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June 2020

Parking garage

University’s new seven-level parking garage will add more than 800 spaces

by Deena S. Hawkins on

The University of Nevada, the landscape of Reno and surrounding areas continue to transform as the Gateway District stretches to Interstate 80. The University Gateway, which is part of the master plan of the University, will be a vibrant neighborhood center focused on retail and education developed primarily by the University. It will extend campus life south of the current campus, in the area between 9th Street and Interstate 80.

The Washoe County Regional Transportation Commission began work on Virginia Street between I-80 and the West Stadium Parking Complex this spring to improve sidewalks, redeploy roads, add RAPID bus stations and install a roundabout. . With slower traffic and pedestrian flow this spring due to stay-at-home orders due to the coronavirus outbreak, the RTC transit extension project has progressed rapidly in its improvements and is ahead of schedule. schedule with plans to complete construction by mid-fall.

The University issues more than 10,000 parking permits per year with a current surplus of 1,300 permits. Projected growth in students and faculty indicates that by 2021 that number will drop to a surplus of 600 permits. The Gateway parking complex will add 814 additional parking spaces to the south end of the campus. The design concept provides for a seven-story structure with a proposed ADA-compliant pedestrian bridge to connect from the fourth floor of the parking complex.

The architects for the parking complex are Watry Design, Incorporated, and the work is being performed by Clark / Sullivan Construction, a construction manager at the Hazardous Construction Delivery Method.

Construction will begin this fall and is expected to be completed in the spring of 2022. The structure will measure 250,000 square feet at an estimated cost of $ 33.2 million. The cost of the complex will be paid with funds the University receives from the sale of parking permits.

The complex will initially include 40 hourly spaces (with pay-by-number and phone-based options), 17 disabled spaces, two electric vehicle spaces, motorcycle parking, blue light emergency telephones and other features. .

Two memorial trees from the University Arboretum, one in memory of Eugene S. Faust and the other in memory of Jim and Cleo Ronald, which are located at the bottom of the stairs on 9th Street, will remain .

The University continues to limit license increases to adjustments based on inflation and will institute the license fee approved by the Nevada System of Higher Education this fiscal year at three percent. The increase will be included in permits sold as of July 1, 2020.

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What are the advantages of prefabricated parking structures?

by Deena S. Hawkins on

SAN FRANCISCO—With the possibility of more people driving to cities and workplaces rather than taking public transportation once staggered workforces are given the green light, parking structures will be in greater demand. When considering building a parking structure, how can homeowners determine which type is best for a given project?

Rodney Riddle, Vice President of Parking Structures at McCarthy Building Companies Inc., recently shared his thoughts on the advantages of using pre-engineered deliveries over cast-in-place deliveries.

GlobeSt.com: What is the difference between precast and cast-in-place concrete parking structures?

Screen: When it comes to parking structures, there are three types to consider.

Placing the concrete: These structures are constructed using ready-mixed concrete poured into removable forms on site. High-strength cables in concrete are anchored at the outer edges and tensioned after the concrete has acquired sufficient strength (48 to 72 hours). Post-tensioned concrete is a very common type of concrete structure for parking garages today, especially for those above ground.

Prefabricated double tee: As the name suggests, a prefabricated, prestressed double tee looks like two capital Ts side by side. Panels, stringers, columns and double tees are fabricated off-site and assembled on-site. High-strength tendons in concrete are anchored to the outer edges of concrete forms and prestressed before the concrete is placed, then released once the concrete has acquired sufficient strength. In California, this method requires that a cast-in-place cap slab be placed over the double tee members to create a structural diaphragm and accommodate seismic requirements.

Concrete/precast hybrid: It is a composite structural system that uses the prefabrication process for columns and beams and decks formed and cast in place. Precast beams are bonded to cast-in-place bridges by weaving the bridge reinforcement through the exposed reinforcement casting in the precast beams.

GlobeSt.com: What are the pros/cons of each delivery?

Screen: Delivery of cast-in-place concrete offers the best seismic performance and the lowest cost solution. Its lighter structure equals fewer footings and fewer seams, which minimizes the amount of ongoing maintenance for items such as sealant replacements and reduces overall project lifecycle costs. This option also allows greater flexibility for mechanical, electrical and plumbing/MEP design. On the other end, cast-in-place concrete involves a higher field labor risk and longer construction time with more concrete pour days involved.

Prefabricated double tee structures require a large initial investment for engineering and prefabrication, but construction time can be faster than other types of structures. These structures require less on-site construction time by using most of the labor in a controlled prefabrication plant. Structurally, these buildings involve longer-term maintenance and appear darker from a lighting perspective after completion.

The hybrid option merges the advantages and disadvantages of cast-in-place and pre-engineered deliveries. These structures also require a large initial investment for engineering and prefabrication, but construction time can be slower than other types of structures. For contractors who do not have labor available, these types of structures reduce the amount of labor required on site and instead use labor from the precast plant .

GlobeSt.com: How can owners determine which method is best for a given project?

Screen: It really comes down to evaluating what is considered the best value for the homeowner based on a full understanding of the pros and cons of each type of structure. If lower costs and long-term durability are important, then cast-in-place should be considered a higher value. If construction speed is more important, a pre-engineered double tee option should be considered higher value.

Regardless of the type of structure used, selecting a contractor who performs structural work in their own strength can provide benefits to owners in terms of cost, schedule and quality control of the project.

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