Repurposed for a Second Life: Renovated Reuse Case Study
The original 24’x64’ building was built by Modern Building Systems in 1996 to serve as daycare facility for the Northwest Regional Educational Service District (ESD) in Forest Grove, Oregon. In 2016 the building was no longer needed and donated to the local Habitat for Humanity chapter by Modern Building Systems. They purchased and removed the building at no cost to the ESD. It then was transformed into a beautiful newly renovated daycare facility for Family Nurturing Center to expand services as a satellite campus in Phoenix, Oregon. The building now houses daycare services for 28 children and families.
The newly renovated daycare space is comprised of two classrooms, men’s and women’s restrooms, an office space, and kitchen. Modern worked with Family Nurturing Center board member and architect, Brian Westerhout to redesign the building to fit the needs and desires of the daycare. Additional walls were installed near the restroom and hallway area between the classrooms was widened to allow for greater accessibility. Old windows were replaced by large 8/0 x 6/0 premium vinyl windows to bring in more sunlight into the room. While the upgrades of marmoleum flooring and casework adds additional visual appeal throughout the building. The new exterior features include: bright custom colors of fiber cement siding and trims. Roofing and welded hollow metal doors were upgraded as well.
Materials from the original builder were used whenever possible. By utilizing the original structure as much as possible, the result was less construction and demolition waste in the landfill. Basically, the client recycled a whole modular building. A brand new high-efficient gas Bard mechanical unit was installed on the building to upgrade the building.
The Family Nurturing Center is a nonprofit that is part of Oregon’s innovative and comprehensive response to support children and families in crisis and therefore operates on razor thin budgets. Modern, long with local contractors, gave discounts and donations to help make this project a reality. By utilizing a used building and renovating it, the client saved thousands of dollars compared to a new building to the same design and specifications.
This article originally appeared in the Modular Advantage Magazine - Fourth Quarter 2018 released in November 2018.
More from Modular Advantage
Resia: Breaking All the Rules
Resia Manufacturing, a division of U.S.-based Resia, is now offering prefabricated bathroom and kitchen components to industry partners. Its hybrid fabrication facility produces more precise bathroom and kitchen components (modules) faster and at lower cost than traditional construction. Here’s how Resia Manufacturing does it.
How LINQ Modular Innovates to Bring Modular To The Market in the UAE and Beyond
LINQ Modular, with an office and three manufacturing facilities in Dubai, is a modular firm based in United Arab Emirates. The company is on a mission: to break open the housing and construction markets in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) area with modular.
ModMax: Redefining Modular Construction with Confidence and Precision
ModMax was born out of frustration—frustration with five persistent pain points in modular construction: Permitting bottlenecks. Production delays. Rigid designs. Disconnect between “the office” and the field. Lack of transparency and communication.
LifeArk: Disaster-Resilient Housing from Recycled Plastic and 100-year-old Technology
Wee compares LifeArk’s housing units to Yeti coolers, as they are built similarly. Each component takes 15 to 20 minutes to manufacture, has an R-value of 40, and includes molded slots and chases for wiring, plumbing, fire sprinklers, and other utilities.
Building the Future of Modular Edge Infrastructure
The edge data center market is expanding rapidly, driven by the surge in AI workloads, IoT adoption, and the need for localized compute power. In these environments, sustainability, scalability, and reliability are non-negotiable. Cooling is among the most complex challenges for operators—and one of the most decisive factors in long-term success.
Accelerating Light-Gauge Steel Construction: A Semi-Automated Digital Workflow for Off-Site Projects
For construction professionals, the message is clear. By adopting semi-automation and digitalization, companies can deliver projects faster, more accurately, and more profitably, while also building stronger collaboration across teams. The approach is not about replacing people with machines, but about empowering people with better tools and processes.
Why Modular Data Centers Are Gaining Momentum
Artificial intelligence, high-performance computing, and edge applications push the limits of traditional “stick-built” data centers. They take years build, often struggle with high density workloads, and aren’t optimized for deployments near end users. Modular data center platforms are purpose-built to address these challenges, offering flexibility and scalability to adapt to evolving technologies, while opening new opportunities for the modular construction industry.
Supply Chain Innovation in Action: 5 Habits Every Modular Leader Should Practice
By applying these principles to supply chain practices — collaborative planning, strategic procurement, scenario modeling, digital tools, and transparent forecasting — construction leaders can build value chains that are not just efficient and agile, but truly innovative.
Exploring the Role of Modular Integrated Construction (MiC) in Advancing Circular City Principles – A Survey of Stakeholder Perspectives
The survey findings highlight the significant potential of Modular integrated Construction (MiC) in advancing the development of circular cities. By reducing costs, accelerating construction timelines, and minimizing waste generation, MiC offers a promising approach to sustainable urban development.
The Use of MS POLYMER™-Based Sealants and Adhesives in Modular Building
These products combine flexibility and elastic recovery with excellent adhesion to different substrates and have already shown their usefulness in traditional construction. Now it’s time for them to be put to use in the modular construction industry.