River Road Park is located on the third floor of the River City building in Chicago, IL, and consists of approximately 38,000sf of waterproofed plaza area above the commercial retail spaces below. The park functions as an amenity space for the residential units with winding paths and large intensive green roofing areas that include mature trees, bushes, and other decorative plants and flowers. Residential patios line the west end of the park adjacent to the building.

Constructed in 1983, the plaza membrane was at the end of its useful life and exhibited widespread leaking into the commercial spaces. Additionally, the landscaping layout encouraged water migration onto the patios. Coupled with poor drainage capacity, the patios and residential perimeter units were subject to regular ponding and flooding.

WGI designed a repair program to address the failed membrane and provide improved drainage and insulation. The design incorporated a state-of-the-art plaza system and attractive and simple design solutions for the residential tenants, including a kneewall at the patios to shed water away from the units and increased drainage capacity.

This project required close attention to phasing, particularly considering the central communication hub in the space below. We also had to work closely between the residential and commercial Ownership entities to ensure that we met the differing needs of both. The project provided an attractive amenity space and addressed drainage and leaking issues while being delivered on-time and within budget with no leaking during construction.