Restoration and structural repair work have recently concluded at the Circa 730 Parking Garage located in Atlanta, Georgia.
After completing a multi-million-dollar renovation on the office tower, the owners of the Circa 730 complex were looking to also renovate the top level of the parking garage.
WGI’s Restoration Team (Andrew Kong, Juan Sanchez, and Attila Gergely) was engaged by the owner’s representative to lead the garage’s renovation effort. WGI’s scope of work included an engineering assessment, structural analysis, preparation of construction documents, and construction administration services.
During the engineering assessment process, WGI outlined multiple issues affecting the top level of the garage. The 60-year-old garage was in relatively poor condition, yet performing as expected for a parking garage of its age and construction type. The top level of the garage was aesthetically unappealing, exhibiting structural distress and under-reinforced structural elements, among other issues.
In response to these concerns, WGI’s Restoration Team developed a repair program based on the engineering assessment’s findings, addressing the garage’s multiple aesthetic and structural issues at the top level. WGI’s repair approach was outlined in two categories:
In general, parking garages are exposed to more severe conditions than other types of structures. Exposure to ambient weather conditions, harsh chemicals (road salt), extreme temperature fluctuations, and continual wetting and drying can result in premature deterioration of the structural components, which can be costly and in many cases, weaken the facility’s overall structural integrity. The Circa 730 garage was no exception, as thousands of square feet of concrete repairs were needed to be completed at the top level of the garage to restore its structural integrity.
The existing urethane-based deck coating system installed more than a decade ago to protect the top level of the parking garage was beyond its service life, showing multiple failures and compromised areas. The typical service life for a urethane-based deck coating is approximately 7 to 10 years.
In general, a compromised deck coating system can lead to premature deterioration of the concrete surfaces below and of the embedded reinforcing steel, increasing future repair and maintenance costs. A compromised deck coating system can also lead to water migration to the levels below causing damage to vehicle paint finishes, light fixtures, and electrical distribution systems, and in general, can pose a nuisance to facility users and maintenance staff.
WGI recommended a full deck coating replacement throughout the top level of the garage.
Restoration Tip:
Existing structural or architectural drawings were not available to the design team during the renovation process; this is typical for many older garages/structures. WGI’s restoration experts can reverse engineer most structures based on 35 plus years of restoration experience, field observations, and limited non-destructive testing. Proper knowledge and insight of a structure will enable a more tailored repair approach resulting in more economical and long-term repairs.
If you are looking to renovate or restore an existing structure, Contact WGI’s Restoration Experts today for an assessment.
Juan Sanchez, PE is a project engineer with over 11 years of structural and restoration engineering experience. Juan has worked on a diverse number of parking-related restoration and repair projects, helping extend the service life of many parking structures throughout the region.
Juan received his master’s and bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering with an emphasis in structures from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. He is a licensed professional engineer in multiple states and has extensive consulting experience specialized in parking structure evaluation, restoration, strengthening techniques, and structural engineering.
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