Project Overview
New Jersey's second-largest university was expanding its student body toward a goal of 18,000 students, creating a critical need for additional parking infrastructure. Nitterhouse Concrete Products designed and delivered a 7½-level precast/prestressed concrete parking structure providing 1,532 spaces at the campus perimeter. The site's natural grade differentials were embraced as an asset, producing an economical structure that transitions seamlessly into the landscape. A pedestrian walkway at the southern corner connects the facility directly to existing campus circulation paths.
Precast Solution
The central design challenge was replicating Montclair State's distinctive Spanish mission-style architecture in a large-scale parking structure. Nitterhouse developed a key innovation for this project: bolted-on precast concrete arches produced in shippable pieces and then bolted and - welded to the spandrels on-site. This approach delivered fully rounded arch spandrels at a fraction of the cost of composite one-piece units. Precast design flexibility also allowed for stepped corbels, detailed reveals in spandrels, and decorative tile surrounds at stair and elevator tower entries — all contributing to a structure that reads as a natural extension of the campus.
Client Testimonial
"Nitterhouse Concrete had to replicate the Spanish mission-style architecture to match the existing structures on this campus. In order to do so, a key innovation was developed for this project with the use of bolted-on precast concrete arches. The arches were produced in pieces that could be easily shipped to the site, then bolted and welded to the spandrels. As a result, a fully rounded arch spandrel was achieved at a fraction of the cost of having to produce and erect the arched spandrels as one composite unit. Precast concrete was the perfect choice to create the fluid rounded shape.”
- GEORGE M. HIBBS, AIA | CLARKE CATON HINTZ
|