GOBBELL HAYS PARTNERS, INC.

Yesterday afternoon, members of Gobbell Hays Partners, Inc. attended Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County and Nashville Fire Department's Groundbreaking Ceremony for Fire Stations #21 and #33.  The event featured Nashville Mayor Karl Dean in addition to Nashville Fire Department's Chief Larry Poole.  The ceremony was marked with a great community turnout and beautiful weather - a sure sign of the great fire stations that will soon operate in their respective locations.

GHP's architectural studio provided comprehensive design services on both fire stations within the Messer Construction team.  Construction of the two fire stations, at 19,133 SF each, will be handled by Messer Construction with anticipated completion by end of 2012.  Fire Station #21 and #33 are expected to achieve LEED Silver certification. 

GHP is proud to be working with Metro, Nashville Fire Department and Messer Construction on Fire Stations #21 and #33.  We take pride in designing efficient and visually-appealing facilities in order for our community public safety programs to flow seamlessly and be utilized to their fullest, as well as fit in with their respective surrounding neighborhoods.  Take a moment and visit our Testimonials page to see what Chief Larry Poole and Steve Jones have to say on our role with these facilities.

Our new website is just over a year old now and what a great transition it has been.  If you're reading this, you have probably explored at least some of the areas on the site that make GHP what it is.  The website is ever-evolving with new additions and features happening on a regular basis.  Today, I would like to take a few moments to share with you two of the newest features on GHP1.com - our new Testimonials page and updates to our GHP Denver Training page.

The GHP Testimonials page link can be found on the main site header (just look up and you'll see it in between Training and Awards, or you can click here).  GHP has received some great references for our work, and we wanted to share those with you.  We are honored by the kind words relayed to us by our clients and hope to continue our professional relationship with them for years to come.

Also, we have made some wonderful updates to our GHP Denver Training page.  As you may already know, GHP added the capability to register for training courses online through this page early last year.  Adding to this feature, we are now supplying an "Off-Campus Course Quote" option, which our clients can now inquire about having group courses taught at their facility.  If you have any questions, please feel free to email our Training Coordinator at our GHP Denver office at trainingcoordinator@ghp1.com.

If you have any questions at all regarding GHP, our services and what we can do on your unique project, please feel free to contact our Nashville headquarters at 615-254-8500.  We will direct your call to the appropriate GHP team member that can help you to make your vision a reality.

Dominique Arrieta, Project Manager with Gobbell Hays Partners, Inc. was recently awarded the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce 2011 Nashville Emerging Leader Award in the Architecture, Engineering and Construction category.  The program sponsored by The Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce and YP of Nashville recognizes Middle Tennessee’s young professionals under the age of 40 with significant accomplishments in their chosen professional field, as well as their commitment and contribution to the community.  With over 400 applicants received for the fourteen industry categories, we are very proud of Mrs. Arrieta for this well-deserved recognition.

                       Photo credit: Nashville Chamber                                                    Photo credit: Harry Butler

                            (All photos are copyright of Harry Butler and the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce.)

On July 8, 2011, Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, Metro General Services and Metro Nashville Public Libraries officially opened the Goodlettsville Branch Library in Goodlettsville, TN.  This 16,000 SF, state-of-the-art library features a children's, young adult/teen and adult/senior area, popular materials/displays, audio visual, vending, meeting spaces, study rooms and a special, Goodlettsville-oriented historic exhibit.  In addition to 38 public computers, wireless technology throughout the library, self-checkout stations, public seating up to 200, an approximate 36,000 item collection and parking for up to 90, the Goodlettsville Branch Library provides everything and more for younger learning minds to professionals and seniors in the community.  The Library is located in front of Goodlettsville Elementary, which creates a sphere of education within a short walking distance.

Gobbell Hays Partners, Inc. worked closely with all Metro entities through the entire fruition of the Goodlettsville Branch Library, serving as Bridging Architect.  Dominique G. Arrieta, AIA, LEED AP, served as Program Manager and held this position highly to ensure the Library met and exceeded the expectations of Metro Nashville, Metro Nashville Public Libraries and the community of Goodlettsville.  We are proud to have been associated with such a successful project not only due to its appeal and functionality, but also how highly-beneficial the Library will be for the students and citizens of Goodlettsville.

                     Mayor Karl Dean with Goodlettsville Elementary students at ceremonial ribbon cutting.                          Dominique Arrieta with Library Director Donna Nicely.

