Situation
Temple University’s Kornberg School of Dentistry is located in two connected buildings in North Philadelphia. The older of the two buildings’ 4th floor became run-down and needed a renovation in order to accommodate the demanding and growing student body of the Dental School. Temple University brought in JJ White to perform the interior demolition and renovation of the space based upon our company’s safety track record and experience providing quality construction work at the school. The project’s design plans for collaborative meeting and presentation spaces, a dining area, as well as a commercial kitchen and to-go food outlet.
Challenges
The age of the building provided environmental as well as physical issues throughout the project. The structure suffered from contaminants as well as partially damaged windows that created a potentially dangerous situation. The building also remained occupied with students throughout the renovation process, as a walkway between the Dental School’s two buildings remained open on the 4th floor.
Solutions
After demolition, JJ White crews marked off safe walkways for students and faculty to move about the building as renovation work progressed. Our team worked with environmental specialists to alleviate contamination issues and operated under an aggressive schedule to complete the job with as few disruptions to student life as possible.
Results
Temple University’s Dental School now has a beautiful, 8,000 square-foot collaborative space complete with high-end finishes and a modern layout. Students can enjoy small meeting rooms, a large presentation area, dining area, and café. These modern amenities are crucial to maintaining the school’s place among the top in the country. JJ White crews also completed a new mechanical room to make sure everything run smoothly behind the scenes.