Press

CDB-Illinois State Armory Building

TKB’s architectural work at the Armory continues with the in-process restoration of its original flagpole, shown in the photo to the left with the Illinois Capitol Building in the background.
Rust and scale have been removed from both the sculptural base and the flagpole itself after abatement of the original lead paint. Paint analysis prior to removal revealed the original color, which reflects the green and warm neutrals of the building exterior.
Moisture, humidity, temperature extremes, and UV exposure had faded the 1937 paint color and eroded the base metal. The base is now in the process of restoration under TKB’s direction and will be repainted to match the original color when complete.
The repair, restoration, and repainting of the flagpole and its sculptural base honor the original intent of the WPA building design and their symbolic import for the State of Illinois.

IL DOT Construction Materials Lab

In the Illinois Department of Transportation’s Springfield campus, TKB recently developed the requirements for a new design-build project working with the CDB and IDOT input.

The new building will house specialized materials testing laboratories for IDOT along with associated offices. The building will be divided into the state materials testing headquarters, and a district location with independent functionality. Proximity of offices to laboratories by employee responsibilities is an important intention for the project. Daylight is critical to some of the laboratories, and all of them require high bay clearance and careful material moving capabilities.

Detailed project requirements are captured in bridging documents completed by the TKB project team and approved by IDOT and the CDB. The CDB is now using these bridging documents as the project basis as they interview potential design-build teams; TKB has assisted with the interviewing effort. TKB will continue to work with the CDB and IDOT as the project design and construction progress, providing oversight to assure compliance with the bridging documents.

Winter 2022 – IL State Armory Stabilization Phase Announcement

Over the past two years TKB has been working with the Capital Development Board to restore and renovate the Illinois State Armory, with input from the Illinois Historic Preservation Office.

The comprehensive project, which will be divided into Stabilization and Renovation phases of work, will include a new roof, a restored limestone façade, and interior and exterior accessibility modifications. Comprehensive code and condition updates to the architecture and MEP systems will allow for flexible, functional, and aesthetically pleasing office space to meet current and future State of Illinois needs. The building is adjacent to the Illinois Capitol Building; the project was defined during the State’s comprehensive planning for the Capitol campus.

Stabilization of the Illinois State Armory has been awarded to Williams Brothers Construction and will begin in Q1 2023; they will provide abatement services to prepare the building for the Renovation Phase of the project. Additionally, Williams Brothers will complete exterior renovations including masonry restoration, exterior accessibility modifications, and new windows.

Once complete, the comprehensive renovation of the Illinois State Armory will provide 200,000 square feet of office space to the Capitol complex, reclaiming a historic building to functional use. The Tilton, Kelly + Bell design team continues to develop plans to highlight the historic features of the Armory for the building’s planned 800 state employees.

placed the existing standing seam metal roof panels and replaced the current louver systems to create a more weather resistant enclosure. TKB also upgraded the lightning protection system by increasing the number of collection points, which will help dissipate electrical currents down and away from the building.

Summer 2022 – Illinois State Armory Renovation

Tilton, Kelly + Bell is currently designing a renovation and restoration for the historic Illinois State Armory building, working for the Illinois Capitol Development Board and Central Management Services. The Armory is a 1930’s WPA building in Springfield, Illinois, prominently facing the Illinois State Capitol building. Planning is being coordinated with the Capital Complex Master Plan, concurrently under development. The State Historical Preservation Office is reviewing preservation efforts.

The project work includes a new roof, new skylights, a restored limestone façade, interior and exterior accessibility modifications, and a new circulation pattern and core location. Comprehensive code and condition updates are required to the architecture and MEP systems throughout, with the goal of providing flexible, functional, and aesthetically pleasing office space to meet current and future needs.

Vacant for approximately ten years, the Armory presents a deteriorated condition, with considerable water damage from the roof affecting both the interior and the façade and outdated systems and condition throughout. The multi-story drill hall, a historic feature of the building, will be partially restored to preserve a dramatic core for the building’s planned 800 state workers. The remainder of the drill hall will be incorporated into office space connecting two independent office stacks, increasing office space from 90,000 square feet to 96,000 square feet. The modifications will increase efficiency per state guidelines and provide much-needed office space in the Capitol complex.

Summer 2022 – UIUC Krannert Art Museum

TKB is undertaking renovation of the Andean Gallery and Giertz Education Center at UIUC’s Krannert Art Museum, following the successful remodeling of the East Gallery in 2021. Construction on the new project is expected in 2023.

In 2021, TKB worked closely with museum staff in designing the revitalization of the museum’s largest gallery space to provide the appropriate lighting and envelope for changing exhibits. With the assistance of an exhibit designer, temporary partitions were inserted into the gallery to divide and directed visitor circulation through the space, adding 400 linear feet of critical new exhibit space for the museum.

Project execution required careful design of temporary partitions to assure stability. Robust concealed support systems work within the minimalist gallery aesthetic. A catwalk and harness system were added to ensure curatorial staff safety when installing suspended displays. New programmable lighting controls produce balanced spectrum light which can be set for each exhibit and, where desired, for individual pieces within an exhibit. The East Gallery focus on modern and contemporary art necessitated concealed electrical systems for digital art pieces.

New AC distribution systems provide a carefully controlled environment to preserve artworks and other materials. An added extension of the existing pre-action fire suppressant system enhances fire safety at minimal risk to the art.

