Historic Dow School Rehabilitation Project

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Project Description

MECA has been serving at risk youth and their families from throughout Houston for over 30 years, with a specific focus on the 6th Ward, 1st Ward, Near Northside, and Heights neighborhoods. MECA provides a safe and valuable alternative to the streets. Youth have excelled at our site, taking from our programs the tools to succeed in life, education, and employment. Currently MECA is at a critical juncture. The facility which MECA occupies, Dow Elementary School constructed in 1912 and located in 6th Ward, must be rehabilitated and upgraded to meet current life safety and accessibility codes, and to prevent further deterioration of the historic structure. Today, we need your support in guaranteeing that at risk youth will continue to have a place where respect, creativity, and hope flourish.

MECA was originally housed at St Joseph's Catholic Church until 1993, when MECA was provided with an opportunity by Houston Independent School District (HISD) to move into its current location, Dow Elementary School. On January 7, 2004, MECA was once again fortunate to have had the local TIRZ board purchase the building from the City of Houston for MECA's use. Thus, it has been through the efforts of the community and the city that MECA has been able to grow and develop its current programming. MECA's growth has taken it from a small space in a local church to where it now stands in a 45,000sq foot, 3-story historic building near downtown Houston.

The scope of the rehabilitation project is comprehensive; as it will involve substantial rehabilitation of the building enclosure, integration of accessibility elements and minor interior modifications. The rehabilitation of the building will also utilize technology to facilitate a sustainable design – a green building. By having the rehabilitation become a green building, we are instilling to youth and the community the importance of respecting our natural environment. As such, the goal of the program is to restore the building as a place for youth to grow and develop their abilities through after school and summer opportunities and experiences for years to come.

Phase I – Work started September 2006, Scheduled for Completion May 2008

Phase I Work: Repairs to the building envelope

• Hazardous Material Abatement (not included in General Construction)

• Improved site drainage, sidewalk repairs

• New service driveway and retaining walls

• Exterior brick: Clean, replace damaged exterior brick.

• Masonry: Clean, repair cracks in terra cotta, cast stone and other masonry detailing, seal or coat cast stone

• Structural masonry: repair cracks, clean, remove rust from exposed rebar, coat rebar, seal or coat structural assembly.

• Repointing masonry joints: caulk horizontal and vertical control joints; repoint mortar joints that have lost their bond to the brick, mask grout all other masonry joints.

• Lintels: remove three courses of brick above lintel, clean, treat and coat those lintels not severely rusted; remove, flash, replace with new galvanized steel those lintels beyond repair; replace brick above.

• Wood windows and door frames: repair and replace rotten wood to match existing; replace broken glass, prime, caulk and paint assembly.

• Roof Restoration – Remove parapet finishes down to masonry and roof out to 18” from parapet. Repair all blisters and ridging, reinforce all penetrations, reinforce all scuppers, repair wall damage, install new base flashing and wall flashings, cut new reglet at brick wall and install new metal counter flashing, coat all exposed surfaces with aluminum coating. Remove existing gravel ballast, clean surface and apply new coal tar flood coat with new gravel to seal. Replace all galvanized downspouts, repair copper downspouts.

Phase II Work Anticipated to begin June 2008 rehabilitation to the building Interior:

• Install new hydraulic elevator to serve each floor and meet Texas Accessibility Standards

• Install accessible building entry and interior ramp at the ground level

• Interior finishes to accommodate new MEP systems and MECA program requirements

• Limited remodel to the Auditorium to accommodate accessibility and performance. Complete Audio/Visual systems and other finishes will be installed in a subsequent phase.

Replace Mechanical System:

• Remove and properly dispose of all existing mechanical equipment and related distribution

• Install new four pipe, air cooled chiller, boiler, air handlers, ducts, controls

Replace Electrical System:

• Remove and properly dispose of all existing electrical service panels, distribution and devices

• Install new panels and distribution sized to accommodate the new loads

• Install all new energy efficient lighting and controls to meet current energy code

• Install new life safety systems to meet current code

Upgrade Plumbing system System:

• Remove and properly dispose of fixtures abandon or no longer needed and bring remaining plumbing up to current code.

• Install new distribution and fixtures to meet Texas Accessibility standards

Phase III:

• Complete auditorium/stage and theater equipment and finishes installation

MECA has a long history of providing valuable job training sites for youth. Old 6th Ward Community Park, completed in 1988, a gem of public and community art in Houston, was completed largely by young people enrolled in a job training program. The park was constructed over a 3 year period and the total construction costs were approximately a half of a million dollars. Additional job training programs sponsored by MECA include an initial move in rehabilitation of ten classrooms in Dow School and the construction of a grape arbor in the community garden on the grounds of Dow School.

The following entities have been contacted to collaborate with MECA in providing job training opportunities and to provide professional services in support of the rehabilitation of Dow School:

• Avenue Community Development Corporation - assistance with obtaining financial support as well as being a part of the facility committee

• Community residents and committed professionals who continue to work with MECA and have vast experience and knowledge in the areas of construction and design

The rehabilitation of Dow School will strengthen the partnerships that have been established in our community and will guarantee the sustainability of existing programs and services that serve the surrounding community into the future. The rehabilitation is also an integrated solution to achieving the community's larger civic, economic, and cultural goals and providing valuable experience to at risk youth.

Four primary goals have been defined for the rehabilitation project:

• To upgrade and Rehabilitate Historic Dow School

• To provide a valuable job training program for at-risk youth in the target area

• To assure the sustainability of MECA and the other organizations housed in Dow School into the future.

• To strengthen and assure the future of Dow School as a Community Cultural Center and a nonprofit incubator.