Case Studies
Lowes Company Headquarters Parking Deck- Mooresville, NC, 2003
Image-conscious retail giant Lowes was looking for an attractive parking structure design to complement its spectacular headquarters campus. The company settled on the high-quality finish provided by hot-dip galvanizing. Originally focusing on a concrete structure, a proposed design utilizing castellated beams was not only aesthetically attractive to Lowes but delivered a $300,000 Initial Cost savings over pre-cast concrete.
Almost 1,700 tons of hot-dip galvanized structural columns, fascia beams, concrete embeds, lintels, handrail, and castellated beams were used on the project. Some of the castellated beams were over 60 feet long, posing a process and handling challenges to the galvanizer. Construction was fast-tracked because of galvanizing's quick turnaround time and deliverability in any type of weather. Considering the long-term corrosion protection provided, hot-dip galvanizing maintenance costs are negligible compared to the regular maintenance required by concrete structures.
It is not often that a parking structure is viewed as an attractive piece of a building complex, but, in this case, the aesthetic value of a castellated beams building elevates this Lowes structure to an integral element of its appealing surroundings.
Ford HQ Solar Parking Canopies, Dearborn, MI, 2015
The Ford Motor Company of Dearborn, Michigan in an effort to support a more sustainable environment, and in cooperation of DTE Energy decided to build a parking structure and a source for solar power of their facility. The structure also allows for employees to charge their new Electric Ford Automobiles. This 150 tons of structural steel designed by Nova Consultants and Carport Structures of Oxford, Michigan was encouraged to use Hot-Dip Galvanizing to maintain a Green Environmentally friendly structure. The structure as well as the galvanizing was approved by Ford as the only way to go to maintain their effort for the environment. William Ford, Jr. (Great Grandson of Henry Ford) personally leads Fords Sustainability effort for not only their vehicles, but in all aspects of their facilities and World Headquarters.
University of Windsor Parking Garage- Windsor, ON, 2013
The University of Windsor, located across the river from Detroit in Ontario, needed additional parking for students at the new science building. Instead of going with a traditional concrete structure, the University chose hot-dip galvanizing for the Newton Parking Structure.
Working with the Newton Group of Guelph, Ontario, a seven-story structure was designed to accommodate 1,000 vehicles. Hot-dip galvanized steel was used for the entire structure except for the clear and colored glass elements that give a rare aesthetic quality to the structure. The interior lights illuminate the structure, especially at night, when it becomes an attractive, well-lit structure and a non-threatening place for students and visitors to park their vehicles.
The structure utilized more than 1,400 tons of galvanized steel, and many of the large sections were progressively dipped, which means one half of the material was galvanized and then rehung to galvanize the other side. The university also required a quick turn around time frame, hindering the use of paint or any other corrosion protection system. In addition to being able to meet the turnaround time, hot-dip galvanizing was also the best choice to combat the harsh Canadian winters and the different de-icing materials used. "No Future Maintenance," which hot-dip galvanizing can provide due to its durability, is what sold the college. When a parking garage is built in a high-traffic area such as a college campus, it is nearly impossible to find a time to shut it down for repairs. The maintenance cost of past campus garages made galvanizing the most attractive choice for this visually pleasing parking necessity.
Hambro Portable Parking Structure, St. Lambert, QC, Canada, 2010
A gleaming utilitarian marvel, the Hambro Modular Parking System is an ingenious construction with wide-reaching market implications. The system is a portable parking structure comprised of a parking deck and ramp, rails, and fencing elevated on support columns, all assembled over an existing parking lot to increase the number of usable parking spaces.
The moveable structure offers the flexibility to resolve issues of limited space for parking, typically encountered in urban areas. The parking system can be used to alleviate pressure on popular parking lots, or serve as a temporary solution when part of a lot is taken out of commission for construction purposes, fairs and markets, or other temporary events that reduce available parking. Potential markets that could benefit from such a structure include airports, train stations, hospitals, parking lots designed to encourage transit use, shopping malls, university campuses, and more.
The entirety of structure has been hot-dip galvanized, top-to-bottom, including everything from the deck panels and railings, to the fencing, supports and railings. It was a logical choice to utilize galvanized steel throughout the system, as these modules must be able to stand strong and corrosion free against the abuses of steady traffic and corrosive environment. The abrasion resistance, maintenance-free nature, and sustainability of galvanized steel made it the ideal construction material for this project.
Because of the portable nature of the structure, the steel will be exposed to rough handling during transport and likely during assembly as well. A tough, durable corrosion protection system was necessary to preserve the attractive metallic aesthetic of the parking structure, which will be visible in close proximity due to the intended public use.