Holy Smokes!

Colorado school constructed with support of WPA solves unique challenge with horizontal smoke vents

By Thomas Renner

It has been more than 80 years since the Works Projects Administration (WPA) was active in Colorado, but the agency’s impact still lives in the expansive western state—especially in its schools.

Colorado was one of the biggest beneficiaries of the program instituted by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. He created the WPA in 1935 as part of the New Deal plan to lift the nation out of the Great Depression. Colorado received more per-capita federal dollars than any state except Washington.

The WPA constructed 113 schools in the state and reconstructed or improved 381 others, according to HistoryColorado.org. Many areas of the state, particularly its eastern communities, could not keep pace with enrollment growth during the Great Depression due to westward migration.

Palmer High School in Colorado Springs School District 11 was built with the support of WPA workers in 1940, and remains one of the most highly-rated in its District. With nearly 1,600 students, the school earns high marks from Niche for its diversity (more than 53% of its students are minorities) and has the oldest International Baccalaureate program in the area.

Structurally and mechanically, the school is sturdy. There are, however, subtle signs that reflect the building’s age. That was quite evident when a team of experts and school officials investigated options to replace the school’s smoke vents. The existing vents had been installed vertically.

The team that helped construct a new solution included Vernon Champlin, Senior Consultant with the fire protection engineering firm Jensen Hughes; the Colorado Springs School District 11 Facilities Team; and Frank Kaiser, an architect at LKA Partners.

Photography by Jennifer Baker/Jenn’s Breathtaking Moments

“This is the first time we’ve ever run into this particular design,’’ Kaiser says. “The existing vents were all connected with a series of pulleys and ropes, and the panels did not seal very well. There was no way to replace them.”

The team met with several leading experts to determine if replacing the vents in their current orientation was an option or if new vents installed on the roof was the best way forward.

Unusual Solution

The scope of the project included a total roof replacement. Addressing the issue with the smoke vents, however, was one of the dilemmas that faced the architects.

The aging vents were installed in the vertical walls of the pop-up, cast-in-place concrete structure on the roof.

“They designed other schools in the area the same way,’’ says Don Johnson, Executive VP of iiCON Construction, the general contractor on the project. “I don’t know how they got them to function.”

Situated in an urban environment, the school sought to install acoustical smoke vents to limit noise intrusion from exterior sources. The vents were located above the school’s stage, and city fire officials recommended that they be replaced. The existing vents did not have an acoustical rating.

“Considered advanced technology over a hundred years ago, the existing non-conforming smoke ventilation system in the Palmer High School consisted of 24 vertically hinged doors that could be remotely opened 45-feet above the floor,’’ Champlin says. “The complex system of jute ropes and pulleys allowed the ventilation doors to fall open simultaneously via gravity from a single manual releasing point on the stage.”

As codes and technologies advanced, these antiquated systems have become obsolete, and worse, there is no applicable standard for inspection, testing or maintenance.

“The greatest concern of the existing system was an inability to effectively test and reset the system to ensure proper operation,” Champlin says.

LKA recommended an unusual solution. The architects abandoned the existing vents and left them in place. They were sealed and insulated to improve energy efficiency and acoustics but remain on the structure. “In our evaluation, we developed numerous code-compliant solutions that considered refurbishing the existing vent configuration, replacing the existing assembly with a modern manual system, or eliminating the entire assembly in place of a new electronic smoke control system,” Champlin says. “A priority was placed on cost effective solutions that provided for ease of on-going testing and maintenance.”

Jennifer Hotaling, Assistant Capital Program Manager for D11 Schools, credits the collaborative approach with multiple experts that led to the success of this complex project. “Student safety is paramount and cutting any hole in a roof is a big deal. At the end of the day, our whole team of dedicated professionals came together to provide taxpayers with the best possible solution.”

Concrete Steps

The decision to abandon the vents in place created one other decision, however: how to install new vents. Portions of the existing concrete roof deck were removed to provide openings where the new smoke vents were to be installed. With assistance from a crane, saw cutter and intense labor, workers removed nearly 4,000 pounds of concrete.

“I’ve done a lot of different things and we always find challenges,’’ Johnson says.

“Anybody can build from the ground up. It’s when you go in and do renovation that you’re always going to find some challenges.”

Johnson says workers paid particular attention to concrete removal, because they were afraid of pieces falling into the school. All the removal work was done while school was out of session. “There was no easy way to shore up the concrete. And because it was above the fly loft for the stage it was a long way down.”

Workers from iiCON and Weathercraft

Roofing cut the concrete to match the opening of the new vents, starting at the four corners and running a cable through the core to make sure it didn’t break loose. “We were watching it the whole time while we were sewing,’’ Johnson says. “We stopped as soon as the piece started to break loose and then removed it with the crane. It took four hours, which was pretty fast. It was very quick and clean.”

Smoke vent installation

Roofers installed four acoustical smoke vents from BILCO, the manufacturer of specialty access products. The 5x7 vents include burglar bars to prevent unauthorized entry and a manual winch.

Creating the opening for the vents and extricating concrete was only the first part of the process to install the vents. Theatrical spaces present challenges due to rigging and cables that limit the work area under the roof.

“There was a lot of concern to protect the interior space when they were installed, and the logistics of getting up there and working from above the stage,’’ Hotaling says. “They had to build a platform under the concrete to catch the water, dust and debris. While they were cutting, we were checking for leaks and making sure there was nothing falling on the stage floor. We’re always concerned about these projects that once they start, they become bigger than anticipated.”

Acoustical smoke vents are designed to prevent noise intrusion and are installed at theaters, concert halls and other applications that require limiting noise from external sources. The vents have an industry-high OITC-46 and STC-50 sound ratings. The vents include a fusible link to ensure operation should a fire occur.

“Palmer High School is in a downtown area where there is a lot of siren noise,’’ Kaiser says. “Even weather, such as hail, can be loud. We wanted to make sure during performances we could mitigate any exterior noise that could be a potential problem. We like the BILCO products. They seem to be the ones that we see on most of our projects.”

Kaiser said the firm’s relationship with a distributor, Dalco in Denver, helped secure the vents, and workers completed the installation by sealing the flashings to guard against leaks and testing to ensure they operated properly. “The vents themselves seem to be well built,’’ Kaiser said. “The walls are thicker than the average vent and they’ll help limit noise infiltration.”

History Lesson

Palmer High School dates back to the earliest days of Colorado Springs. The first incarnation of Palmer opened in 1875, at a cost of nearly $27,000. A new version of Palmer opened in 1893 at a cost of $100,000, at the current site. With the assistance of the WPA, construction on the latest version of Palmer began in 1938 at a cost of $670,000. Then known as Colorado Springs High School, the building was designed by Edward Burns, a 1921 graduate of the school.

“At the time, the building was called one of the West’s most attractive architectural designs,” according to an article published in the Colorado Gazette. “The school offered numerous amenities, including six porcelain drinking fountains and a spacious, well-lit cafeteria,’’ according to the article.

The school was renamed to honor the founder of Colorado Springs, William Jackson Palmer, in 1959. The original clock tower bell from the building in 1893 is in the school courtyard.

And while Kaiser and his firm have worked on projects of far greater scope and breadth, solving an issue with oddly installed smoke vents from WPA workers is certainly memorable.

“It was a very specialized project,” Kaiser says. “We also worked with the local building department and the fire department to make sure it passed muster. The school was well-built and plenty strong to handle the new smoke vent openings. We didn’t have to do any remedial structural work. Everybody in Colorado Springs knows about Palmer High School, and we were glad to be a part of this project.” CCR