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Cuyahoga Valley Community Church
(Click
on any of the photos to see a larger view)
 When
Cuyahoga Valley Community Church hired Akers Construction's
sister company--Akers and Associates Architects--to finalize
design and develop construction documents for their new
facility, they already had a basic one story semi- colonial
design with high sloped roofs. During final design, we
recommended they add a second floor to take advantage
of the open attic space available due to the roof slopes.
Using the attic space and adding dormers, the church was
able to increase the usable building area by 10,063 s.f.
without adding the costs of additional footprint and roof
area. We recommended that if they could not afford the
second floor at the present time, they should at least
build the structure and finish the interior as funds are
available. The use of the large 
attic area saved the church over $200,000 compared to
adding the same square footage on the first floor.
The main entrance is sheltered by a large canopy supported
by brick columns detailed with brick quoins. The white
storefront with muntins, decorative brick arches accented
with white keystones, and white aluminum railings all
emphasize the colonial appearance.
The foyer is designed to be large enough to encourage
fellowship
before and after each church service. This vestibule opens
on the multi-purpose room/auditorium to the north, with
offices on one side and the teen cafe--complete with a
small kitchen, sitting and dining area, plus room for
recreation--on the other. The teen cafe is open to the
second floor Jr./Sr. classroom loft above. Corridors off
either side of the foyer lead to classrooms and toilet
rooms.
 While
the construction documents were being prepared, sub-surface
testing discovered that the soil at the proposed building
location was contaminated with unsuitable fill, leaving
three main options: move the building, stabilize the soil
using a low strength concrete to a depth of 12' to 13',
or build a basement to a depth below the unsuitable soil.
We recommended that the church build an unfinished basement
that would give them another 19,874 s.f. of usable space
for the future. The premium for the basement over the
slurry concrete was around $100,000. Since moving the
building was not really an option, the basement was the
best long term solution. 
The church is currently developing a plan to use the basement
not only for future classrooms, but to establish a ministry
school to train future church leaders.
The Administration Suite is decorated with large windows
and ornate wood work. The Senior Pastor's office has a
vaulted ceiling to give character to the room.
 The
Cuyahoga Church is committed to using all available technology--electronic
musical instruments, sophisticated audio/video equipment,
plus special lighting--to accomplish its mission. The
large sound booth gives the church room and flexibility
for the needed equipment. The design of the multi-purpose
room shows their commitment to a variety of ministries.
They enlarged the stage to help with their drama outreach.
The multipurpose room feels and sounds like an auditorium,
but retractable basketball goals and built-in sleeves
for volleyball standards make it easily adapted to other
activities. 
Other subtle uses of space increase the flexibility, like
the access door under the stage for storage, and a removable
platform under the drummer's area that can be cleared
to open steps to a baptistry.
 Starting
this project in the fall, along with the soil problems
on the site, added to our challenges. A new 50,000 s.f.
facility required the development of the entire site.
As we excavated for the parking lot and building, we came
across several areas of old waste dumped on site that
had to be cleared and the soil reconstructed. The site
was long and narrow, increasing the need for good site
management. In addition, there was an old gas main through
the site which, due to its age, had to be avoided even
more than normal.
The project incorporated various construction materials,
including poured concrete basement walls, structural steel
floor system, structural steel roof skeleton, prefabricated
wood roof joists and beams, roof carpentry work, wood
partitions, fiberglass and single-ply roofing, gypsum
board finishes, acoustical ceilings, gym carpet flooring,
ceramic tile floors, ornate wood handrails at narthex
and teen cafe, sprinkler, HVAC, electrical systems, and
sound and light dimming equipment, in addition to providing
facilities for the extensive audio/video equipment.
Safety is always a major consideration. Management and
field workers cooperated with other tradesmen to keep
the project site safe and accident free. Akers CS includes
in the specifications safety procedures to be followed
by other trades and subcontractors. All new Akers CS employees
are to complete rigorous safety orientation before beginning
work, regardless of previous experience or training. Employees
are to study the company safety manual covering safety
guidelines for all construction areas, including correct
erection and maintenance of scaffolding; fall protection;
hazard communication; first aid; and use of personal protection
equipment. The jobsite superintendent is to conduct a
review with each employee to determine the level of comprehension,
cover any areas where understanding is lacking, demonstrate
the use of personal protective equipment, and go over
safety procedures peculiar to the jobsite.
All subcontractors and tradesmen, employed by Akers CS
or by others, were encouraged to take part in Akers CS'
training program. Safety data sheets from each subcontractor
were submitted for incorporation into the training program
before the contractor was allowed to begin work. A substantial
library of Tool Box Safety Talks was available at the
site for immediate information and safety awareness any
time a new procedure or hazard was introduced. Additional
tapes and training materials were available from the home
office for use if the superintendent or project manager
deemed it necessary. Home office personnel visiting the
site on a regular basis were required to conduct safety
inspections of both Akers CS conditions and of procedures
observed in other trades. Safety concerns were a regular
agenda item at all progress meetings. |
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