By James R. Schneider, R.A.
Studio Manager
Baltimore Office

Mergenthaler Vo-Tech Please click on the image above to see a larger version in a new window.

The Mergenthaler Vocational Technical High School in Baltimore, Maryland opened in 1952 and was nationally acclaimed as America's state-of-the-art vocational technical center. The center was the result of a merger among three vocational high schools that were built in the early 1900's (the Edison Vocational High School, the Barton Vocational High School and the Mergenthaler Vocational High School of Printing).

Mergenthaler is a city-wide high school drawing its student population from every geographic location in the city and from all socio-economic levels through an application process. Students represent African-American, European-American, Hispanic-American, Native-American and Asian-American cultures. It truly does represent the "melting pot" of our country.

The merged educational institution was designed to train students in patternmaking, printing and mechanical drawing for the boys and dressmaking and design for the girls. The school is now shifting its focus from the factory/assembly line type jobs training to the service and technology industries. This required a more modern building to accommodate the rapidly expanding, specialized training programs being offered.

To accomplish this goal, Buchart-Horn's Baltimore office was contracted to bring the outdated facility up to today's educational and technical standards. Following a feasibility study, Buchart-Horn concluded that renovation would involve the physical plant including code updates, lighting, electrical service, heating, plumbing and other miscellaneous systems. The $23 million project will enhance and support the educational programs offered and give students and staff a safe, comfortable and visually pleasing environment in which to work.

The broad scope of work is to renovate the existing 385,000 square foot, eight and one-half acre, building completely replacing mechanical and electrical systems. In addition, the upgrade of the thermal and moisture envelope will include the roof, door and window replacements. Interior finishes will be totally renewed and outdated equipment replaced. The project will be completed in six construction phases while students attend classes.

Currently, the 1,700 students at Mergenthaler are taking one or more of the 19 career and technology majors with additional majors planned to be offered when renovations are complete. When complete, the school will be able to accommodate 2200 students. The mammoth school facility features 44 classrooms, 55 vocational laboratories, two science laboratories, a library, three music rooms, a gymnasium, a swimming pool, an auditorium and a cafeteria.

Mergenthaler provides several Tech-Prep courses that encourage students to pursue further study of their skills in post-secondary institutions because of the demands of the technologies.

In addition, the full technical and academic programs graduate a great number of students to four-year colleges and universities to pursue majors related to their high school training.

While the rehabilitation of Mergenthaler is a major project for Buchart-Horn, the firm's association with the school administrators and assorted contractors on the project has gone rather smoothly. We are currently in construction of the first phase of the project - six months into a 30-month construction period.

Building construction will be managed by Whiting-Turner, Inc. that has sublet construction in five contracts: sitework, roof, mechanical, electrical and general.