Renovation - Project of the Year

The National Archives
Washington, D.C.

A far-reaching renovation of the 950,000-sq.-ft. National Archives building has upgraded the 68-year-old structure and enhanced the public's access to a number of historic treasures.

The most newsworthy aspect of the $87 million project was the restructuring of the building's rotunda, where the U.S. Charters of Freedom - the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights - are displayed.

Before Rockville, Md.-based Grunley Construction Co.'s renovation, visitors were required to step up on a platform to view the documents - difficult if not impossible for young children, the elderly and the handicapped. Crews built new, larger encasements for the historic items, bringing them down to the floor level.

Expanded display space also allows for the exhibition of all four pages of the Constitution. Space constraints previously allowed only the first and fourth pages to be displayed.

The renovation upgraded the building's major systems, brought the structure into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and current fire and life safety codes, and created new spaces for visitor learning and interaction. More than 1,200 sq. ft. of new museum-type space will expand public exhibition area beyond just the rotunda and a narrow hallway behind it. A new 275-seat theater - a venue for documentary films - features custom-designed lighting, a traveling projection screen and a surround-sound system with 23 speakers.

The construction of additional public spaces has transformed the National Archives into a more visitor-friendly venue, featuring high-end architectural finishes, crown molding, handcrafted marble work and benches, ornamental iron, terrazzo, limestone and the authentic reproduction of historic lighting fixtures.

Over the course of the renovation, Grunley's subcontractors have won seven craftsmanship awards from the Washington Building Congress for their work at the National Archives.

A significant amount of behind-the-scenes work was required to allow the Charters' new encasements to move in and out of the exhibit area. Grunley demolished the existing display cases and vaults and installed a new retracting system behind the rotunda.

While temporarily supporting the existing marble columns, pediment and tablature from above, a 17- by 4-ft. hole was cut through the wall and new support steel was installed. While a subcontractor installed three new steel vaults for the Charters, Grunley performed electrical and security work associated with the new vaults.

The building's existing electrical system was not designed as a typical vertical riser system. As a result, it had to be upgraded on a floor-by-floor basis. Because of numerous changes to the system over the life of the building, circuitry was often undocumented and confusing. The electrical distribution system was installed piece by piece with no disruptions to the occupants.

One of the jurors was impressed with the extent to which the contractor went to minimize disruption to the existing structure and systems during the upgrades.

"It was an amazingly detailed renovation that was done under difficult conditions," the judge said.

While the bulk of construction was inside the building, a few improvements affected the construction's exterior. The addition of two handicapped ramps along Constitution Avenue allows people in wheelchairs to bypass the 38 granite steps leading into the building.

The construction of the new theater also necessitated the temporary removal of the granite staircase to allow for the relocation of an operating GSA steam tunnel. Grunley placed sheeting and shoring to allow for 30 ft. of excavation and the placement of pilings.

The steam tunnel was relocated to the south, and new footings were placed to support the theater's south wall and reinforce the existing columns supporting the front steps.

A number of value-engineering proposals were accepted that resulted in more than $1 million in savings for the project's owner, the National Archives and Records Administration. Changes in electrical wiring and distribution, duct construction, mechanical insulation and the humidification system contributed to the savings. NARA was allowed to keep 100 percent of the cost savings, including a reimbursement of overhead and profit from the base contract.

While the rotunda was closed for two years during the remodel, the rest of the building remained open throughout the project for the approximately 100 employees of NARA and for individual researchers using the archival facilities.

A Sept. 17, 2003, dedication of the rotunda featured visits from President George Bush and first lady Laura Bush, U.S. Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist and top-ranking Senate and House members.

Owner: National Archives and Records Administration
Architect/Engineer: Hartman-Cox Architects
General Contractor: "Grunley Construction Company, Inc"
Mechanical/Structural/Electrical Engineers: URS Corp.
Interior/Exterior Stone and Cleaning: "Atlantic Refinishing Restoration, Inc"
Painting: "Ballard and Associates, Inc"
Concrete: Theater Barr Concrete
Sheeting, Shoring, Caissons: "Berkel and Company Contractors, Inc."
Drywall and Acoustics: "C.J. Coakley, Co. Inc."
Ceramic and Terrazzo: David Allen Company
Landscaping: "Denison Landscaping, Inc."
Structural Steel: Hirschfield Steel Co. Inc.
Miscellaneous and Ornamental Metals: "James River Iron, Inc"
Mechanical and Plumbing: "John J Kirlin, Inc."
Architectural Millwork: Rainbow Custom Woodworking
Electrical: Singleton Electrical Company

Click here for the Renovation-Award of Merit

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