McEwen Northside, part of a larger development of 44 acres near the IH-65 corridor, involved the structural design two separate wrap-style apartment buildings surrounding precast concrete parking garages, for a total of approximately 365,000 SF of apartments and 370,000 SF of garage area.

Post-tensioned concrete podiums support wood-framed apartments above groundfloor amenity areas, and a steeply sloping site required split-level foundations with partial basements. For economy, the lighter apartment structures were supported on post-tensioned slab and beam foundations, while the heavier garage structures required deep concrete drilled piers embedded into underlying rock. The potential differential movement between apartments and adjacent garages was addressed via expansion joints at structural interfaces and the selective use of engineered lumber wall plates to limit shrinkage within the wood structures. The project is also located in an area of elevated seismic activity, requiring careful consideration in the selection and detailing of lateral systems.

Project Highlights:

• Two 4-story wrap-style apartment buildings, 365,000 SF
• Foundations for two precast concrete garages, 370,000 SF
• Cast-in place podiums over amenity spaces
• Complex split-level foundations