WITH BUILDING DESIGN IN PRELIMINARY STAGES BY ST. LOUIS-BASED INTERNATIONAL ARCHITECTURAL FIRM HOK, our goal is to construct a state-of-the-art, environmentally responsible “green building” animal care facility. Hoping to construct the new facility in Ellendale Park, at the corner of McCausland and Arsenal, the completed building will be a gift to the City of St. Louis replacing the outdated shelter currently located at 2120 Gasconade. 

Environmental Commitment

Green buildings are constructed under L.E.E.D. criteria (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) which is a voluntary, consensus-based national standard for developing high-performance, sustainable buildings. Our goal is to take an unobtrusive approach to design and construction thereby maintaining and enhancing green space in the Ellendale neighborhood. Upon completion, this building will be the first green building operated by the City of St. Louis.

Park Amenities

The new Animal House facility is intended to complement Ellendale Park and its surrounding neighborhood. The building is conceived to balance with the functions of the park, and so will have a strong and positively sustainable relationship to the surrounding landscape. It is our hope this project will simulate an opportunity for improved amenities to the park including installation of park benches, resurfacing a baseball diamond, upgrading playground and tennis courts, and creation of a tree-lined walking path. Plans also include planting more than 350 trees in the park.

Location within Park

Sited at the north end of the park, the facility is being designed to be built into the side of the existing hill as a way to reinforce the scale of the park and the character of the landscape and open space. It will occupy a footprint of approximately 20,000 square feet housing one level of use, with a green roof and glass storefront system being the defining architectural characteristics displayed to the public. 

Building Components

Since much of the construction will be built into the side of the hill, cast-in-place concrete will be used as both the building foundation walls and the site retaining walls.  Interior partitions will be of gypsum dry wall and CMU block wall, and designed for maximum sound absorption. Skylights and/or clerestory windows will be integrated into the green roof as part of the day lighting and sustainable strategy. High performance mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems are also intended to be used as part of the long-term sustainable strategy and in order to fulfill L.E.E.D. accreditation. With the principal building façade facing south onto the park, optimal solar and day light harvesting conditions will be created. 

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