Proj Overview

Avalon Natick, a new high-rise luxury apartment community developed by AvalonBay Communities, Inc., located in Natick, MA. A 10-story and an 11-story building for a combined total of 456,220sq.ft. and 407 units, including studio, one-and two bedroom apartments and larger penthouse floor plans with high end finishes and features. Resort-style amenities include cutting edge fitness center, resident clubhouse and a 137,036sq.ft. elevated parking structure to accommodate 417 vehicles. The complex is adjacent to upscale shopping, restaurants and entertainment, it is close to major highways and commuter rail, with parks and recreation nearby.

Precast Is Chosen For The Aggressive Construction Schedule
AvalonBay Communities Inc. senior project manager, Paul Zarba explains “the experience using precast concrete hollowcore plank on masonry was most efficient, the process is very predictable as it relates to cycles and schedule.” He also emphasizes that “AvalonBay would definitely consider utilizing this building system in a future project with similar constraints (height) simply because it's very appealing due to the speed and efficiencies in the overall system.”

Oldcastle Precast Building Systems used their own in-house engineering team to design the precast portion of the building. All the precast components were manufactured in their PCI certified enclosed state-of-the art facility in Selkirk, NY. The precast components consisted of 414,000sq.ft. of 8-in. thick, 4-ft. wide hollowcore plank, 40,000sq.ft of 8-in.thick special solid slabs for side cantilever condition, 80 pieces of stairs and landings, and 206 precast lintels. Oldcastle used their in-house PCI qualified crews to install the precast components. Each level was installed and grouted in 5 days.

While masonry work was being done on one building, Oldcastle Precast was installing the precast components for the other building. The sequence went like a great dance moving from one building to another without any interruption.

The Team
Callahan, Inc. of Bridgewater, MA, is providing construction management services for this precast concrete hollowcore plank on masonry building system. Russell Scott Streedle and Capone Architects Inc. of Cambridge, MA, is the architect for this project and the engineer is DM Berg Consultants of Needham, MA.

Precast Hollowcore Chosen Because It’s Versatile, Efficient, and Resilient!
The use of precast concrete in multi-residential facilities allows owners, developers and the design teams to take advantage of precast concrete’s attributes. These include speed of construction, energy efficiency, aesthetic compatibility, economy of design, and low maintenance.

Speed of construction was one of the benefits for choosing precast hollowcore planks. Immediate fire separation and ratings without any fire spraying, sound dampening, durable and low-maintenance were other attributes that assisted in the decision to go with precast.

 

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Project Team

Precaster

Oldcastle Precast Building System

Owner

AvalonBay Communities, Inc., Boston, MA

Architect

Russell Scott Streedle & Capone Architects, Inc., Cambridge, MA

Engineer

DM Berg Consultants, Needham, MA

GC/CM

Callahan Inc., Bridgewater, MA

Key Project Attributes

  • Structural Precast Elements:
    • 414,000sq.ft. of 8” thick, 4’-0” wide hollowcore plank
    • 40,000sq.ft. of 8” thick special solid slabs for side cantilever condition
    • 80 pieces of stairs and landings
    • 206 pieces of lintels

Project/Precast Scope

  • Sq. Footage: 456,220 (total of both buildings, approximately 20,000ft2 of floor area per building)
  • Levels/Floors:
    • Building 1 - 10 story
    • Building 2 - 11 story
  • Resources: Avalon Natick Apts PDF (275.7 KB)