SELECTIVE DEMOLITION CONTRACTOR: Levy Industrial Contractors Inc., Nashville, (615) 227-1645
›› The Retrofit
A National Historic Landmark, the Tennessee Capitol is home to Tennessee’s legislature and governor’s office. The building’s cornerstone was laid on July 4, 1845, and 14 years later construction was complete. The last mechanical reno- vation was completed in the 1950s, so parts for the archaic air-handling units had to be fabricated. The Tennessee Department of General Services, led by Commissioner Steven Cates, scheduled a much-needed renovation for after the legislature adjourned in May 2012. The retrofit included a new HVAC system; replacement of the existing fire-suppression system, plumbing fixtures, plumbing mains, water heaters and drinking fountains; and new electrical, including upgrades to the fire alarm system, data and telephone cabling, security systems and lighting. “We were having problems with people calling and saying they were cold. If we couldn’t solve it, people would plug in space heaters, and you know what they do to energy consumption—not to mention they are dangerous,” explains Commissioner Cates. “We were able to put in VAV boxes to establish a zone system, and a new digital control system helps us manage our energy consumption.” During the retrofit, the team uncovered several architectural features that had been covered up during previous renovations. For example, lay- in ceilings concealed beautiful brickwork in the basement that actually supports the first floor of the building. “Once we pulled all the old piping and ceiling out we saw this wonderful brick structure and we decided to utilize some of that in areas that would be conference spaces,” Cates notes. “It’s a nice feature and adds a lot of great volume to the space.” Despite a historically accurate carpet that was coming from England being trapped at sea for several days because of Superstorm Sandy, the
Tennessee Capitol’s renovation was completed early and under budget. “It has been rewarding seeing how much pride the state employees who worked on the project have,” Cates says. “The contractor and subcontractors really worked to make this happen and provided excellent quality because this is the people’s house.”