Gobbell Hays Partners, Inc. was mentioned in the June 27, 2011, edition of Nashville City Paper which details the design of the new Fire Station No. 2 at 416 Russell Street in East Nashville.  The article reflects on GHP's talents for producing quality, appealing work and what might the new Fire Station No. 2 look like upon completion.  Teaming with Messer Construction, GHP is excited for the publicity the Fire Station is receiving and hopes to design a structure that is not only efficient and useful for those that will occupy it, but will appeal to the East Nashville Community as a landmark citizens can appreciate.

If you would like to read the article, you can view it by clicking here.

Our neighbors at The Hermitage Hotel received a very prestigous honor this week being named in the U.S. News Ten Best Hotels in the USA list.  The Hermitage Hotel is ranked as the 6th Best Hotel in the USA along with other luxury hotels located in Chicago, Maui, San Francisco, Seattle, New York City, Las Vegas and Naples. Also to note, The Hermitage Hotel is the only hotel in the southeast to be named in the top ten and continues to be the only Forbes Five Star and AAA Five Diamond Award winning hotel in the state of Tennessee.  You can view the article on the U.S. News website by clicking here.

As we at Gobbell Hays Partners, Inc. congratulate The Hermitage Hotel on their incredible acknowledgment, we cannot go without feeling a sense of pride that we were able to have our hand in making The Hermitage Hotel the destination it is today.  GHP was tasked with providing a full design renovation to the hotel including its 123 guest rooms and suites, including:

• Restoration of all public spaces, including the main lobby, veranda, ballroom, administrative offices and meeting rooms
• Upgrades to finishes, furniture and equipment in the Capitol Grille and Bar
• Mechanical and electrical system upgrades
• Restoration to the exterior facades to stabilize the decorative terracotta and masonry work
• Replacement of existing windows

We are proud to have made our mark in making this historic downtown hotel as beautiful and nationally-recognized as it stands.

Congratulations again to The Hermitage Hotel for this well-deserved honor!

Last week, Ronald V. Gobbell, FAIA, President and various other Nashville business leaders attended the Music City Leadership Study Mission in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.  The trip was beneficial in learning possible new avenues to stage Nashville on the global economic stage by viewing what other larger cities are doing.  During one of the final tours, Mr. Gobbell had the opportunity to visit the Hockey Hall of Fame and take a picture with Lord Stanley's Cup.  As you can plainly see, the Cup desperately needs an extended stay in Nashville.

With our Nashville Predators currently down 3-2 to one of Toronto's Canadian rivals, the Vancouer Canucks, we're crossing our fingers that Mr. Gobbell can take a few more pictures with the Stanley Cup closer to home - along with everyone else here at GHP!

GO PREDS!

Happy Holidays From GHP (don't forget to turn up your speakers for sound!)

Come gather round, friends, and join us in cheer,
We’re happy to complete yet another good year.
We’ve been blessed with change and tried to adapt,
Using technology and time to not get strapped.
So it’s here that we say goodbye to ‘ten’,
And to a new year of changin’ yet again.
To all of our friends who are far and are near,
A very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

We want to thank all of you for being a part of GHP and making 2010 a great year!

It’s not every day you get to see the Founder and President of your firm hurl himself off the top of a 27-story building.  At Gobbell Hays Partners, rare instances such as this can, and did, happen to the delight of family, friends, colleagues and employees.  Ron Gobbell rappelled down a skyscraper – and it was quite a sight to see.

Being relatively new and Mr. Gobbell’s assistant, my first thought was that I would be drafted in to take his place at the very last moment.  Being extremely afraid of heights, I didn’t think too fondly of it being in the realm of possibility.  Thankfully, Mr. Gobbell put me out of my misery - going through a bit of misery himself - by taking that small hop off Nashville City Center. 

Whew.

After a few sighs of relief, my second thought was the cause behind why we were all watching Mr. Gobbell and others tempt fate.  The event in question, Over the Edge, was held to raise funds for Special Olympics Tennessee.  With 16,000 Special Olympians in Tennessee, this event was a great way to spread awareness and raise money for an organization that does so much for those that are part of the Special Olympics program in Tennessee.  As humorous as it was to see Mr. Gobbell repel slowly down a massive downtown building, supporting Special Olympics Tennessee was definitely icing on the cake.

