Ball Completes Challenging Europro Reno
Ball Construction’s renovation work at 22 Frederick Street in Kitchener has reached substantial completion with rave reviews from the owner. This outdated 95,000 square-foot, 12-storey tower was in dire need of a facelift. Ball was hired to renovate approximately 8,200 square feet including the main lobby, the exterior front entrance, and the second-level elevator lobby and office space.
Our experienced construction team worked with our design partner, Archon Architects, to bring Europro’s vision to life. The office space transformation now allows for the showcasing of open ceilings and exposed concrete. The front POD—as it became known—was completely redesigned to incorporate floor-to-ceiling glazing, allowing natural illumination while adding a striking feature to the overall appearance of the facility’s entry point. Other embellishments include a new glazing stair tower, large 1 m x 3 m tile flooring in the lobby, a glass feature wall, coloured and patterned concrete entrance with new landscaping components, benches and planter boxes.
As with any renovation project, there were challenges. To start with, renovations took place while the facility was occupied. Through continual communication with the owner and tenants, we were able to schedule work and incorporate night shifts with little or no impact on staff while focusing on safety at all times. Another issue was the necessary removal of major sections of the concrete POD structure to allow for glazing. New structural reinforcement had to be added for this work to advance—again, while strictly adhering to safety practices.
Working through the COVID-19 pandemic meant further safety protocols needed to be in place for workers and staff. Through the leadership of our construction team and our health and safety manager, these measures were implemented proficiently without affecting scheduling.
The building’s stunning transformation catches the eyes of passersby and the design components add uniqueness to the streetscape, as evidenced by before-and-after pictures.
