Centennial Commons Renovation and Addition

University City, MO
Construction Cost: $5 million
Area / Square Feet: 60,600
Occupancy Date: December 2005

Acomplex assembly of new and old, with focus on a forgotten park, the Centennial Commons renovation and addition introduces a gymnasium with an elevated track, meeting rooms, a children’s activity space and a larger fitness center to a facility that has seen multiple additions dating back to 1920.

The main objective was to utilize as much non-programmed existing space in the new development as possible, requiring limited new construction and keeping the overall building footprint compact to minimize impact on the city’s park. One major challenge involved integrating multiple building additions of various architectural character. A second challenge resulted from a requirement that the latest addition be built at an elevation four feet higher than the existing facility — which was built in a floodplain — without visually overpowering the original building.

The new floor plan includes a relocated main entrance focusing on a historic fountain, which serves as a scenic backdrop for the city’s summer concert series. This entrance space leads to the fitness center area, located between new and renovated spaces, and serves as the functional core of the building. A glass wall opposite the entry provides additional views to the park’s activity areas. The smaller masses of new program spaces are similar in scale to the existing building, decreasing the visual impact of the large gymnasium positioned at the rear of the facility. Brick, colored masonry, metal and stucco on the smaller building masses match existing facility materials while highlighting accent walls.

Exterior materials and colors are carried into the lobby and fitness center core through the use of stained concrete floors, masonry walls and complementary paint colors.