Posts in Albany Club Revitalization

The pipes running in the basement, running from the kitchen to the front of the building are as old as the building they support. These old glavanized pipeing have been around since the 1800’s and are due to be replaced.
Due to a leak and the club being closed, the timing was perfect to install some 21st century plumbing.

This is a critical step to ensure both preserve the integrity of our historic building, but to also ensure that our Club is able to keep up with the increased usage in the new century! The old pipes was prone to backups and other issues as they slowly corroded and the new piping will eliminate future leaks for some time to come.

The 40+ feet of pipes and connecters being replaced ran from the kitchen connection seen here:

Through the Men’s Locker room and to the front of the building:

You can see the deterioration of these old pipes on full display once they are removed:

The old pipe is all removed and ready for the brand new piping (as seen beside the ditch):

After the new piping is installed the ditch was filled and ready for new flooring.

Just under 20 years ago, the board had approved the replacement of the heating boiler under the leadership of John Tory who was Club President at that time. After two decades of service it was time to replace the old heating boiler affectionately called the “John Tory Boiler” and replace it with a more efficient heating system. 

Above – Old Boiler before and after it was removed

We installed two heating boilers each of which can supply about 60% of the required heating for the building so that if one malfunctions the other can compensate while the repairs are being done.  We also replaced many of the horizontal steam lines which had developed leaks. The new system is more efficient because the radiators valves are controlled wirelessly with a thermostat in each room.

  
Above – New Boilers during installation

We now affectionately refer to these new boilers as the John Capobianco boilers, recognizing our current president’s commitment to complete this much needed upgrade.

Above – New Boilers Installed

The work was completed under the supervision of the Dalton Group and the professional work of Kelson. The project took several months and was completed in late September 2019 – Just in time for the cold weather.

Interested in learning more?
Contact us to learn more about the ongoing revitalization at The Albany Club!

It’s time to say goodbye to our old AC unit to make room for more energy efficient upgrades.

In an exciting next step, we have removed the clunky old AC unit off our roof to make way for the modern efficient units. This is the latest initiative to improve the energy efficiency of the building. Windows around the Club continue to be repaired and replaced while the AC & roof work is being completed.

 
start of repointing process along the scaffolding on the south-side of the Albany Club

Utilizing the cranes from the 65 King St. E. project, we were able to pluck the unit from the roof, and unload it at the ground 5-stories below. Thank you to Carterra and PCL for the use of the cranes.

Crane lowering the old unit off the roof

This opens up the roof for our next energy efficient retrofit: the complete resealing of the roof.

Interested in learning more?
Contact us to learn more about the ongoing revitalization at The Albany Club!

Embracing the opportunity, the Albany Club has undertaken numerous energy efficiency upgrades.

This year marks an important chapter in the Club’s history as we make a concerted effort to improve our energy efficiency. Facilitated by a holistic energy audit, our dedicated board, committees & management have identified areas that one-time capital expenditures will result in significant improvement of energy usage at the club – leading to ongoing cost savings. The improvements that will be completed over the coming years include: upgrading windows, refinishing the roof, modernizing our HVAC system, installing efficient plumbing fixtures, and much more. The Albany Club blog will track these improvements and report as we make progress.

This month, we make the first upgrades – our windows. 

New windows being installed along the south side of the Albany Club

Did you know… the Albany Club has over 300 windows! After decades of wear, many of these windows have chips, cracks and in some cases, holes. Aesthetics aside, fixing these panes and frames will improve the air-tightness of the club, ensuring there is no excess energy used. In addition, most windows are no longer sealed shut, encouraging fresh air to flow through the club (when weather allows). This will drastically improve members & guests experience as the Club will now have even more control of climate, heating & cooling each room much quicker, with no waste.

 
Before & After of a damaged glass pane being replaced on the 4th floor

New window on the 3rd floor

We can all agree: the fresh coat of jet black paint on the window’s trim is very sleek and added comfort at the Club is a win-win.

This energy efficiency initiative is an ongoing project that will be continually being evaluated as individual projects are completed. We have identified our initial projects to be completed in the near future, but will review the merit of future upgrades on an ongoing basis. Priorites may be shiftted Next on the list of energy efficient retrofits, removing the old AC units!

Interested in learning more?
Contact us to learn more about the ongoing revitalization at The Albany Club!