Address: 150 Central Avenue St. Petersburg FL 33701
Work: KENPAT installed the intricate interior framing and drywall work on the 80,000-square-foot James Museum project.
GC: The Beck Group
Architect: St. Pete Design Group
Dates: February 2017 – May 2018
Awards:
• 2019 ABC Gulf Coast Chapter Excellence in Construction Eagle Award
The James Museum of Western & Wildlife Art
Situation
St. Petersburg’s arts and culture scene is anchored by a rich collection of museums and cultural attractions. The James Museum of Western and Wildlife Art is a dynamic new addition to this landscape. The Beck Group, along with architects St. Pete De¬sign Group, set out to capture the sense of the canyons and multi-layered strata and colors of the rock formations in the West. The Beck Group brought in KENPAT to execute the intricate framing and drywall work on this project.
Task
General Contractor, The Beck Group, called on KENPAT to handle the interior framing and drywall installation for the new James Museum. This included the 80,000-square-foot museum with 30,000 square feet of gallery space, a 2,500-square-foot, two-story indoor sculpture court with an indoor waterfall, a 120-seat theater, a 6,000-square-foot museum event space, a catering kitchen, a museum store, a café, and a high-end restaurant.
Action
KENPAT’s work on this project extended far beyond standard framing and drywall installation. This included framing to support approximately 2,600 stone pieces, imported from India, for both the exterior and interior. KENPAT collaborated closely with the architects to achieve the precise angles in the opening foyer.
In developing the multi-level framing for the “canyon” walls in the entryway, KENPAT required precise measurement, planning, and installation to ensure that the stone panels installed by the contractor would achieve a visually smooth finish. For the stone finishes to achieve their intended effect, the framing required absolute precision. As visitors enter, they are enveloped by the canyon walls, immersing them immediately in the museum’s dramatic design.
The museum walls feature effective yet subtle lighting and ventilation. KENPAT GC worked closely with the architect, electrical team, and HVAC team to achieve these discreet effects.
Within the museum’s general collection of Western art is a section called The Jewel Box. The Jewel Box section showcases American Indian jewelry from a private collection, requiring precision framing to support its distinctive display cases. This section required creativity and skill to create the angled frames above the display cases. KENPAT framers and drywallers also installed lighting, ventilation, and downlights integrated into each display.
Result
The framing and drywall work of this remarkable new addition to the St. Petersburg art scene has significantly contributed to fulfilling the architects' vision, the builder's intent, and the owner's and visitors' enjoyment. KENPAT’s meticulous framing and drywall work was essential in bringing the museum’s architectural vision to life. This exceptional craftsmanship earned KENPAT the 2018 ABC Gulf Coast Chapter Excellence in Construction Eagle Award.
