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
From Amsterdam to Brussels: How MBI Is Strengthening Europe’s Modular Construction Voice
By the end of 2026 MBI’s Government Affairs team will have traveled over 6,000 air miles to bring Town Hall events to five different cities in two countries.
From Model to Machine: Why Modular Scale Is Becoming a Software Problem, not a Material One
For modular manufacturers that have already secured demand and repeatable volume, the next major constraint may no longer be forming capacity itself. Increasingly, it is the continuity of the information feeding that capacity.
Who Will Define Modular Products for AI?
Artificial intelligence is making building configurators easier and less expensive to create. This makes urgent manufacturers’ need portable product definitions, stable identities, and shared interfaces regardless of how others’ software is produced.
From BIM to Robotic Production: A Digital Workflow for Customized Components in Volumetric Modular Construction
For volumetric modular manufacturers, the value of this workflow is not simply the use of robotics. Its real value is continuity.
Helping Build a Common Framework for Modular Construction in Canada
Canada’s modular construction sector continues to gain momentum, but scaling it successfully will depend on shared expectations across design, manufacturing, approvals, and project delivery. CSA Z251 helps provide that common foundation.
Edges, Exits & Equipment: A Modular Builder’s Guide to Rooftop Access
Rooftop access belongs in the factory design. Before the modules ship, the project team should identify each route’s users, confirm applicable requirements, coordinate with the roof system and structure, and assign responsibility.
When Timber Production and Modular Construction Share One System
As demand for multifamily and workforce housing continues to outpace what conventional construction timelines can deliver, models that reduce the number of handoffs between structural fabrication and modular assembly are likely to draw more attention.
Your AI Strategy Is an Enablement Strategy
Tools will change. Teaching employees only the steps in one platform creates a narrow capability. Involving them in problem definition, process mapping, data assessment, controls, and measurement gives the organization a way to improve its systems as technology evolves.
By-Right Permitting: The Missing Lever for Scaling Modular Multifamily
Modular has already proven it can outperform traditional building methods on speed and cost per unit. The next frontier is outside the factory in the front end of the process, where projects either clear a path to construction or get stuck in review.
Remote Inspections and The Future of Factory Oversight
Remote inspection is becoming a practical part of modular construction oversight. Its value is greatest when it is used selectively, governed by clear procedures, and supported by complete traceability.