2010 Above Ground CUP Award Winners

The National Precast Concrete Association’s 2010 Creative Use of Precast (CUP) Awards were given to recipients during The Precast Show 2011, held in Charlotte, NC  Jan. 27-29.

Above Ground-First Place

Jefferson Precast was awarded first place in the above-ground category for its work for the Port of Oswego Authority in New York.

The project, a 630-foot dock in Lake Ontario, was completed in conjunction with Finland-based Marinetek. Marinetek chose Jefferson Concrete after a careful search because it did not have a plant close enough to the harbor to efficiently serve the project.

The size and extremely tight tolerances of the project made it crucial to execute each step with absolute precision to ensure the dock would not list in the water and become unstable. In addition, handling each piece required devising a cabling system that could lift the massive pieces at no more than 3 degrees from vertical.

Despite all the challenges, the dock pieces performed exactly as desired once in place on the lake. The company was awarded the top honor at The Precast Show 2011, the largest trade show for the precast concrete industry.

Above Ground-Second Place

Smith-Midland Corp received the second place award in the above-ground category for a project completed for Virginia Tech University.

School officials wanted the exterior of its new basketball facility to blend with existing buildings on campus but also create a “wow” factor so Smith-Midland was contracted to create custom wall panels. The final look incorporates “Hokey Stone,” a natural stone facade that can be found on buildings throughout the campus, with precast concrete panels that match the stone.

To make the building unique, a series of shapes and figures were cast directly into the precast panels to give it a signature look, including Virginia Tech logos, basketballs and the school crest. Over eight weeks, Smith-Midland designed and cast the panels, ensuring each shape was crisp. When the project was complete, it exceeded expectations of the designers and school officials.

Above Ground-Third Place

Oldcastle Precast Modular as awarded third place in the above-ground category for its work to add 100,000 sq. ft. to an existing prison facility for the Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southwest. The No. 1 priority of the project was to significantly decrease construction time without sacrificing on quality control or appearance.

Oldcastle’s precast concrete modules added 120 beds for men, a separate 80-bed unit for women, a new galley, two mess decks, two medical examination rooms and additional offices for correctional staff. Among the pieces cast for the project were 200 five-sided precast concrete cells, balconies and 49 wall panels.

The cell modules were shipped to the site with pre-installed furniture, plumbing, lighting fixtures, special anti-graffiti epoxy interior wall paint and exterior insulation. This allowed the project to finish one week ahead of schedule despite a short timeline. In addition, the state-of-the-art facility achieved LEED Silver certification and met the military’s Anti-Terrorism/Force Protection standards.

Above Ground-Honorable Mention 1

Universal Precast Inc. received an honorable mention for work completed for the Malibu City Council.

Looking to add a unique flair to its plans for a central park, the council decided to add eight large animal figures to the landscape. To bring the larger-than-life animals to reality, Universal Precast used its innovative and trademarked concrete mix and casting process to create the unique shapes. Each animal was cast with the footing attached to allow for cost-effective installation and each of the figures was brought to life with a custom “skin” of mosaic tile hand-applied by a local artist.

After the unveiling, the animals received a significant amount of publicity including mentions in the Los Angeles Times and the Malibu Times.

Above Ground-Honorable Mention 2

Wilbert Precast Inc. received an honorable mention award for its work on the Andrew S. Rosell Memorial Fire Bowl.

When the life of 16-year-old Andrew S. Rosell was cut tragically short his father felt it was fitting to donate the money he received in a settlement to Camp Cowell, a Boy Scout Camp. Wilbert transformed a fire pit built of logs and rocks nearly 90 years prior using the plant’s retaining wall products. Wilbert was able to adapt the wall pieces perfectly and the results are a stunning amphitheater with seating for more than 300 facing the pristine lake.

Looking to meet a tight timeline of just 45 days, SCC was used to pour forms multiple times a day. The precast pieces proved easy to move around the site, needed less backfill and compaction than traditional landscaping and gave Ed Rosell a lasting legacy for his son.

Above Ground-Honorable Mention 3

StructureCast received an honorable mention for its work on a parking garage for the Riverside County Transportation Commission (RCTC).

The words “parking garage” typically evoke an image of a boxy, gray structure with a heavy emphasis on utilitarian functionality. The RCTC, however, wanted something that didn’t just fade into the background. The design called for bright panels cladding the exterior.

The panels feature four repeating colors of three-dimensional precast panels along the facade. Each panel received three depths of etch, reveals and three colors. Despite casting challenges and a site that was adjacent to a fully operational train station, active rail lines and a busy freeway, construction was completed nearly three months ahead of schedule. All panels were delivered and installed within 21 days.

Above Ground-Honorable Mention 4

Oldcastle Precast received an honorable mention in the above-ground category for its work on the Coyote Ridge Correctional Center.

The project was required to meet LEED certification and precast concrete offers several opportunities to contribute to LEED points, including use of local materials, reduction of production waste, use of recycled materials and reduction of impact to the natural habitat. In addition, precast provides maximum environmental protection at the site, uses less material to attain the same load-bearing capacity and provides energy conservation due to its thermal mass properties.

Each of the cells was fully outfitted with lighting and plumbing fixtures, and interior cell walls were given a two-coat epoxy system with anti-graffiti paint. The project met rigorous inspections and requirements and achieved LEED Gold certification.