Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church

A Modern Facility for an Ancient Faith

For over 60 years, Greek Orthodox Christians have worshipped and celebrated their culture at facilities located at the Annunciation campus at 600 Alhambra Boulevard in Sacramento. Founded by a handful of immigrant families from Greece, the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church has become a thriving Parish of over 500 families.  To meet cultural and ministry needs, a new Family and Education Center was commissioned to replace aging infrastructure and facilities – and build for the future.

CJA interfaced with a number of groups during the master plan process, including a small executive building committee, a larger full building committee, the parish at large and three separate neighborhood community organizations. The main drive for this master plan was to lay out the facilities so that new buildings could be constructed while still occupying the existing buildings and the existing buildings demolished after occupancy of the new buildings. This was especially challenging given a tight 2.2 acre site. New replacement facilities include:

• a multi-purpose parish hall,
• bookstore,
• classrooms,
• library,
• meeting rooms,
• preschool,
• administrative offices,
• a larger parking lot and
• an extensive courtyard.

Organized around the campus courtyard, called the Plateia in Greek, the new Center is a modern facility for an ancient faith.  The Center provides needed space for social, cultural, educational, and religious activities.  A major design requirement was to design the facility in the Byzantine style to reflect the Parish’s proud heritage, legacy, and culture.  Sustainability, energy efficiency, and low maintenance were important design requirements as well.

 

616 Alhambra Boulevard, Sacramento, CA

Client/Owner:

Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church

State of California Bureau of Automotive Repair

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The State of California, Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR) building was developed as a turn-key for lease Design/Build office and testing laboratory, as a LEED NC Silver facility. Based upon an extensive multi-tier program, this 105,964 square foot building provides administrative offices, engineering, investigative, and public meeting functions as well as a fully equipped automotive testing laboratory for the State's emissions testing agency. The building incorporates site and pre-cast concrete wall panels, stone veneer elements, and prominent metal panel features to articulate main entrance points.

The facility incorporates full scale perimeter security and CCTV monitoring. The building includes warehouse spaces, laboratory, vehicle storage, and on-site amenities such as outdoor patio/gathering areas and access to adjacent public park areas and regional bicycle paths.

 

10949 North Mather Blvd, Rancho Cordova, CA

Client: Zinfandel Bar, LLC

Gateway Office Building

This 68,654 square foot, two-story office building is not your average tilt-up concrete speculative structure. Clean, contemporary design, and attention to detail contribute to its functionality and aesthetic appeal. The exterior materials palette is rich with varying shades of red thin brick, copper colored storefront, and solar bronze tinted glazing. The building entries are articulated with grand metal panel clad buttresses bisected by strong horizontal canopies beneath which the polished and inviting lobby is revealed through the aluminum and glass curtain wall system. Cast-in architectural reveals and copper duck bill escutcheons are a few of the many details that add visual interest and character to a building framed by casual entry plazas and beautiful landscaping.

 

2804 Gateway Oaks Drive, Sacramento, CA

Client: Gateway Building, LLC

CJA Office Building

The project consists of a one-story, wood-framed building for our firm. It highlights a number of architectural concepts, both exterior and interior that could serve as opportunities for small owner occupied office buildings. A variety of materials were used on the exterior which break up the massing of the building and organize its functions. Brick pilasters form the main rhythm of the building and tall brick clad walls highlight both the entry and street corner elevations.

 

10520 Armstrong Avenue, Mather, CA

Arco West Office Building

The Arco West Building is a 111,360 square foot two-story warm shell office building with a fully developed core. The 34' - 8" high tilt-up concrete building features prominent recessed entrances that break up the long East and West elevations. They serve to draw people into the lobby with a clean and contemporary textured concrete wall panel and a cantilevered painted steel canopy above the entry doors. The same wall treatment and protective canopy is repeated on the transverse elevations.

