Timothy Christian School
By: Frances Putman
In the early 1940s, the U.S. government built the Camp Kilmer Army base in Piscataway, New Jersey. Located just 25 miles south of New York City and 55 miles northeast of Philadelphia, the camp served as a staging area for the Port of New York. Primarily, the base served as a processing center for troops headed overseas and later for those returning to the states after fulfilling tours of duty. Though inactive for a few years, in the mid-1950s, the base was the home of Operation Mercy, a project to house and process Hungarian refugees.
By 1960, the base was no longer active, and Timothy Christian School, a fledgling school that previously met in the basement of a church, purchased one of the buildings. A few years later, it purchased another.
Later, the school built other buildings as needed, adding a chapel in the late 70s and a gymnasium in the 80s. Several buildings have been renovated to add a band room, art room, multi-media room, library and a new chapel. Today, the 25-acre campus includes eight buildings and an auditorium/gymnasium.
In 2004, the school began a project to renovate a U-shaped, former Camp Kilmer barracks-style building, filling in the courtyard area and adding a new kitchen facility and cafeteria, as well as additional classrooms and bathroom facilities on the perimeter. The school contacted Fenton Construction Company, Inc., the Warren, New Jersey, firm that had been involved in many of the school's previous building projects, including the gymnasium built in 1989.
As is the case with so many Christian school building projects, funds and time were tight. Construction began in the summer of 2004, with the first step being the addition to fill in the courtyard area. New Jersey winters can be harrowing, and it was important to get the shell of the facility in place before the cold weather hit.
It is expected that construction teams will lose work days during winters in the Northeast, so extra time is always built into the schedule. But, according to Dan McKeon, project manager at Fenton, getting the outside completed early was especially important for budget reasons. In other projects, costs for "winter conditions" might be built into a project, allowing for heating equipment to be brought on-site. Since that wasn't possible in this case, timing was important.
"We scheduled the inside work for the winter, once the building was enclosed," McKeon noted.
Since much of the building process took place during the school year, temporary fencing was used to isolate the construction site. Though the new kitchen and cafeteria area were replacing an older, outdated version, the two were not in the same building. Luckily, the older kitchen and cafeteria could remain in use throughout the construction process.
Because the Timothy campus lies within a flood plain, materials were carefully selected to be resistant to water. Interior walls were primarily constructed of painted masonry, with no drywall used. Glass panels used throughout are not only water resistant, they also serve to "open" the space and let in lots of natural light. Vinyl tile covers all the floors, with no carpeting used in any rooms.
"It was important that materials not be susceptible to moisture," said Alan Horenbein, vice president of operations for Fenton Construction, Inc. "Should water get in, (the building) could be brought back quickly."
For the exterior of the facility, painted masonry was chosen to match the stucco exterior of many of the other buildings around. An attractive clocktower not only serves as an accurate timepiece for those on campus, but also provides a nice architectural touch. The roofline was designed to let in natural light and to match the four-in-twelve slope of the nearby gymnasium roof.
"We wanted to keep the flavor of the new building similar to the others," McKeon said.
The project was completed in August 2005, in time for students to use the facility in the new school year. There are several reasons, Horenbein believes, that this was a successful project—including the fact that Fenton and Timothy Christian School have had a strong working relationship for more than 15 years.
"We had a good team in place, with a good chemistry," he said, noting the strong partnership between the architect, builder and school. "And, we were sympathetic to the school's needs."
Many Christian school projects will have tight budget constraints, and it's important, Horenbein added, that construction teams understand that—and that schools make their needs and situation clear.
"Without a spirit of cooperation and communication, a project like this could have unraveled," he said.
That's why he suggests Christian schools considering a building project take time in planning and choosing an architect or builder.
"You need to have a solid financial situation before you undertake a project," he said. "When budgets are tight, plan out the financials and work closely with the construction team. Things come up in construction, and something can put a strain on the budget."
If the budget is too tight, this can be disastrous.
Horenbein further suggests schools research options and work with a reputable architect who has experience with the type of structure the school is considering. Developing a master plan for future construction is an important step in progressing a campus to the next level.
Founded in 1965 by Joseph Fenton Mulcahy, Fenton Construction, www.fentonconstruction.com, has built more than 500 industrial, commercial, religious and educational facilities. Located in Warren Township, NJ, this family-owned design/build company is one of the leading builders of industrial, commercial and religious structures in New Jersey.
Fast Facts
School: Timothy Christian School
Location: Piscataway, New Jersey
Number of Students: 630
Grades Served: K-12
Builder: Fenton Construction Company, Inc., Warren Township, New Jersey
Description of Project: This renovation/addition project included a new cafeteria and kitchen facility, as well as four new classrooms and bathroom facilities. The original building--a U-shaped, barracks-style facility--was upgraded, with the courtyard area filled in for additional space.
Size of Project: 10,000 square feet
Cost: $980,000
The Challenge: The school sits in a flood plain area, so the potential for moisture or even high levels of water entering the building is a real possibility.
The Solution: Water-resistant materials were very carefully chosen. The walls are painted masonry, while vinyl tile covers the floors. No drywall or carpeting was used in the construction. Should a flood occur, the facility can be quickly cleaned and returned to normal operation.
