Town of Orchard Park Community Activity Center

Client: Town of Orchard Park
Location: Orchard Park, NY
Markets: Municipal Government Energy Efficiency
Services: Architecture Master Builder Construction Structural Engineering Electrical Engineering Mechanical Engineering Civil Engineering Planning Commissioning Energy Efficiency

The Town of Orchard Park has been evaluating the need for a community center since 2009. The Wendel team became part of this process in 2014 when hired to perform conceptual design services for a new multi-generational community center. It was essential to obtain input from stakeholders and residents throughout the Town. Through a lengthy process working with the “ambassadors” for each of the identified stakeholder groups, we reconciled the program based on research and input received since 2009. This reconciled program informed the massing and architecture of the new facility.

In order to maintain the project’s schedule, input from all 5 of contractors were controlled by one master schedule, driven by Wendel acting as Construction Manager. The schedule was driven at 3 levels. The first was a holistic, overarching schedule set forth at the project’s onset. Next was a bi-weekly schedule meeting, and lastly, the team met every day to ensure both the holistic and bi-weekly schedules remained accurate and were being met.

One Environmental challenge was the fact that the entire project site contains floodplains and wetlands, so the building was designed in close contact and collaboration with the Corps of Engineers and the DEC in order to adequately address those issues.

The community was also heavily involved in the design of this 60,000 sq ft community center, with a number of presentations and forums that allowed the public to have input on the final outcome. This ensures that the final outcome gives the community exactly what it wants in a community hub.

The facility is 60,000 square feet and is utilized as a Community Center consisting of a Gymnasium, full service Kitchen and Dinning Room, several multi-purpose rooms and an Office Area.  The systems commissioned were:

  • HVAC: Packaged Rooftop Units, Heat Recovery Air Handlers & Make-up Air Units, kitchen hood exhaust system, variable  refrigerant flow system, miscellaneous terminal equipment and the Building Management System.
  • Plumbing: Water heaters and circulation pumps.
  • Electrical: Lighting systems and controls.