Berkshire Dream Center Opens Bright Morning Star Kitchen
May 6th, 2022
“Teamwork makes the dream work” seems like a fitting mantra to introduce this project story — considering it all kicked off on a soccer field (well, sort of). Let’s just say, if it weren’t for EDM Principal/CEO, Jeromy Richardson’s side gig as youth travel team coach, the Bright Morningstar Kitchen may never have had its Grand Opening.
Jeromy Richardson, Principal/CEO
“Last Fall, I got to know Katelynn Miner, the Founder & Executive Director of Berkshire Dream Center, and her family while coaching her son,” Jeromy explained. “So when the renovation of their Morningside Community kitchen was at a total standstill due to major structural issues, she reached out to me. She had heard good things about EDM and was hopeful we could help.”
At a time when nearly every firm is nose-deep in projects, there are few that would drop everything to jump into one with a small budget and tight turnaround — and even those firms who could would likely be reluctant with the initial design work already started by another engineer.
“Without the perk of a big design fee, it’s even harder to find a team willing to take on a project like this,” Jeromy added. “But for us, knowing the Berkshire County area very well and having a good relationship with the contractor and the architect gave us an advantage that out-of-state or less experienced firms didn’t have. We knew we could rely on the contractor to work collaboratively with our structural engineers to deliver the level of quality expected in a professional manner. This trust and familiarity were key to getting the job done so quickly.”
EDM made its first site visit and worked quickly to design a solution for repair. “They were on a very tight timeline and needed to get construction underway as quickly as possible,” Carlo Schneller, Senior Structural Engineer, explained. “We created a field report with some initial solutions and were able to get moving within the week. I made a few site visits to ensure all instructions were being followed and to provide additional guidance for any further damage discovered along the way.”
The “point-and-go” solution involved taking out loose and damaged bricks and re-mortaring those that were washed out. Unfortunately, like with most older buildings, the damage was worse than anyone anticipated. So they anchored the old layers to the new layers that were swapped in to add extra stability and support.
In the end, the restoration to the restaurant-style dining facility was completed on schedule in time for its grand opening on April 1st — less than 4 weeks from when EDM first stepped on site. Not only did Berkshire Dream Center find a partner who could jump in when they needed it most, but also one that made their dreams within reach in terms of budget.
“One of our biggest core values is giving back to the community,” Jeromy said. “So we immediately thought, what can we do to help? How can we commit some time from our schedule and make it affordable to them to keep this project moving? The unique solution we came up with was really fueled by our relationships. When you’re working with people you know and trust, you can get things done on time and still ensure a high level of quality. Teamwork truly made this win possible.”
Learn more about grand opening of the Bright Morningstar Kitchen in this article from the Berkshire Eagle.