The core building mass extends 8' - 0" above the main building parapet to both mask and incorporate the rooftop mechanical screen into the form. The facade is further articulated with a gridded pattern of "V" reveals and 3" round recesses, and a series of square punched openings with lightly tinted glazing. On either side of the building entries, the concrete panels with canted edges and architectural reveals are visually enhanced with a variety of quality materials and colors. The complementary shades of tinted and spandrel glazing and horizontal rib formliner achieve the goal of breaking up the long walls with texture and color while providing a cohesive whole.

 

1747 North Market, Sacramento, CA

Client: Buzz Oates Construction

LEED CS Silver Certified in 2012

Unger Construction Company Office Building

This building is the corporate headquarters for Unger Construction Company, a Sacramento based general contractor established in 1926. The existing building formerly housed the LaFiesta Restaurant and Bakery. The front restaurant portion was removed, the bakery/warehouse portion was completely renovated, and new site and off-site frontage improvements were added.

The project design introduces a new two-story mass to the existing simple concrete tilt-up structure. This mass has two distinct design ideas: a corner entry "tower" and punctured wall planes. Both the existing and new building elements utilize an industrial aesthetic as an architecturally unifying concept.

Corner Tower: The corner of 9th and X streets is an important corner for the project, as this is the entry side and natural approach to the site from 9th Street to X Street to the parking lot drive. One of the tower legs vertically slopes at an angle is also utilized in other design elements of the project. The corner tower is clad with 1 1/2" deep ribbed metal paneling with a "Galvalume" (galvanized) finish. Horizontal butt glazed storefront wraps the corner on both floors with the upper floor being supported by an exposed painted red steel floor structure and a round column. A painted yellow metal cantilever trellis with galvanized metal screen panels terminates the top of the tower.

 

910 X St, Sacramento, CA

Client: Unger Construction Company

Punctured Wall Planes: The cement plaster walls of the addition have solids and voids, deep recessed grid patterned storefront, and horizontal metal awnings. A vertically oriented recessed area, 8" wide, mimics the 8" wide panel joints of the existing structure. The cement plaster is finished smooth with shallow "V" reveals in order to achieve a cast concrete look. The top 3' of the walls are a recessed cornice with a galvanized metal parapet cap. Tying into the trellis, horizontal painted yellow awnings with galvanized screen panels are located above the storefront windows.

The existing tilt-up walls which house the shop have 8" wide accentuated recessed panel joints and 2" wide perimeter steel angle corner embed reinforcement which define the panels as individual sections. This aesthetic is enhanced by painting these areas to match the galvanized (silver/gray) steel elements newly introduced in the two-story addition. The concrete panels are painted.

Sacramento County Office of Education

This new 74,000 square foot, two-story County Office of Education Headquarters building has been recognized for innovation and design. The project incorporated design and program elements including: Executive and Administrative office spaces, Board Room used for public hearings, Video Production Studio, Education and Training rooms, energy efficient design features, contemporary design elements and innovative uses of integrated precast concrete panels and storefront systems.

Architectural Achievement Design Award from the Tilt-Up Concrete Association.

 

10474 Mather Blvd, Mather, CA

Client: McCuen Properties

California State Capitol Senate Room Remodel

Designed to accommodate television cameras and the press, this Senate Committee Hearing Room, located in the California State Capitol is adorned with Pacoustic fabric wall panels, carpet, and cork flooring. The dais platform chairs are finished in rich leather upholstery. The contrasting wood tones, natural birds-eye maple paneling, and dark mahogany trim detail instill a light sophisticated feel in the space.

 

California State Capitol
1315 10th St.
Sacramento, CA 95814

Client: State of California

Catta Verdera Country Club

The 30,000 square foot Santa Barbara mission style structure provides a spectacular setting for family, social and business occasions. Surrounded by shady verandas and open decks, courtyards and fountains, the Catta Verdera Clubhouse is home to breathtaking views of the golf course, verdant oaks, and spectacular sunsets.