Chicago Public Schools Summers 2021-2022

Pre-K Classrooms

Under a new policy creating a universal Pre-K education system in the City of Chicago, the multi-year plan is creating free access to full day schooling for all Chicago children regardless of location or income. Because Pre-K programs have unique classroom requirements, the policy change launched renovations efforts across Chicago schools. In the Summer of 2021 and currently in the Summer of 2022, TKB is updating classroom to Pre-K standards in a total of twelve schools. The scope of the work included refreshing and renovating rooms to meet Pre-K children’s needs by adjusting toilet rooms, counters and drinking fountains to a Pre-K height. New finishes and the necessary accessibility updates complete the work.

Additionally, the TKB team partnered with the Chicago Public Schools to complete classroom renovations at 4 local elementary schools. The work consisted of interior classroom renovations including new finishes and minor exterior site improvements.

Interior Classroom Renovations

In the Summer of 2021, TKB completed renovations at four elementary schools. The changes comprised interior updates, new finishes, and minor exterior site improvements. Like all CPS summer projects, the work was time sensitive, requiring completion before the new school term began. TKB, CPS, and the contractor all had a role in accomplishing beneficial use of the space before school began last fall.

Roof Projects

For the Summer of 2022, TKB is undertaking full replacement of two school roofs, along with related work constituting limited exterior renovations and, at one of the school, full renovation of first floor toilet rooms to provide accessibility. Completion is expected by summer’s end.

UIUC Veterinary Teaching Hospital

Fall 2021

TKB and its design team completed the building expansion and extensive renovations to the University of Illinois’ Veterinary Teaching Hospital Small Animal Clinic.

Lead by TKB, the design team expanded the hospital’s operating room capacity from 3 to 7, added an interventional radiation suite, added a step-down unit, and expanded critical care capability for both ICU and emergency services.

The existing building’s strong cruciform shape and canted exposed aggregate walls required creativity to blend the surgical expansion wing, ventilation, and space requirements with the 60’s era building. The new surgical wing provides both direct and indirect observational capabilities to students and teaching staff through AV infrastructure and viewing windows. The space vacated by the surgical program allowed an expansion for surgical intake to support pre- and post-op program requirements, and the expansion and reorganization of both the emergency department and critical care unit.

University of Chicago 1155 Building

The University of Chicago selected TKB to complete a renovation feasibility study on a multilevel midcentury academic building located on the campus’ vibrant Midway Plaisance. The study was targeted on:

Addressing internal organization and efficiency
Improving the building’s confusing, uninviting entry sequence,
Redesigning the building’s dated façade and underutilized courtyard
Recommending improvements to infrastructure and energy efficiency

In the final feasibility study and phased implementation of the interior renovation, , TKB addressed the internal organization and efficiency of the building’s interior spaces. TKB identified overlapping constituencies of academic and community outreach entities, reinforcing existing synergies through the interior redesign. This leveraged the unique 1155 Building characteristics and accommodates both research and instructional activities. Solutions addressed varying group sizes, desired adjacencies, growth potential of the evolving programs, while conserving usable space for future units.

The TKB team’s overall design of the building entry, courtyard and façade took an outside-in approach in developing solutions for the building façade and entry sequence, which will be completed in a future phase of work. Once implemented, the design will enhance the user experience and exterior aesthetics of the aging building. A new, all-glass lobby and arcade will replace the original austere entrance to warmly welcome visitors. This future exterior modification will give the building appropriate prominence among its architecturally distinguished neighboring buildings.

August 2021 – UIUC Ceramics Building

TKB completed improvements to the university’s historic Ceramics Building. The 1915 Renaissance Revival building is eligible for the National Register of Historic Places; an essential element of the work was preserving the building’s historic features while addressing the necessary improvements.

TKB designed renovations to existing toilet rooms to address life safety updates, and deficits related to accessibility, finishes, lighting, and plumbing. The team added all-gender toilet rooms and increased fixture counts to meet current plumbing codes. The work required the reconfiguration of existing toilet rooms and the addition of adjacent space to meet expanded requirements. TKB selected finishes to be historically compatible and durable.

Original design elements were preserved in public corridors whenever possible and renovated rooms maintained a historically sympathetic approach. The project preserved vintage millwork frames and doors, matching duplicating them where new work was necessary. New terrazzo in affected public areas matched the original to maintain continuity throughout the historic building.

August 2021 – Illinois State Armory Restoration and Renovation

Tilton, Kelly + Bell is currently designing a renovation and restoration for the historic Illinois State Armory building, working for the Illinois Capitol Development Board and with Central Management Services. The Armory is a 1930’s WPA building in Springfield, Illinois, prominently facing the Illinois State Capitol building. Planning will be coordinated with the Capital Complex Master Plan, concurrently under development; the State Historical Preservation Office will review preservation efforts.

Vacant for approximately ten years, the Armory presents a deteriorated condition, with considerable water damage from the roof affecting both the interior and the façade, and with outdated systems and condition throughout. The historic multi-story drill hall will be partially restored in a modified version, creating a dramatic core for the building’s future accommodation of 800 state workers. The original building contained 90,000 square feet of offices in separate vertical towers; current plans will add 96,000 square feet of office space by incorporating a portion of the drill hall volume. New offices will increase efficiency per state guidelines.

The project work includes a new roof, new skylights, a restored limestone façade, interior and exterior accessibility modifications, and a new circulation pattern and core location. Comprehensive code and condition updates are required to the architecture and MEP systems throughout, with the goal of providing flexible, functional, and aesthetically pleasing office space to meet current and future needs.

Section through the original Auditorium

HVAC Distribution Diagram

Mar, 2024

Oct, 2023

Dec, 2022

Jul, 2022

Sep, 2021

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Jul, 2021