Charles S. Wallace Municipal Building Study and Design

Background

The Town of Morehead City originally built a municipal building in 1928 to house all of the city departments in one location. In 1977, the departments expanded into multiple buildings. By 2019, the City’s council chambers and city department staff were in three separate facilities around the downtown waterfront area. They had outgrown their offices, and there was a strong need to consolidate departments back into one building.

The site of the Charles Wallace School (CWS) was determined to be the best municipal land for the project, especially because the police department already shared the site. However, the school building was still on site in a state of deterioration after decades of disuse. Initially, some members in the community had concerns about the idea of demolition of this historic building, originally constructed in 1929. The design team listened to the concern and considered how to reflect that history as part of the new city hall design.

Challenge

The project addressed the consolidation of the city departments. The city council and staff, along with larger council chambers for public attendance, was to be co-located with the city finance department, public services, billings and collections, and planning and inspections. In addition, the facility needed to be located near the police station because the facility would function as a second communication center for coordinating emergency personnel in preparation for and for post major hurricane events. The CWS site, with a new facility, answered all of these needs for the department consolidation.

Solution

Woolpert led a multi-discipline architecture and engineering design team to evaluate and update a Space Needs Analysis and Concept Development Study, including expanding on and critiquing the physical condition of the CWS, updating the programming requirements, and presenting the options of renovating and adding to the CWS building—to keep its facades and history—or constructing a new municipal building.

The approach to evaluating the renovations to the CWS building was based on a thorough review and update of the program requirements for the new Charles Wallace Municipal Campus, a detailed exterior and interior building condition report. An independent and detailed cost estimate was prepared to mitigate the deteriorated physical condition of and the need to renovate the CWS to be code compliant for its intended use. Conceptual designs were further developed and the options to demolish the CWS and construct a new municipal center were also considered.

The results of the analysis and study of all systems and components showed too high a cost to renovate the CWS, since little of the building was salvageable. This news was given to the people of Morehead City through town hall meetings with documentation of the study and the associated cost.

Woolpert was then tasked with developing the conceptual design for the new municipal building. The conceptual design approach for the new municipal center was based on the updated program requirements of 19,454 GSF. Three options were considered. Options 1 and 2 represented a two-story municipal office building connected by a public lobby to a one-story council chambers. Option 3 represented a two-story municipal office building that includes the council chambers within the two-story volume. Option 3 was chosen by the Town of Morehead City. Woolpert was engaged to carry the design forward with schematics (15%) and eventually complete the design and construction administration of the new facility.

Outcome

Woolpert produced a set of documents for construction of the new municipal building, which is now completed. The new building exterior has brick veneer walls, stone accents, and insulated thermal break windows. The design intent was to reflect the scale and architectural character of the previous CWS, including incorporating some precast medallions and ribbon tracery from the old CWS building. The interior incorporates refinished/planed wood from the original CWS hard wood floor. The design also includes a flat roof with a two-foot parapet and entrance canopies for weather protection. The building is designed for compliance with ADA Accessibility Standards and energy usage in accordance with ASHRAE Standard 90.1. The interior finishes are a combination of carpet, porcelain tile, and VCT for the floors; dry wall, wood paneling, and sound-absorbing panels for the walls; and drywall and lay-in tiles for the ceilings. The client is very satisfied with the new building, and staff moved in to the facility in August of 2021.

Benefits

Through collaboration with the government and citizens of Morehead City, Woolpert provided an efficient, multi-department municipal center. The new building sits in the center of the town, on the same site where the CWS served the community for nearly a century.