SK&A Structural Engineers is pleased to share that the Columbia Plaza Garage Repairs project received 1st Place in the International Concrete Repair Institute (ICRI) Baltimore-Washington Chapter’s 2025 Outstanding Repair Project Awards. Submitted jointly by SK&A and Restoration East, LLC, the project earned top marks on planning, technical approach, structural and operational improvements, and cost effectiveness.
At the chapter’s annual awards banquet on November 13, 2025, Jack Przywara, PE, Project Manager in SK&A’s Repair + Restoration Division, delivered a presentation on the Columbia Plaza Garage Repairs, highlighting the project’s challenges, phased approach, and key lessons learned.
Located at 2400 Virginia Avenue NW in Washington, DC, Columbia Plaza Apartments is served by two large, mostly below-grade parking garages originally constructed in the late 1960s. Decades of exposure to moisture and deicing salts had resulted in widespread deterioration of concrete slabs, reinforcing steel, and structural steel members, along with failed expansion joints and drainage issues. SK&A, as Structural Engineer-of-Record, and Restoration East, as Repair Contractor, developed a comprehensive rehabilitation and waterproofing program for both garages over a 25-month construction period.
Because the garages serve an active residential community, the team used carefully planned phasing to keep parking and circulation operating throughout the work. The Main Garage was repaired in multiple phases to maintain access to the helix ramp and lower levels, while the North Garage underwent a full closure with enhanced ventilation and dust control. Regular three-week look-ahead notices, mid-day “quiet hours,” and close coordination with property management and the parking operator helped minimize disruption for residents.
Structurally, the rehabilitation focused on full-depth slab repairs where deterioration was most severe, replacement of corroded reinforcing steel, and targeted repair or replacement of steel beams and girders. One of the most complex details involved replacing a heavily deteriorated girder beneath the only entrance/exit to the Main Garage’s upper level. A custom steel bracket system allowed the team to temporarily support and then permanently reconnect the adjacent girder while keeping the helix ramp and lower levels in service.
To extend the life of the repaired structure and improve day-to-day use, the project included new traffic-bearing waterproofing on elevated decks, upgraded drainage, new traffic-rated expansion joint seals, and selective hot-applied waterproofing beneath the asphalt drive lane. The refreshed coatings and improved lighting conditions significantly enhance visibility and user comfort, while revised striping layouts improve traffic flow and operations for residents and visitors.
This ICRI recognition underscores how thoughtful engineering, contractor collaboration, and careful planning can restore aging garage structures and keep a vibrant residential community moving.
