Renovating the Charles E. Bennett Federal Building

Asbestos Abatement a Focus of $25 Million Project

Creating a safer, more secure working environment for federal workers, Skanska USA Building of Jacksonville, Fla., is managing a $25 million overhaul of the Charles E. Bennett Federal Building, also in Jacksonville.

The General Service Administration decided the 11-story, 1960s-era building was still in good shape and it was not cost-conscious to tear it down and rebuild, said Bill Abbott, the on-site construction representative for the GSA.

"It's been exciting to be renovating a building that so many people in Jacksonville are familiar with," said Tim Hobson, superintendent for Skanska. "So many understand the history of the building."

Reynolds, Smith & Hills of Jacksonville designed the original structure, and Warrior Constructors of Houston, Texas, built it. During construction in August 1965, a severe thunderstorm caused the collapse of 300 tons of steel girders, crushing cars, breaking through a neighboring building and damaging property but sparing lives. The building was named for Charles E. Bennett, Florida's longest-serving congressman. Bennett, a Democrat, represented Jacksonville residents for 44 years, from 1948 until 1993. He died at age 92 in September.

Skanska began working on the project in 2001 and assisted with pre-renovation design review and cost estimating at every phase to help maintain the budget. Rodriguez and Quiroga Architects Chartered of Coral Gables, Fla., designed the renovation. Skanska provided value-engineering services.

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The approximately 300,000-sq.-ft. building contains space for about 1,700 workers.

The perimeter, exterior walls, chilling towers, electric generator, core elevator shaft and stairwells remain in place. The 1,330 existing punch windows are being replaced with blast-resistant windows with lighter glazing and frames. The dark chocolate precast concrete skin will remain.

Crews began demolishing the entire modular-design interior in January 2003. Subcontractor LVI Services of Salisbury, N.C., managed abatement of asbestos, lead paint and other contaminants. Asbestos was a common construction material used in buildings during the 1960s.

"It was one of the largest abatement projects in the Southeast," said Tom Underwood, Skanska project manager. "It entails putting up containing floors, one to two at a time, and removing all the asbestos spray fireproofing, in-floor mastics and duct mastics, then bagging it and removing it from the building to appropriate containers."

LVI crews spent eight months on the abatement, working from the top down. Each floor took 40 days, with workers starting on a new floor as soon as the prior one was half complete.

Workers wore personal protective gear, including special suits and respirators. They passed through a wash-down area before leaving the containment areas, which were cordoned off with plastic sheeting barriers. In some locations, plastic-covered plywood barriers were installed. Once the asbestos was removed, other trades could work in those sections.

Skanska is building back the interior to each agency's specifications, and the job was more than half complete in December. Some agencies required conference and training facilities as well as office space.

"It's going to have new offices, mechanical systems, new bathrooms, new finishes in the elevator lobbies and first- and ground-floor lobbies," said architect Armando Trujillo, project manager for Rodriguez and Quiroga.

A steel-and-glass entry canopy covers the double sliding-door entryway and makes the lobby area more inviting to the general public. Brick pavers will be added to the terrace surrounding the first floor of the building, and the stairway leading to the public foyer will receive a facelift.

Inside, the new ground-floor employee entrance and first-floor public lobby will sport upgraded finishes and security screening checkpoints. Both lobbies have a curved-metal ceiling. Trujillo brightened the areas with new finishes with natural wood or stone paneling and terrazzo floors. Each floor's elevator lobby will receive similar treatments.

The building will receive new ductwork, a pony chiller to save on operating costs during off-time cooling and electrical wiring.

W.W. Gay Mechanical Contractors is handling installation of new mechanical systems, air handlers and plumbing. Miller Electric is performing the electrical work, and Hernandez Enterprises the drywall, plaster and painting. All three firms are located in Jacksonville.

About 250 people are working onsite. The project remains ahead of schedule and should wrap up by July.

Project Team:

Owner: General Services Administration
Architect: Rodriguez and Quiroga Associates, Coral Gables, Fla.
General Contractor: Skanska USA Building, Jacksonville, Fla.
Asbestos Abatement Contractor: LVI Services, Salisbury, N.C.
Mechanical Contractor: W.W. Gay Mechanical Contractors, Jacksonville, Fla.
Electrical Contractor: Miller Electric, Jacksonville, Fla.