Brownsville Recreation Center

Location: Brownsville

Cost: $541,406

Completion: February 2024

Owner/Developer: City of Brownsville

Architect: Woodblock Architecture

Engineers: VLMK Engineering, KCL Engineering

General Contractor: JE John Construction

Submitting Company: Woodblock Architecture

Subcontractors: American Welding and Iron, Brandsen Hardwood Floors, Dakota Construction Services, Evergreen Valley, Gibson Steel Fabricating, H2I Group, Hills Wet Blasting, J&K Electrical, JB Insulation, Jet Industries, JHBar, LG Contractors, Market Contractors, Mobile Mini, Northwest Mechanical, Northwest Pipeworks, Parr Lumber, Precision 1 Coatings, Standard Commercial Construction, Staton Cos., Steven W. Broders, Sweet Home Sanitation, The Harver Co., United Site Services, Valley Overhead Door Sales, Western Contracting, WH Cress

The city of Brownsville, just north of Eugene in Linn County, is known famously as the backdrop for the classic film “Stand by Me.” At the heart of the community stands a 125-year-old community rec center, a hub for a myriad of local events, from middle school sports to commencement ceremonies.

Despite its age and legacy, the center was in dire need of a facelift to ensure its continued service to the community. The renovation project kicked off with a thorough assessment of the building’s structure. While the bones were solid, seismic upgrades were imperative to meet modern safety standards. Additionally, life safety measures were enhanced with expanded entrances, sprinkler installations and updated restroom facilities.

The renovation extended beyond structural improvements to encompass aesthetic enhancements: siding repairs, fresh coats of paint and new accessible ramps rejuvenated the exterior, while LED lighting and updated HVAC systems improved energy efficiency and user comfort indoors.

As with any renovation, challenges emerged during the demolition phase. Asbestos abatement and logistical hurdles in the attic required innovative solutions, demonstrating the adaptability and resourcefulness of the project team.

One of the most striking transformations occurred in the gymnasium, where a worn wood sports court was replaced with state-of-the-art composite flooring. Exposed wood ceilings were refurbished to reveal their natural beauty, balanced by fabric acoustic panels that enhanced sound quality and aesthetics. The renovation expanded the center’s functionality, transforming a former music room into a versatile community space available for rent to local organizations and families.

Because of the limitations of the existing structure for the gym floor, a standard scissor lift could not be utilized on this project. JE John Construction had to develop a creative solution for a temporary lightweight scaffolding, which served the team during demolition, walnut blasting and refinishing the existing wood ceiling and walls, painting and installing the acoustic panels and ceiling-mounted equipment. The scaffolding also provided temporary bracing during the precarious replacement of one of the heavy timber columns in the gym.

JE John took advantage of the scope to replace all the windows in the building and used one of the large empty window openings after demolition to bring the column in, pull it into place and anchor it onto the concrete pylon in the crawl space, which also minimized demo to the gym subfloor.

Copyright © 2024 BridgeTower Media. All Rights Reserved.