Alten Construction completes Marin Catholic's building makeover

San Rafael CA

23 March, 2021

9:25 AM

Description

Alten Construction, a full-service San Francisco Bay Area commercial construction company, recently wrapped up renovation work to the St. Anselm Hall on the campus of Marin Catholic High School, an Archdiocesan, Catholic, co-ed college prep high school founded on the values of faith, knowledge and service. St. Anselm Hall was originally designed as a convent to house the Sisters who taught at the school in the 1950s, but most recently, those rooms were turned into storage and office space. The school’s recent growth spurred the restoration and St. Anselm Hall’s complete revamp. Alten Construction demolished the existing interior of the 17,733-square-foot, two-story building, reconfigured the structure with new spaces and classrooms and turned them over for student and staff occupancy in October 2020. St. Anselm Hall now consists of a new Counseling Center, Campus Ministry Center with a design made of mostly glass, three classrooms and the school’s Principled Entrepreneurship Institute, an innovative curriculum where students use entrepreneurship and the discernment of their God-given gifts, talents and abilities to seek out their ultimate purpose and vocation. The commercial construction team also remodeled some existing classrooms and Poetz Theater. Other repairs included new exterior plaster and roof, a structural reboot, new lighting, plumbing, a new HVAC system and site work, overall code compliance and general building infrastructure improvements, fire sprinklers throughout St. Anselm Hall, reroofing, repainting and American’s with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility enhancements, among others. “I could not be happier with the completion of this game-changing project for our students and the community,” said Tim Navone, president of Marin Catholic High School. “It absolutely would not have been the same without Alten Construction. Beyond the incredible quality of work and being honest and upfront at every turn, the secret sauce of Alten Construction is the trust and confidence that they are on our side and a part of our community. They approach every stage of construction as if they are building it for themselves. I look forward to working with Alten Construction again in the future.” The refurbishment was divided into two phases so students were not displaced during construction. The first segment of construction included demolition of the offices while the students still occupied the theater and existing classrooms. Once school was out, the construction team stripped the entire building and reframed it. The existing and new classrooms were finished first and followed by the offices and hallways. Luke O’Neill, a project manager for Alten Construction who worked on the renovation, graduated from Marin Catholic High School in 2006. “St. Anselm’s Hall now has a completely new feel,” said O’Neill. “The old corridors and small offices have transitioned into great spaces for students and staff to utilize. The updated lobby area is very open and inviting, and I can envision students enjoying this space before and after class. The offices and conference rooms are areas where work and meetings can be conducted in the future, and the classrooms seem much brighter and really fit with the Marin Catholic High School campus aesthetic.” Located at 675 Sir Francis Drake Blvd. in Kentfield, the estimated project cost is $8.05 million. Established in 1949, the Marin Catholic student body of nearly 800 students reflects the socio-economic, cultural and ethnic diversity of the community. About Alten Construction Founded by Bob and Shannon Alten in 1995, Alten Construction not only offers a full range of commercial construction services but is also a licensed builder, with its own shop, carpenters and construction laborers. Over the past 25 years, Alten Construction has grown from a small public works company and now serves public and private clients throughout the San Francisco Bay Area with a personal touch. From schools and fire stations to historic buildings and tenant improvements, the company’s team has extensive experience and completes superior and high-quality projects with leadership demonstrated at all stages of a project. Alten Construction is committed to green building practices, and the firm has LEED Accredited Professionals on staff. Dedicated to the community, Alten Construction partners with small, local businesses and develops construction professionals through its internship opportunities and in-house training. The commercial construction firm is also affiliated with the Construction Employers’ Association, Marin Builders Association and the North Coast Builders Exchange. For more information, visit www.AltenConstruction.com or call 510-234-4200. ### [Photo 1: Interior inside Marin Catholic High School] [Photo 2: Interior inside Marin Catholic High School]