LLB Architects worked closely with the Boston Public Health Commissions (BPHC) to develop an assessment to meet their needs. The data gathered informed the BPHC inventory of facility assets and their financial protection needs, with both centered on life cycle, deferred maintenance, life safety, and accessibility. We conducted full point-cloud scans of all buildings, used state-of-the-art graphics software to capture space use and department information, and developed tools for information management and reporting.

Our assessment team produced a 15-year capital planning outlook based on each facility’s current physical state and usage, criteria to inform future analysis, and decision-making. The study provided refreshed building information, including up-to-date floor plans, usage, and other elemental data. As with all our professional, high-quality reports, the analysis and assessment data are accompanied by digital, tabular, and photographic assets to flexibly provide additional context and support presentations, based on the needs of the client.

LLB Architects primary project goal was to inventory and assess the entirety of the Providence, RI campus inclusive of all buildings, rooms, and systems to assist the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) in their master planning efforts. Our assessment team examined 54 buildings, over 1,637,000 SF of cumulative built environment. With the campus primarily set within a Providence hillside, we focused on identifying safe, equitable, and accessible walking routes, while taking into account the steep grade conditions. To support the assessment and analysis, we developed a building inventory and assessment solution for efficient field data collection, flexible reporting, and robust information analysis.

Our database solution, combined with industry standards, allowed us to accurately and quickly gather data. We analyzed the collected data to shed light on under-utilized structures, deficient systems, or unsuitable spaces which required immediate facility upgrade attention. Our team applied a thorough inventory of condition metrics to building envelope, shell, and systems components, identifying some for deferred maintenance. Costs provided a total estimate of repair and replacement costs for these components. Our analysis allowed RISD to prioritize and compare buildings, largely influencing the strategies offered in the new campus master plan.

Over the years, LLB Architects completed several feasibility studies to expand the land-locked urban school, including an assessment of the school facilities. In 2015, LLB completed a conceptual study for an addition and renovation of the Community Preparatory School’s main building in Providence. Funded as part of a $14,000,000 capital campaign the project included the addition of a new office wing providing needed administrative space for the School and a new entry giving the campus a notable arrival point.

Another element that came out of the master planning process was the closure of a portion of Somerset Street which is adjacent to the campus. Conducted in partnership with the neighborhood and the City of Providence, Community Prep was able to create a much-needed green space and turf field for the school and the neighborhood.

Community Preparatory School is an independent school, grades 4-8, that serves culturally and economically diverse students who are well qualified to benefit from a rigorous academic education in an atmosphere of mutual respect. The school’s goal is to help its students succeed in college-preparatory high school programs and to become community leaders.