Historic Rehabilitation and Renovation

Youngstown Cultural Arts Center & Cooper School

Gold Nugget Award, Best Affordable Housing 42,403 SF, four story building provides 36 units of affordable housing on the top three floors for low-income artists. On the ground floor, a performing arts theater; a visual arts gallery; café; and offices for arts and cultural organizations. The former playground was used to create 27 parking spaces. Preserving neighborhood identity was an important consideration in the rehabilitation of Youngstown Cultural Arts Center, a small Seattle building with a big role in the local community. Closed for over a decade due to safety issues, the building was in need of extensive re-construction. Owner: Delridge Neighborhoods Development Assoc. Architect: Stickney Murphy Romine Architects

Construction challenges included performing a major seismic upgrade with the addition of shear walls and steel bracing at the east wall. A complete upgrade of the sprinkler system was required to meet fire protection standards; and new water and electrical service, and sanitary sewer were installed. To bring the building back to full use from years of exposure, crews performed extensive cleaning of the exterior masonry, along with a complete re-build of the roof, and restoration of all windows on the 1st floor. WCC also juggled a two-phased schedule, building out the housing units and the ground floor first, and continuing construction on the theater, offices, and activity rooms on the ground floor, while tenants moved into their new homes on the upper floors.