Projects

W.A. Rose has a longstanding relationship with Holy Names University, a school that’s noted for its diversity, located on 60 wooded acres in the Oakland Hills.
Kennedy Art Center lacked an ADA bathroom on the main floor, so converting the bathroom was the primary goal of the construction project. We also transformed an
existing art gallery into a classroom and installed four new dual-glazed aluminum windows.

Project Challenges

We began by demolishing the existing closet, entryway and floor and opened areas for the new windows. We removed the existing ceiling in the bathroom and, because this was an older building, we did asbestos testing. We framed the new bathroom, installed insulation, drywall and durable, tile flooring along with Bobrick bathroom accessories.

The Results

Kennedy Art Center now has a bright new classroom and an ADA bathroom, making the Center more accessible to every student, faculty member and visitor.

The City of Piedmont calls on W.A. Rose for a wide range of projects, and we frequently return to the historic Community Center for ongoing repairs and upgrades. As with many of these old buildings, the repairs often include bringing the building up to Title 24 standards, which means making the building ADA-compliant—in this case, significant upgrades to the restrooms, drinking fountains and entranceway ramps.

The Challenges

Piedmont Community Center is aging gracefully. In the spring of 2014, we upgraded both the women’s and men’s restrooms and made other small repairs to prepare the facility for the busy summer season. The women’s restroom got a new Caesarstone countertop, chosen for both its aesthetics and durability. We installed two new sinks, hardware, new vanity lighting and a baby-changing station. In the men’s restroom, we repaired tile, removed a partition, installed two new toilets, countertops, hardware and water fountain to create a new ADA bathroom.

The Results

In the Center’s elegant ballroom, we replaced the old light fixtures with new sconces and custom-fabricated new cornices for the windows. Piedmont Community Center’s repairs and upgrades were completed within budget and on schedule, creating a lighter, brighter facility. Best of all, the Center is now significantly more ADA-compliant, more accessible to all of the Piedmont community.

In 1988, the East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation (EBALDC) converted Oakland’s Madrone Hotel into 32 single-room occupancy apartments with retail shops on the ground floor.

• The Hotel is home to the elderly, formerly homeless and those living with disabilities.
• We met the owners at a business event where we learned about the bid for structural and fire-damage repairs, and we were delighted to be awarded the contract.
• Working with the client’s engineers to identify the extent of the structural and seismic damage, we demolished the existing beams that had weakened over the years and replaced them with new ones.
• We removed three of the eroded foundation’s column bases, cleaned them out and poured new concrete bases.

Project Challenges

When we removed the subfloor, we found a significant amount of dry rot and termite damage, which we repaired. As per Title 24, the construction project also required our upgrading the bathroom to meet ADA standards and installing an ADA ramp in the entranceway.

Results

The completion of the structural repairs along with those from the fire damage mean that Hotel Madrone is now structurally sound and safe, where it can continue to provide a home for low-income residents in downtown Oakland.

W.A. Rose Construction has deep relationships with many area schools and community nonprofits, and we completed a project in 2016 for Hayward’s Moreau Catholic High School.

Project Challenges

Moreau was an excellent example of our ability to manage to a tight schedule. Receiving approval for the Moreau project in March, we began work the last week of school in May, and we needed to be finished by August 1. With old buildings, there are often surprises that can cause huge delays, changeorders and added expense. For Moreau, it was a concrete wall contained in an internal wall and a complete change of floors in the science rooms, yet we identified solutions and stayed on track. We worked closely with the site director throughout the project, finishing on time and on budget.

The Results

Moreau High School’s goal was to modernize four 60s-era classrooms, including a space that would accommodate 60 students for an innovative new program. We turned an old maintenance shop into a design studio that’s fully stocked with tools and equipment where students can experiment and make things. The school purchased new furniture and equipment to complete the modernization of the new classrooms.