If you’re looking for a great organization, look no further than Special Olympics Tennessee.  As a matter of fact, you don’t have to hug the side of a building to make a difference.  Instead, take a moment and visit specialolympicstn.org to make a donation.  Any contribution goes a long way to helping this extraordinary organization’s cause.

Written by: Grant Waldron

Are industry regulators or the local fire marshal knocking on your door?  Are you confident in your facility’s compliance with applicable codes?
 
While model building codes such as the IBC are enforced by building officials only when a structure is constructed or renovated, building safety codes and standards are routinely being enforced in existing buildings by local fire departments, OSHA and other regulatory bodies. Building professionals are noticing an upward trend in the enforcement of the Life Safety Code (NFPA 101) in private-sector facilities, most notably health care organizations accommodating overnight patients. Some believe it is only a matter of time before this trend is reproduced in other types of facilities where people spend the night.
 
Overview:  The primary purpose of the Life Safety Code is to protect the safety of building occupants during a fire. Requirements are organized by occupancy type, as they vary substantially among different types of buildings. Code requirements for high-occupant buildings and/or those containing sleeping accommodations are generally more stringent than for other building types. The bulk of requirements for any occupancy fall under one of the following categories:
Means of Egress - (or safe way out) consists of three components: exit access, exit, and exit discharge. The exit access includes the path you travel from wherever you may be standing when danger is perceived to the point you reach the exit. The exit begins at the point you are sufficiently protected from the fire. In multi-story buildings, the exit usually begins as you enter the stairwell. An exit discharge consists of the path between the protected exit and a public way.
Protection -requirements include fire resistance, detection, alarm, extinguishment, and compartmentation. Satisfying requirements in this category can be a balancing act between sprinkler systems and fire resistance: greater sprinkler coverage can significantly reduce other code requirements.
Building Services - requirements include specific provisions for building systems such as utilities, HVAC systems and elevators.
Operating Features - building owners are required to develop evacuation plans, conduct routine inspections, maintain exits in a safe and unobstructed condition, and to limit storage and use of hazardous materials which could compromise the safety of occupants.
 
Common Misconceptions:
People sometimes say a building is “grandfathered” and therefore not required to comply with building codes.  There is no legal basis for this!  However, the Life Safety Code and other codes provide specific exceptions for existing buildings and the requirements are generally less stringent.
It is often assumed that electrical panel rooms are required to be enclosed with fire partitions or fire barriers.  However, unless an electrical room contains oil-insulated or dry-type transformers rated at or above 112 ½ kVA or is considered an “electrical vault” there are no fire resistance requirements for walls surrounding electrical rooms.
Fire and smoke dampers are commonly assumed to be required at all locations where a duct penetrates a fire or smoke rated assembly.  In fact, there are significant code exceptions which sometimes permit ducts without dampers.
 
In order to better assist our valued clients with their code-compliance concerns, Gobbell Hays Partners, Inc. specializes in the following areas of service:
Comprehensive Life Safety Assessments
Turn-Key Building Life Safety Improvements
Environment of Care Life Safety Mock Surveys
Life Safety Consultation and Peer Reviews
Owner Representation for a Variance or Code Appeal
Expert Witness and Litigation Support
Life Safety Drawing and Document Management
Architecture / Building Design

Recently, GHP’s very own Dominique Arrieta was a co-speaker at an Urban Land Institute presentation for the Lofts at Werthan Mills.  Dominique, who provided master planning design to Phase II, III and IV, spoke on the project’s architectural elements including existing structure challenges, sound transmission and code appeals and led the ULI Young Leader Group on a tour of the property.  Together with Core Development, the presentation and tour was a highly successful venture in displaying one of Nashville’s oldest and largest historic sites transformed into a modern, multi-family residential property.

As a Project Manager at Gobbell Hays Partners, Dominique has ten years of experience in design and construction with an emphasis in healthcare architecture.  In addition, she has experience in educational, religious, civic, and residential architecture.  She has planned, coordinated, and administered projects through all phases of development and construction and has served as an owner’s program manager on a number of projects.  Dominique is current working on projects including Goodlettsville Public Library, West Precinct and Metro Crime Lab, and Hickory Hollow Master Plan.

At Gobbell Hays Partners, we are always working on various architectural and environmental projects to exceed our clients’ highest expectations.  Whether it is an indoor air quality (IAQ) assessment or large renovation project, such as the Lofts at Werthan Mills, GHP strives to provide the utmost service keeping in mind the little details that make a project what it is – unique and important.

Written by: Grant Waldron