Our Repair + Restoration team was recognized for their work on Bethesda Place Plaza. The International Concrete Repair Institute (ICRI) Baltimore Washington chapter selected this Multi-Million dollar renovation project as their 2nd Place Outstanding Repair Project Winner. The awards were presented during the ICRI Annual Awards Banquet held on November 9th at Martin’s West in Baltimore.
The Bethesda Place Plaza Renovation project was a complex and extensive undertaking that lasted for more than a year. The required work included structural and waterproofing repairs to improve the condition of the elevated plaza that serves as a hub for various commercial, residential, and office buildings. The plaza is built over a parking garage and retail grocery space and serves as a communal space for the various buildings surrounding it in downtown Bethesda. The plaza also offers pedestrian access to these buildings from the nearby public roads of Woodmont Avenue, Wisconsin Avenue, Old Georgetown Road, and Commerce Lane. The plaza had deteriorated outdated finishes in need of revitalization and the various water leaks that affected the tenant space below prompted the Owner to undertake a full plaza renovation project.
New features for the plaza required structural evaluations of the slab, including finite element analysis to determine the amount of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) strengthening needed to increase the capacity of the existing elevated slab to support various proposed hardscape features. The structural design for the new loading conditions was performed in tandem with the landscape architect to coordinate the weight of the new soil mix to be used along with a review of existing onsite conditions to develop more efficient slab-strengthening solutions.
Highlights of the project included the demolition of almost all existing plaza finishes and installation of new contemporary features/finishes, coordination of waterproofing applications to accommodate architectural features, and strengthening/repair of various structural elements to accommodate new features and address deteriorated exposed existing conditions, respectively. The garage and all the surrounding retail spaces remained operational during the demolition and repairs, aided by the coordinated efforts from the property management staff accommodating phasing schemes developed by the design and construction teams.
SK&A was pleased to work together with the following industry partners on the successful completion of this project: General Contractor, James G. Davis Construction Corporation, Repair Contractor, Forsythe, Inc.; and Material Suppliers Carlisle, Sika Corporation, Willseal, and Aggregate Industries.
