Monthly Archives: February 2012
Posted in Building Systems | Codes & Regulations | Energy Conservation by Steven M. Beattie, RLA (Senior Project Manager) on February 8, 2012
Don’t buy your 2012 International Code Council (ICC) books just yet. It seems that the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code Review and Advisory Council recommended that the state not adopt the 2012 I-Codes according to Engineering News-Record’s (ENR) January 30, 2012 edition. You may remember all the uproar concerning the automatic passage of the 2009 code with its residential sprinkler mandate caused some big changes in Pennsylvania. House Bill 377 of 2011 was passed, which requires a 2/3’s vote from the Review and Advisory Council in order to update the statewide building code during each code cycle.
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Posted in Architecture | Building Systems | Communities | Site Design & Land Development | Transportation by David I. Balzer, Assoc. AIA, LEED AP+ (Project Coordinator - Brand Architecture) on February 1, 2012
Existing Piollet Mansion – 2011
Located at the intersection of Route 6 & 187 in Wysox, PA, the building sits at a key juncture that is heavily used by both local and natural gas truck traffic, making it a prime location. Sure it may be easier and less costly to simply tear it down and start from scratch, but that has never been a realistic option. The building’s history combined with the strong local support to restore it only reinforced Randy’s decision – to save as much as possible without hindering the proposed new store. The challenge then became to balance the restoration with the need to expand and modernize the building, then tie it all together without costing a fortune. Quite a challenge indeed.
But before we got too far, I proposed conducting an Architectural feasibility study which would document the existing conditions and determine what truly could or could not be saved. Randy agreed and a team was sent to perform a detailed building survey, documenting every wall, door, window, structural beam, truss, etc. Many of the original features are intact, but have fallen into disrepair and require considerable restoration. However, the building “shell”, which consists of the masonry bearing walls, foundation, roof & floor systems, is in pretty good shape and can be reused with some structural improvements.
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