Cenacle Sisters New Convent and Retreat Center
Location: Ronkonkoma, New York
Cost: $25,000,000
Completion: 2012
Awards & Recognition
LEED Gold certified
Responsibilities
Senior Energy Conservation Engineer, Project Manager
- Prepared whole building energy model based on ASHRAE 90.1 2004 requirements for LEED certification
- Managed the project during construction support services
The Cenacle Sisters located at 310 Cenacle Road, Ronkonkoma, New York, currently operates in a building that houses a convent, chapel, offices and retreat facilities for the Sisters and the general public. The Ronkonkoma Cenacle is part of the North American Province of the Congregation of Our Lady of the Cenacle, an International Catholic Order. The existing facility consisted of a four-story concrete framed structure, constructed around 1926 containing approximately 87,000 SF and located on approximately 45 acres. The facility was outdated and not well-suited to the needs of the community and current operations and, therefore, was de-commissioned and replaced with a new 45,000-SF two-story convent/retreat center. In addition, a 1,500-SF maintenance garage and several Hermitage Cottages were constructed.
The $25-million design-build project included convent administration, convent living space, retreat living, prayer enrollment and support/common spaces including a chapel, wellness center, meeting rooms, prep kitchen and dining rooms, among other spaces. The new building is steel frame construction and maintains qualities of the original convent building, including brick and stone detailing, re-use of the existing Spanish tile roof and other building characteristics.
Dewberry provided structural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing and fire protection design and construction phase services utilizing a design-build methodology of project delivery. The building has obtained LEED Gold certification by using a variety of sustainable design techniques, including geothermal energy, heat recovery, radiant in-floor heating, high-efficiency lighting, and high-efficiency condensing boilers and water heaters.
