Granger was selected by Wallbridge (Construction Manager) & Western Michigan University (Owner) through a competitive bid process to perform the structural and site concrete packages as well as the millwork package for the new Student Services and Dining Facility.
Concrete Work
The structural concrete package included foundation walls, some of which are over 30-feet tall, three levels of supported concrete deck, retaining walls and all of the flatwork.
This is the first project in the state to utilize the unique bubbledeck construction for the elevated concrete decks. This method consisted of the implementation of 12” plastic balls in a grid formation within the 16” slab. Each deck consists of lightweight concrete, creating less pressure on the slab and increasing column spacing to allow more flexible design parameters.
The structural concrete package involved complex foundation design, over 10,000 cubic yards of concrete placed in 11 months, 1,400 tons of rebar, 90,000 SF of bubbles installed for the bubble deck, 115,000 SF of supported slabs, 215,000 SF of flatwork placed and finished. This all occurred while maintaining an aggressive schedule despite poor soils that ended up getting undercut and replaced.
Granger was also selected through a separate competitive bid process for the site concrete package. This involved construction of all sidewalks, pavement, curbs, retaining walls and concrete stairs.
Millwork
The millwork package largely consisted of the wood stairway, walls, railings and seating areas within the three-story central Gathering Stair, which serves as the showpiece feature within the the new Student Center building.
The dynamic space includes a winding staircase that traverses all three levels of the three-story atrium, designed to look like an amphitheater with plenty of seating throughout.
One of the most challenging pieces of the project involved wrapping the winding concrete beams above the stairs with wood wall panels, creating a visually appealing look. Each wall panel was customized as they included various geometries and shapes, and required highly technical planning and installation processes.
Additional scope included:
- Furnish and install all Architectural wood and plastic laminated faced cabinets, factory-finished wood flooring, RAM board flooring protection.
- Furnish and install Plastic Laminate, Solid Surface, Quartz, etc. countertops, cut out all openings and coordinate closely with plumbing contractor
- Furnish and install all Banquette seating assemblies and all Mosaic Millwork including glazing, glass shelving, mounting hardware, etc.
- Furnish and install acoustical insulation behind wood paneling, all plywood and sheathing along with wood trims, casings base moldings, etc.
Awards
The concrete work for this project received a Special Innovation Award for Structural Concrete from the Michigan Concrete Association (2022). Additionally, the millwork for this project was featured in an issue of CAM Magazine.