METRO PARKS FOUR COMMUNITY CENTERS

TACOMA, WASHINGTON

Metro Parks Tacoma chose ORB Architects to design upgrades to four of its community
centers — People’s, South Park, Portland Avenue, and Snake Lake Nature Center. The goal of the project was to perform building assessments on the four community centers, provide realistic cost estimates for the owner’s review, then subsequently create construction documents to implement the recommendations. The work had to be done without disrupting normal day-to-day operations at the facilities.

ORB and our team of subconsultants with expertise in engineering and building science performed a technical review of the building envelopes, employing the latest infrared moisture-location technology. The building conditions required more extensive rehabilitation than the owner had anticipated, and ORB worked with the project manager to pinpoint the most critical elements of the building upgrades that would work within the given budget.

In addition to other design improvements, the most dramatic change involved the entry to the Portland Avenue Community Center. ORB redesigned it to make it more inviting and light-filled, and to improve the visibility to the parking area.

More Info →