Building a freestanding storage facility for housing the Nemours estate’s antique furniture, artwork, textiles and film required challenging coordination working with many stakeholders on a complex building envelope. Multiple trades were involved with ensuring a watertight envelope to safeguard the historic artifacts for this $4.9-million project, which was completed on schedule and at budget in 11 months. 

The storage facility exterior was designed and built to mimic the roof pitch of nearby buildings on the sprawling estate. Inside, a variety of storage systems were installed on tracks within the concrete. Design and construction of 13-ft-high storage systems were unusually challenging for the project. With limited space for housing MEP equipment including ductwork and sprinklers above the shelving, the team used building information modeling to virtually solve any potential conflicts before installation. When the team identified delays in shipping electrical panels, it found alternative suppliers for the interiors, guts and breakers to reduce rework and the impact on cost and schedule.