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Retail Building Renovation
At the southeast corner of Roselle Road and Golf Roads in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, an existing 10,500 sq. foot structure stands, awaiting its soon-to-be renovation. The structure, originally built in the early 1970’s, has remained with only one of its two tenants for the past year. Now, the building is being expanded and modified in order to provide additional space for future tenants, all while making an effort to keep the current tenant’s business open for customers. The result is a building addition and renovation that presented exciting and challenging structural design opportunities for W-T Civil Engineering.
Existing Facility
As fairly typical for most buildings 40 years and older in the Chicago land area, the original structural drawings could not be
located. This brought about several questions for the structural engineering team to consider prior to design: existing material properties of the masonry, steel, and concrete components; depth and dimensions of the covered foundation system; and reinforcing in the CMU shear walls? Due to budget constraints, ownership chose to limit the destructive and nondestructive testing to a minimum. The testing prescribed involved field exploratory works at predetermined phases during the scheduled demolition work as to mitigate the repair work.
In order to determine the “most likely” structural steel properties, we contacted the American Institute of Steel Construction’s (W-T Civil Engineering is a member) research department to provide us with their opinion based on the age and location of the building. Using this information, and field measuring the structural elements, we back calculated the stresses of the existing structure and confirmed our results were within an acceptable range. This allowed us to determine that two (2) steel beams required reinforcing to provide the necessary structural support of the proposed loads. We also designed the reinforcement procedures for some of the existing steel roof bar joist assemblies based on our detailed structural modeling using the RISA 3D structural analysis software.
The renovation will require the removal of several key elements vital to the structure’s current ability to withstand nature’s elements while replacing them in a way which completely alters the building’s design type. Currently, the existing structure is supported in two ways: 1) the lateral loads are distributed to the foundations through the roof diaphragm to the perimeter Concrete Masonry Unit (CMU) shear walls, and 2) the vertical gravity roof loads are supported by a steel frame system with steel roof joists and columns supported by reinforced concrete foundations.
Proposed Facility
In order for the current tenant to remain in business during the construction phase, the southernmost 25 feet of interior structure will remain “as-is.” However, the exterior walls will be removed in sections as not to disrupt, or jeopardize the safety, of the occupants. The addition involves removing and replacing the east exterior wall about 37 feet to the east while cutting into the structure on the west side. The new west exterior wall will stand about 16 feet further east than its current location.
In an effort to reuse as much of the existing structure as possible, to reduce costs and the carbon footprint, the existing steel joists supporting the east half roof of the building will be modified to accommodate their new lengths, bearing conditions, and anticipated snow load drifts from the created roof tower and parapet elements. This allows for the existing metal roof deck to remain in place and be utilized as the proposed structure’s diaphragm.
Two towers are proposed to rise 28’ from the ground (14’ above the mean roof elevation) at the northeast and northwest corners of the structure. The roof of these towers will be supported by cold form steel trusses and the walls will be framed with metal studs, sheathed with structurally rated plywood. The walls built on top of the roof will bear directly on new steel wide flanged beams. To provide the necessary lateral restraint of the towers, where the existing CMU shear walls are scheduled to be removed, steel moment frames will be placed. This will provide the future tenants with more visibility.
W-T Civil Engineering worked with the owner and other members of the design team with the Building Information Modeling (BIM) program, Autodesk REVIT. This allowed the design teams to seamlessly model the various iterations of the building creating a swift link of communications especially critical during the final design phase of the project. The structural team then imported the final model into the RISA building system design software, allowing for a time saving and economical design.
W-T Sponsors the October Meeting of the Midwest Institute of Park Executives (MIPE)
Approximately 50 people representing numerous Park Districts and other related industries attended the October MIPE Meeting at W-T’s corporate headquarters in Hoffman Estates, Illinois. In keeping with the Association’s objective which, “…shall be the gathering and disseminating of facts and information with reference to public parks, gardens, forest preserves, conservation districts and recreation agencies to establish a friendly cooperation of all agents directing and controlling the same,” company executives of W-T gave brief updates of their current businesses, the new funding sources available, the changing development regulatory processes, and discussed the many professional engineering specialty services we provide. The successful meeting was highlighted by a catered lunch under the “big top” tent.
Illinois Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) announces their Outstanding Civil Engineering Achievement of 2010 Award (projects under $5 Million) to the Washington Park Stormwater Improvement Project in Downers Grove, IL
Congratulations to The Village of Downers Grove and the Downers Grove Park District for winning this prestigious award. W-T Civil Engineering is proud to be a part of this project by providing structural engineering consulting services for the new water fountain feature.
Congratulations Bartlett Park District for the voters’ approval of the referendum to purchase Villa Olivia!
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Certified Structural Peer Reviewer for the City of Chicago
W-T Civil Engineering, LLC is certified to provide Structural Peer Reviews for the City of Chicago. Please contact us on how we can help expedite your building permit process.
W-T Civil Engineering, LLC is utilizing the latest technology in design and drafting software to perform the engineering analysis and prepare the final drawings for construction. As a corporate member of the U.S. Green Building Council with individual LEED Accredited Professionals on staff to assist you with your facility needs anywhere / anytime.
Please contact us to see how we can help you.