The facility included a formal dining room, Madalena's, a casual members' bar & grill; Quixote's, a 200-seat special events room; Casa Alegria, a full-service golf shop; meeting facilities, massage rooms and locker rooms. Additional buildings included an "on the course restaurant" Stables Grill, as well as an exclusive members only lounge.

 

1111 Catta Verdera Drive, Lincoln, California

Client: Catta Verdera 

Peregrine School

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Comstock Johnson assisted in converting approximately 4,600 s.f. of classroom, restroom and office space which previously functioned as a satellite campus for Sacramento City College into the interim home of the K-6 arm of Peregrine school.  The renovation included finish upgrades, the addition of casework and plumbing in classrooms and conversion of a rear parking lot into a playground and garden in association with Indigo/Hammond + Playle Architects

 

1909 Galileo Court, Davis, California

Client: Peregrine School

Cristo Rey Sacramento High School

CJA worked with an existing office building to create a new home for Christo Rey Sacramento High School. The services for this 48,000 s.f. project included programming, entitlement processing, tenant improvements and interior design. The big challenge tackled by our architects was gaining approval through the City of Sacramento for the change in use from an office to an educational facility.

Major upgrades were made to the existing building's systems, including HVAC, electrical and fire suppression. New spaces include a large multi-purpose room, a kitchen , administrative offices, counseling center and classrooms. Laboratories for physics, science, biology, and art were also added.

Pops of school color can be spotted throughout the campus and the big, bright classrooms are equipped to provide students with all they need to succeed.

 

8475 Jackson Road, Sacramento, CA

Client: Christo Rey High School

Fair Oaks Presbyterian Church Addition

In recognizing the importance of Youth & Children’s Ministry, the Fair Oaks Presbyterian Church has recently launched its G2G building campaign. Generation 2 Generation (G2G) is about replacing dilapidated portables and outdated classrooms with a more modern facility to help youth and children build a stronger relationship with our Lord and Savior.

The new facility is a 40,000 square foot two-story building located behind existing Church Facilities. The ground floor is dedicated to Children’s Ministry with pre-school classrooms, elementary school classrooms, assembly spaces and Administrative support. The second floor holds two large assembly spaces; one for Jr High Ministry and the other for Sr High Ministry. In addition to the assembly spaces, the FOPC has consolidated all Administration Functions into a suite on the second floor to better serve the Church Community. A large courtyard links the existing facilities into a comprehensive whole providing a children’s play area, and large outdoor gathering spaces for services and events.

 

11427 Fair Oaks Boulevard, Fair Oaks, California

Client: Fair Oaks Presbyterian Church

HM Clause Offices

This international seed breeding, production and sales company combined its French and American factions into a new business unit located in Davis, California. CJA developed a program designed to bring local and international company executives together in a new lease space, introducing them to the open office plan concept which was foreign to many of them.

CJA designed the 10,800 square foot tenant improvement along with a full interior finishes package and worked closely with furniture vendors on both workstation furniture and casual seating selection. The plan includes private and open office space for 5 distinct departments, a large break room that channels the vibe of one’s favorite local coffee shop, numerous shared work rooms and support spaces. The result is a bright, vibrant and modern space debuting the company’s new corporate brand and colors.

 

260 Cousteau Place, Davis, California

Client: HM Clause / Buzz Oates Properties

UC Davis Center for Mind and Brain

The Center for Mind and Brain is a 23,000 square foot dynamic research and training facility dedicated to understanding the nature of the human mind. Established by the University of California at Davis, the Center boasts the use of cutting edge neurological testing equipment and provides large open labs, acoustically isolated behavior testing rooms and a training room with extensive AV amenities in which various studies and seminars are conducted. W

hen entering the space, visitors are welcomed to a "cafe" setting, a friendly and inviting environment featuring lounge seating, bistro tables and chairs. The kitchen area is enhanced using various architectural materials such as carpet, ceramic and glass tile insets, and glass block. A warm color scheme with bold accents is complementary and flows throughout the space.

