University Village Mid-Rise

Architect: Fitzgerald Associates Architects, Chicago, IL

Engineer: Matrix Engineering, Chicago, IL

Owner: South Campus Development Team, Chicago, IL

General Contractor: Linn Mathis, Chicago, IL

Precaster: Spancrete Industries Inc., Waukesha, WI

DESIGN CHALLENGE:
Create two new condominium facilities that offer good looks and create an economical framework for a development that will play a key role in bringing a neglected part of the city back to life. The buildings, with 98 one-, two- and three-bedroom units in each, had to be completed quickly to generate revenue despite the fact that construction extended into winter.

PRECAST SOLUTION:
The two nine-story structures feature total-precast concrete structural systems. This approach saved approximately $300,000 over a cast-in-place design. A significant portion of that savings came from the use of hollowcore planks, which could span long distances (usually 29 feet). This eliminated an entire row of columns, saving material cost and time.

Cantilevered precast balconies were cast as one piece, with a perimeter beam spanning between exterior columns. This saved time and money while eliminating the need for special connections and a joint at the building face that could allow water penetration.

Precast further aided the construction schedule by allowing interior trades to immediately gain access to lower floors as the precast was erected, as it eliminated any shoring. The speed of erection led to the first building being erected in less than three months. The buildings include inverted tee beams, columns, shear walls, balcony beams and hollowcore plank.

The first building was constructed one floor at a time using masonry bearing walls. The second building replaced those units with precast concrete walls to eliminate the waiting time for the mason to construct them. The first building was erected with a crane positioned along the longest elevation, allowing the entire floor to be constructed at once. Due to site constraints, the crane erected the second building in two halves. Precast’s flexibility made this shift easy to accomplish.