Construction Industry Service Corporation honors Harper College Library renovation as top 2018 rehabilitation project in Chicago metropolitan area
Harper College’s renewed 107,000-square-foot David K. Hill Family Library, designed by Legat Architects and built by Pepper Construction, received a 2018 Project of Year Award from CISCO (Construction Industry Service Corporation). CISCO’s Annual Pride in Construction Award Program recognizes excellence in union construction in the six-county Chicago metropolitan area.
The Harper College Library won the top spot in the Rehabilitation – Chicago or Suburbs category. Winners were selected by CISCO’s Board of Directors, who base their decision on quality of construction, design, impact on the community, and safety record.
Pepper and Legat led the project using Lean project delivery. During planning, the owner, contractor, and design teams attended every meeting, from space programming to furniture selection. During construction, Pepper initiated a paperless process—it saved about $6,000—and held daily safety and progress meetings. The result: not only did the construction project come in under budget, but it also finished in 13 months . . . 3 months ahead of schedule. The project created more than 200 construction jobs.
Representatives of Harper, Legat, and Pepper accepted the award on February 8 at a ceremony in Schaumburg, Illinois.
Njambi Kamoche, Harper’s Dean of Resources for Learning, spoke at the event. “Some students have said they would consider staying one semester longer at Harper just so they could continue utilizing the beautiful library,” she said. “Additionally, more faculty are coming to the library to access the Academy of Teaching Excellence located on the third floor.”
Judges Commend Learning Link and Sustainability
Judges commented on the facility’s “learning link,” an atrium/grand stair that draws students into library, unites its three stories, and functions as an activity hub. During construction, contractors added structural steel support beams to hold up the second and third floors as 200 tons of concrete were cut and removed from the old library to create the atrium. Instead of assembling thousands of pieces onsite, Pepper coordinated the stairs to arrive in six large pieces that were assembled in place. This eliminated many safety hazards and increased quality control.
Additionally, jurors applauded the sustainable aspects of the project, which retained 80% of the existing structure. The project added 3,500 square feet without building an addition by extending the formerly recessed second- and third-floor window walls to the building’s outer perimeter. Other sustainable achievements range from energy-efficient mechanical systems and low-flow plumbing fixtures to recycled materials and high-performance glass. The library is also the first all-LED lighted building on Harper’s campus.
See more photos and get the whole story on the David K. Hill Family Library renovation.
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