Keeping the Structure Safe | Structural Engineering

JEFF THOMS, PE | Sr. Structural Engineer

Structural Engineering for Adaptive Residential Reuse of Former School

Kramer Marks Architects | Duffy School Apartments

When the Marcella L. Duffy School was established as Florence School No. 1 in the 1870s, the four-classroom building was the first public school in the community. Located in Florence, New Jersey, this project involved the development of 53 units of affordable, senior housing. The original 1870s school building required substantial on-site inspection during construction. A three-story wood framed addition extended the building. The project emphasized the adaptive reuse and rehabilitation of the Duffy School into an apartment building featuring historic renovation / revitalization of the former school, completed in 1924, plus new amenities for today's lifestyle. The sustainable design features of this project satisfy the standards of New Jersey’s ENERGY Efficient Homes and USGBC LEED© for Homes programs.