Youth and Senior Center, Somerville, MA

The former fire station required full handicap accessibility upgrades including a new elevator to be located within the tower. After a full evaluation of the building, including requested interior layout changes by the Owner, we implemented a new entrance ramp to the front entrance which required coordination with the City Public Works Department and with the MBTA for the existing bus stop structure.

The design of the elevator was a challenge to coordinate with the existing tower structure and the extensive mess of mechanical services that existed within the basement. In order to design a new pit for the elevator, underpinning of the masonry walls was required and significant structural lintels were required to create openings through the thick tower walls for the doors.