Architectural Excellence:
The Easter Seals linkages program for homeless mothers helps women cope
with the demands of motherhood, find employment, finish their education
and provide a stable home life for them and their children. In 2007, M Space
provided (2) 12x60 temporary office buildings to replace a building damaged by
flooding. The organization planned to repair their original building, but realized
the damage was too severe. M Space learned this through follow-up with their
customer and took the opportunity to propose a permanent modular solution. M
Space worked with the customer to design a functional facility that provided a
warm and welcoming atmosphere.
The building consists of six offices, a kitchenette, a welcome/reception area, two
ADA restrooms, utility and janitorial closets and a large common area. Exterior
features include: a gable roof with decorative cornice and architectural 50 year
shingles, double 5” horizontal vinyl siding and an A-Frame canopy over the
main entryway.
Technical Innovation:
The damaged building was demolished to accommodate the new permanent
modular building and M Space was able to utilize the existing water and sewer
lines. The customer wanted a basement, which posed a significant challenge due
to the extremely high water table and poor soil conditions on the site. Despite
this, M Space was able to install a full perimeter stem wall atop a continuous
perimeter spread footing along with a 4” rat slab and interior piers, creating a
basement. The basement can be accessed through a factory installed floor hatch
with retractable stairs that were installed to maximize storage space. In addition,
the welcome center was equipped with baby changing stations and a kitchenette
to provide clients with low-cost amenities to make them as comfortable as
possible.
Cost Effectiveness/Energy Efficiency:
The customer requested that the on-site portion of the work be completed as
quickly as possible with minimal noise and debris. The goal was to continue
operations without too much disruption for the 50 plus children and their
mothers that were on site. To minimize the disruption and to reduce costs,
M Space installed the building on a permanent foundation without the
use of a crane. Completing the project quickly was also a benefit to the
organization because they could start using their welcome center/offices
sooner and provide resources to more mothers and children. M Space was
able to save the client money by providing turnkey service and managing
everything, including all mechanical, electrical, plumbing, carpentry and
masonry work. M Space is proud to be part of the solution that assists
homeless mothers and children in need.
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