Los Angeles Unified School District
King Drew High School, Gym HVAC Upgrade
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Location
Los Angeles, CA
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Market
K-12
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Star pupils and star ballers shine in an upgraded gym
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Project Overview
Los Angeles Unified School District's King Drew Magnet High School of Medicine and Science is ranked as one of the nation’s top high schools by US News and World Report. Located next to King Drew Medical Center, the school offers science and medical career programs to 1,600 primarily low-income students in south Los Angeles. Its unique “magnet” program, 100% graduation rate and other sterling statistics have made it a star within the LAUSD. The King Drew gym also hosts the pro-am basketball Drew League, an LA institution where streetball, high-school, college and even some well-known pro players compete every summer. Our team served as the prime consultant to design upgrades to the gym’s HVAC systems.
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Solution
The project scope included mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fire alarm and structural design for the gymnasium HVAC upgrades. We designed the demolition and removal of the existing air handlers and evaporative cooling units serving the gym and installation of new gas/electric roof-top packaged units on the gym roof. Changing HVAC system types required that a wide range of impacts be addressed, for both code compliance and practical reasons. Existing ductwork had to be sealed and insulated, which required ceiling replacement, lighting and fire alarm upgrades in affected areas. Careful selection of HVAC units minimized structural impacts and avoided having to install new gas piping from the campus meter to the roof, saving the District a substantial amount of construction cost. As the prime consultant, we ensured the DSA approval process went smoothly and will continue to coordinate construction administration as the project is built.