The success of this $30 million retrofit project was the result of a collaborative process with Bentley Engineering Company that involved integrating multiple disciplines in order to create a safe, healthy interior environment. Project scope included seismic renovation, sprinklers and fire alarms, improved accessibility and code upgrades under asbestos conditions on the second and third floors and on a portion of the fourth floor of the U.S. Courthouse, an historic federal building built in the Art Moderne style between 1937 and 1940 at 312 N. Spring Street, Los Angeles.
Prior to commencing work, our firm inspected and assessed conditions on the designated floors (which housed the courtrooms and judges’ chambers) to develop a non-invasive solution that included cleaning, encapsulation and abatement of potential hazards related to material previously determined to contain asbestos. Our work with regard to accessibility and building compliance had to be tied into existing systems recently installed on floors five through seventeen, so that all systems would effectively function as one.