Project Brief

CUNY set out to turn a transitory lobby in the Bedford Building at Medgar Evers College into a Student Commons, the arrival space that hundreds of students and visitors pass through every day. Designed by ikon.5 architects, the room is built around the values associated with the civil rights leader the college is named for: courage, strength, and fortitude, lettered onto the columns and carried through environmental graphics and wall murals honoring his legacy.

The architecture reorganized the floor plate rather than simply refinishing it. The east staircase was relocated and reconfigured to resolve a safety condition, the north entry doors were moved to gain usable floor area, and the glass entry walls and doors were rebuilt to meet current ADA standards. New terrazzo flooring, security desks, digital media screens, and dynamic lighting complete the space, which opened in December 2024.

KeRi provided the mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire protection engineering design supporting that work, covering the new main entrance and lobby and the renovation of the first and second floors. With the building remaining in service, the mechanical approach favored what was already in place: KeRi assessed the existing HVAC, ran heating and cooling load calculations, and reused air conditioning units where they still had service life, then rebuilt the air distribution and terminal devices around the new plan. The electrical scope went back to the distribution, with energy-efficient lighting and advanced controls to support the lighting and media the design depends on, dedicated UPS-backed power for a newly constructed IT room, and fire alarm notification and annunciation brought up to code throughout.

MEP Engineering Scope

What We Engineered

MEP/FP systems for the floor and library renovation:

• Assessment of existing HVAC, heating and cooling load calculations, and strategic reuse of existing AC units
• Upgraded air distribution network with new terminal devices for efficiency and occupant comfort
• New energy-efficient lighting with advanced controls and a new power distribution system
• Dedicated power and UPS backup for a newly constructed IT room
• New fire alarm notification and annunciation devices, code-compliant throughout

The Challenge

Renovating the first two floors and library, plus a new main entrance and lobby, called for fresh comfort, lighting, and life-safety while strategically reusing existing AC equipment to control cost.

Our Solution

KeRi assessed the existing HVAC and reused AC units where viable, upgraded air distribution and lighting, added dedicated UPS-backed power for a new IT room, and brought fire alarm notification up to code throughout.