PRECAST OVERVIEW
When a rapid solution was needed for parking alongside the 42-story Ellipse luxury apartment tower in Jersey City, the development team turned to precast for a solution.
PRECAST SOLUTION
Dailey Precast was glad to help and ultimately precast was proven to be the right solution to overcome several challenges with building this parking garage.
The top level of the garage will not be used for parking; it is being completed as a recreation and lounge area with two swimming pools with a gorgeous view of the Manhattan skyline. This use and the resulting loading on the 6th level had to be designed into the garage all the way down into the foundation. The steel for the pool (furnished by others, along with many other embeds) had to be well-coordinated. Each level was tied back to the high rise for pedestrian access, and in some cases VIP or motorcycle parking. Each of these coordination connections required precast to bear on cast-in-place concrete, or steel with expansion joints.
As the garage was erected around the Ellipse residence tower, sequencing was very important. The oval shape of the tower required the straight precast abutting wall to be designed and erected underneath the high rise. To maximize the footprint the garage then wrapped around only inches away from the 42-story residences. This required dual cranes to pick and set the walls that tucked under the tower along with extensive bracing as this wall was built full height prior to the supporting decks construction. EE Marr Erectors used two cranes to lift 70’ long 30 ton walls on both ends swinging them into the final position under the high-rise. These were only accessible from one side, as they abutted a fire wall inches away.
This project is located at the Newport waterfront complex next to the Holland Tunnel entrance along the Hudson River. Approximately 460 pieces of precast were shipped to the site, the majority of which were permitted due to exceeding standard length, width and or weight requirements. The trucking route shared the same highly traveled roads that commuters use to access the Holland Tunnel into New York City. Shuttling precast loads from the drop lot and on site was challenging due to the limited site footprint, busy traffic with multiple construction sites. There was just one way in and out onto the pier challenging the haulers to back loads into the site and offering very little room to stage or maneuver. This took a considerable amount of coordination with the owner and other trades to provide continuing access so as not to shut down any other work or jobsite.
The location at the mouth of the Hudson and on a river pier meant the project site was particularly exposed to the weather. From the first week of erecting when a late spring snowstorm hit the weather was historically severe with rain and wind.
Considering the weather and other challenges, only precast could have finished on time and budget. Dailey Precast was proud to have performed with our erector and hauling team to provide an impressive structure that will last for generations. |