Unity Hall

By initiating preconstruction efforts prior to the start of the project’s design, Choate was able to enlist its Virtual Design & Construction team to perform a laser scan of the existing building. This exercise produced a point cloud that was then incorporated into a Revit modeling software, allowing for existing conditions to be accounted for in the design while mitigating additional costs from potential changes down the road.

Initially, a minimum seating capacity of 750 was required, but through several value engineering adjustments in the design phase, the Choate project team and partners were able to create space for 1,000 people.

Through Choate’s involvement in developing various design elements, the project team was able to provide cost estimates for different design options by identifying long lead times on certain materials and pre-ordering the priority materials. In doing so, the team ensured design intent was honored and the schedule was not impacted by supply chain issues.

The Specs

The mechanical systems of the building were designed with the existing cold and hot water systems in mind to provide redundancy and increase capacity for the existing systems. To achieve this, the project team executed an extensive private utility relocation operation.

In addition to the 22-foot-plus exposed ceilings, load-bearing concrete masonry walls, and polished concrete floors, the project team installed audio/visual systems to support any type of event the congregation required. To amplify the sound quality of the space, they also installed intricate acoustical elements throughout the walls and ceilings.