PROJECT OVERVIEW

Built in 1997 by the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), the Pensacola Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse in Pensacola, Fla., was plagued by water-intrusion issues before it even opened for public use. For nearly 20 years, the federal government spent millions of dollars trying to solve the problem, but ultimately the building had to be evacuated due to health concerns about black mold. A renovation was in order.

Read more about this project in the Summer 2021 issue of Ascent.

PRECAST SOLUTION

To correct water-intrusion problems, the existing brick façade would need to be removed and replaced. Various scenarios were analyzed for the façade, including a mix of brick and precast concrete. An all-precast exterior was judged the best way to meet GSA’s tight schedule and budget, with limestone embedded in the panels.

Architect of Record

TTV Architects

Structural Engineer

Thornton Tomasetti

Lead Designer

Beyer Blinder Belle Architects & Planners

Contractor

W.G. Yates and Sons Construction Co.

Owners

U.S. General Services Administration

Precast Concrete Producer

Gate Precast Company

Key Project Attributes

• The articulation of the window openings and the various façade elements, such as the corners and horizontal banding, also make a statement about the building’s prominence and longevity.
• The lobby has a new screening station and meets the DOD’s progressive collapse requirements. The entire façade is designed to meet blast requirements for that specific site

Project/Precast Scope

• A total of 384 precast concrete pieces were used on the project.
• Each precast panel on the courthouse façade is 6 inches thick with 2 inches of rustic-finish limestone on top of it.     
• Panel-to-panel joints were used on the project.