Our challenge for Anuvia Plant Nutrients, located in Zellwood, Florida, was to build four accessible buildings that met all the needs our clients and their customers would face. The list of needed spaces included a locker room and showers, a laboratory, a maintenance and conference room building, and an administrative building.
We broke this down into four separate buildings. The first, containing the locker room and showers, 12 feet by 56 feet, equaling 672 square feet total. Attached to the locker rooms were restrooms for after-hours truckers to come in, use the facilities and shower if needed.
The second building measured the same dimensions: 12 feet by 56 for a total of 672 square feet once again. This included space for the maintenance staff as well as a conference room in which they could meet and conduct trainings. The building also contained a separate office for the maintenance supervisor, a storage room and a restroom.
The third building contained the laboratory, and measured 24 feet by 54 feet, for a grand total of 1296 square feet. The uniqueness of this building was due to its special requirements; its floor-loading requirements, which had to accommodate the weight of the lab’s machinery; cabinetry and millwork; and proper HVAC air conditioning requirements to mitigate the heat produced by lab testing machines inside the building.
Lastly we built an administrative building. This measured 48 feet by 66, resulting in a footprint of 3168 square feet overall. It housed offices, a large conference room, and restrooms for the executive and support staff. This was also the place where the team would greet customers and future investors upon arrival on the new plant site.
In addition to their individual specifications, buildings also had to meet certain overall requirements. They were built to withstand 160-mile winds, had upgraded white fiber-type roofs with a 15-year warranty, and were built with concrete steps and ramps. Over each door, deck and landing, we fixed awnings.
Because this was an OSHA-conforming site, safety was a requirement from day one, as was the need to build maintenance-free buildings. The utmost thought and preparedness went into building these structures to code, to budget requirements, and within the timeline given. We were successful on all fronts.