 

267 Cousteau Place, Davis, California

Client: UC Davis / Buzz Oates Construction

UC Davis Outpatient Medical Clinic

The facility is part of the UC Davis Primary Care Network. The 18,400 square foot building replaced a clinic located in a multi-tenant office building. The clinic serves patients in the Rancho Cordova, Capital Village, Rosemont & Gold River areas. The building is located in a planned development retail center. As such, the architecture had to echo the style of the existing buildings within the center.

The clinic houses 32 exam rooms, procedure rooms, blood lab, x-ray suite, offices for 14 physicians, nurses stations for 12 nurses & office space for 20 additional staff. Finding the balance between the critical caregivers areas and the patient and family zones, was a main element in the design of this suburban Medical Clinic.

Soothing colors and space defining floor patterns flow outward from the active core open nursing stations, and into the patient rooms and waiting areas, providing a happy, uplifting environment for healing. The refreshing but calming neutral palette serves as a canvas for all the colors in the space; the blues, the greens, and the brown tones reflect the positive energy.

 

3201 Data Drive, Rancho Cordova, California

Client: Merlone Geier Partners

Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services Education Center

Designed to accommodate the Sacramento Food Bank and Family Services’ evolving program offerings, this 22,000 square foot Education and Technology Center was designed to accommodate maximum flexibility including 11 classrooms and multipurpose rooms with operable partitions.

The style of the building takes cues from the surrounding historic neighborhood as it sits next to the SFBFS headquarters in the heart of the Oak Park neighborhood of Sacramento. While traditional in form, the building utilizes contemporary materials to provide an affordable, sustainable and lasting structure.

 

3308 3d Avenue, Sacramento, CA

Bayside Covenant Church

This church complex is comprised of three two-story structures; the larger is a multipurpose/sanctuary building, the second is an assembly/meeting room building, and the third houses a preschool and religious education rooms.

All three buildings serve a growing congregation of 5,000 plus in the East Roseville and Granite Bay neighborhoods. Meticulously programmed, planned, and designed for an extensive period, construction began in 2002 and completed in 2003. The buildings are constructed of splitface and precision CMU with defining/emphasis wall of "Silverado" Cultured Stone.

 

8191 Sierra College Boulevard, Granite Bay, California

Client: Bayside Covenant Church

St Stephen the First Martyr Parish

St. Stephen the First Martyr Parish is the fruit of 20 years effort by the Latin Mass Community of Sacramento. They offer a full parochial observance of the Sacred Liturgy, including three Masses per day, Vespers and Compline every week, as well as any Catholic devotions, making St. Stephen's the premier traditional parish in the State of California. Their community is "a family of families" entered on the Blessed Eucharist.

This project was a significant remodel of a previous Lutheran Church. Primarily new finishes and lighting along with a completely redesigned Sanctuary with fixtures salvaged from mid-west Catholic churches.

 

5461 44th Street, Sacramento, California

Client: Catholic Diocese of Sacramento

UCDHS Specialty Testing Center

The UC Davis Medical Center established this clinical testing lab in an effort to unify several testing labs, upgrade their equipment, and move off the main medical center campus.

The program consists of a front office, lab space, and training facilities in 27,000 square feet. While bringing many separate labs into one open environment, the space also provided a warm environment for employees. The project included the design of extensive modular laboratory casework with fume hoods and equipment coordination. An emergency generator system was also designed.

 

3740 Business Drive, Sacramento, California

Client: UC Davis / Jackson Properties

Bounce Spot

The Bounce Spot, children's play and party facility with giant inflatables, promotes fun, excitement and entertainment through the use of strong, vibrant colors and patterns that flow continuously throughout the space. From the dramatic lobby with the custom reception station and tile insets, to the party rooms and multi-colored inflatable arenas, the facility is a celebration of energy for kids of all ages.

 

2939 Promenade Way, West Sacramento, CA

Client: Dana Vaynberg