between the spaces is proposed to have roll-up glass overhead doors. Both areas are proposed to be exposed to metal roof deck and have roof mounted solar tube lighting. These areas will be provided with both ceiling suspended and wall mounted acoustical panels throughout. Off the south end of the Cafeteria an approximately 520 NSF Kitchen is proposed. The existing main and secondary building entrances shall remain at the south side of the building. Circulation is set up in a rectilinear route following the line of classrooms. Two additional exit doors will be provided at the north side of the building with access to a new elementary playground. Three existing exterior doors will remain at the west side of the building with access to an existing paved patio area. Along the interior circulation are four sizable open flex spaces as well as two sets of male / female toilet rooms and other utility and storage areas. All classroom areas will receive a high noise reducing suspended ceiling grid system. All exterior classrooms will have new windows punched into the existing tilt up precast panel walls. HVAC There are approximately eleven existing roof-top mounted mechanical units that may be original and well past warranty and current code compliancy for energy efficiency. The building will require a new HVAC system throughout for the proposed school occupancy. Plumbing Existing toilet rooms would not meet current ADA accessibility code compliancy and would require extensive re- configuring and remodel or complete replacement. Additional toilet rooms would be required with the proposed school occupancy and will involve saw-cutting the existing concrete slab floor throughout the building for underground plumbing. Electrical The existing property electrical transformer is currently sized to handle the proposed school use. The original building electrical gear will be required to be replaced and all new distribution of electrical data / power will be required throughout the building. New LED lighting will need to be provided throughout the new proposed building spaces to meet current code compliancy for energy efficiency. Interior Finishes Any existing floor and ceiling finishes in any rooms or spaces that will not be demolished are worn with age and will require being replaced. Any existing wall surfaces that remain for re-use will require patching and to be re- painted. New floor finishes will include carpeted and LVP floor finishes at the Offices and Classrooms. The Multi- Purpose and Cafeteria will receive either LVP floor finish or keeping and sealing the existing concrete floor. All toilet areas will have ceramic tile floor and wall finishes. Window and Door Openings Any new window and door opening in the tilt up precast concrete exterior wall panels will need to occur in the central part of the panel to maintain the structural integrity of the panels. The sides of the existing panels will need to maintain a certain dimensional width to primarily resist wind load stress. Site Elements Addition site elements include an enclosed trash area, two loading docks, and one additional service garage door all located on the east side of the building. Three double-lamp light poles are provided in the parking lot. Lamps may be required to be updated to LED. An existing flag pole stands outside the main entrance to the building. An existing bike rack sits outside the secondary entrance on the south side of the building. A sidewalk connects both entries points to the public right of way at Automation Way. An existing monument sign is set along the main site entry curb cut. The parking lot is asphalt and in reasonably good shape. The existing parking lot and drive lane configurations could lend itself to student drop-off / pick-up queuing. Two playground spaces are proposed, one on the east side of the building for pre-school classrooms and a playground at the north side of the site where the current baseball field exists. Site Utilities The building is served by a 277/480 three phase 300 KVA transformer which should be adequately sized for the proposed school occupancy. Both the transformer and electrical meter are located on the east side of the building. The associate electrical gear is located directly on the inside east wall and considered to be non code compliant and shall be replaced. Some of the existing electrical panels might be salvageable for re-use. An existing gas meter is located on the east side of the building adjacent to the electrical meter. A 1” domestic water line and meter is provided to the building. It is anticipated that this line would need to be upsized to be a 1-1/2” line to accommodate the increased amount of toilet room and kitchen fixtures of the proposed school occupancy. An existing 4” sanitary sewer line stems off an 8” PVC pipe in Automation Way. The sewer line has three separate building connections along the south side of the building. Storm water appears to be designed to surface drain to the NE corner of the site with a detention swale along the northern 1/3 of the parcel adjacent to Automation Way. Fire Protection Measures The existing site has provided two points for fire rescue apparatus equipment to enter and exit the site off Automation Way. Fire access drive lanes can occur on the south and east portions of the site within existing drive and parking lot. No existing fire lane markings are evident. There is not an existing loop road around the perimeter of the building. There is approximately 600 linear feet of building perimeter at the west and north sides of the building with no access to an emergency fire lane. One existing fire hydrant is installed on site at the northern most curb cut. Poudre Fire Authority (fire department having jurisdiction) would need to weigh in on hose length coverage and may determine a secondary hydrant be planted near the NW corner of the building along with fire rescue apparatus access. The existing school building is equipped with an automatic sprinkler system sourced by an existing 6” fire line linked to an 8” ductile iron water line in Automation Way. The existing fire riser and fire department Siamese connection are located at the SE corner of the building. New distribution of lines will be required with the proposed school occupancy along with a new fire voice / alarm communication system. No interior fire walls would be anticipated given the existing construction type and the current square footage of the building. A fire department knox box exists near the main entry.