Fort Drum Child Care Center
Watertown, New York

Owner:	Fort Drum Child Care Center
Size:	16,000 square feet
Cost:	$3.2 million

This unique Child Care Center was designed for the U.S. Corps of Engineers, using a combination of military standards as well as concepts supplied by the designers and their prior experience designing child care facilities. Challenges to the design included the amount of snow that falls at the base, as much as 12 feet; Zone seismic design severe weather and cold conditions. The facility was designed with entirely non-combustible construction. A playground to accommodate active play which included tricycle paths and quiet play/shade areas for infants was included. A plan for solar heating was scrapped when the design team proved that the ROI was too long, so a conventions system was designed.

The project was bid and awarded within 1% of our Final Cost Estimate. Members of Studio 5 Partnership additionally provided the facility with comprehensive interior design services for this project. Special consideration was given to security of the children.