PARKING GARAGES

Gaining the Benefits of Structural Steel

PARKING STRUCTURE
CASE STUDIES

There’s always a solution in steel.

 American Institute of Steel Construction
www.aisc.org
One East Wacker Drive Suite 700
Chicago, IL 60601
312.670.2400

Structural steel as a framing system for open-deck parking structures?

When the AISC first represented the structural steel industry at the International
Parking Institute Conference and Exhibition in 2001 that question was often asked.
Structural steel framing systems for open-deck parking structures were not common
and many parking professionals had never even considered structural steel as a
framing system alternative.

There were some areas around the country where structural steel-framed parking
structures were being constructed. Post-tensioned decks on structural steel frames
had been used successfully in the Pittsburgh area for several decades. Over the
previous 10 years hybrid systems utilizing pre-cast double tees on steel frames had
grown in popularity in New York City and New England. But the majority of parking
professionals throughout the U.S. knew little of steel-framed systems.

What a difference seven years makes. Today, structural steel-framed parking

structures are being built in all parts of the country. The market share of steel-framed
parking structures has quadrupled. Owners and developers are actively investigating
steel as a framing system and discovering the multitude of advantages that steel
brings to the table—cost savings, accelerated construction schedules, quality,
security, and sustainable construction. Structural steel leads all other materials in
recycled content and conservation of natural resources.

And the conversations at conferences and exhibitions have changed. The quizzical
T here’s al ways a s ol ut io n i n s te e l.

looks have been replaced by “how to” questions and discussions of recent projects
completed with structural steel.

I hope you will take a few minutes and read through the case studies in this booklet.
They truly document the successes that have been experienced when structural steel
becomes the material of choice for parking structures.

John Cross
Vice President

Printed on recycled paper.

 Affordable Aesthetics
Steel provided necessary flexibility in construction and aesthetics for
this 700-space parking structure in Lewiston, ME.
s the city of Lewiston, ME
A
planned construction of its
700-space Park Street park-
ing structure, aesthetics, as
well as cost and the ability
to be built in phases, were major design
considerations.
Located 30 miles north of Portland,
ME, Lewiston was once a mill town. Like
many other mill towns, its downtown
suffered as the mills closed. Renovation
of a vacant downtown building for use
as a district courthouse was seen as a po-
tential boon to the area’s comeback. The
master plan identified a two-acre surface
parking lot as the site for a new parking
structure, as well as an incorporated city
bus station, for the courthouse and other
expected development.
Because few of the downtown buildings
are over four stories high, skeptics worried
that a new structure would overwhelm
the surrounding buildings. In response to
these worries, the RFP for design services
specified that the structure be designed
with a “brick façade treatment” to make it
more compatible with its surroundings.
By Steve Myers
Steel’s Advantage
Platz Associates architects and Shel-
ley Engineering, Inc. structural engineers
had worked together on many previous
projects, including Lewiston’s 612-space
Chestnut Street steel-framed parking
structure. The overriding criterion for the
Chestnut Street project was cost, which is
why structural steel was chosen over pre-
cast concrete.
Cost was also a major consideration
for the Park Street facility. The city’s bud-
get precluded a brick closed structure,
which increased the challenge of design-
ing a facility that would meet the city’s
stated design goals. It was also decided
to build the structure in two phases, as
the projected parking demand would not
immediately require all 700 spaces that
were programmed for full build-out.
From its experience with the Chestnut
Street parking structure, the design team
knew the advantages of structural steel.
In addition to initial cost being less than
other structural systems, maintenance
costs could be reduced with proper plan-
ning at the construction stage. Building a
second vertical stage could be easily ac-
complished when the need arose, and the
use of ornamental panels could provide
a great deal of design possibilities. The
design team was also confident that the
expressiveness of painted structural steel
could add visual interest to the city.
A city-appointed building commit-
tee called for the structure’s perimeter
walls to look like storefronts. By taking
advantage of the flexibility afforded by
structural steel, the designers were able
to simulate the rhythm of a downtown
streetscape within budget. Vehicular and
pedestrian entrances, stair towers, arch-
es, and ornamental panels were hung
between the steel columns. Some of these
panels are pre-cast to provide the texture
of brick, while others are steel grills of
several different patterns. This was meant
to break up the façade into distinct verti-
cal sections. With different heights, these
sections reflect the scale and proportions
of neighboring buildings.
The northeast corner of the facility is
anchored by a 2,400 sq. ft city bus station.
Although they are two distinct buildings,
JUNE 2005MODERN
MODERNSTEEL
STEELCONSTRUCTION 3
CONSTRUCTION 3
separated by a load bearing masonry fire-
wall, the bus station is integrated into the
design of the parking structure both visu-
ally and structurally. It is constructed of
the same structural steel system, which is
exposed as a design element in the inte-
rior. The lower portion of the perimeter
walls is brick, a tie-in to the ornamental
panels of the parking structure. The inte-
gration of these two buildings is another
indication of structural steel’s flexibility.
Framing Plans
The basic framing arrangement for the
three-level parking structure consists of
wide-flange columns spaced 18’ on cen-
ter, with wide-flange girders spanning
60’. Filler beams span the girders at 8’ on
center. The perimeter spandrel beams are
all W12s, giving the structure a light and
airy feel.
Shelley Engineering designed all steel
connections in advance of the shop draw-
ings. Connections, such as shear tabs at
the filler beams, were selected over dou-
ble-angle clips so that when each filler
beam was rotated into place it would not
scratch the paint on the girder.
The lateral system consists of end plate
moment connections and vertical braces.
4 MODERN STEEL CONSTRUCTION JUNE 2005
The engineer and architect coordinated
their design work to detail and locate all
connections between the perimeter orna-
mental steel and the structural steel. The
typical note, “coordinate with architect,”
was not used on this project. The coordi-
nation was done up front, which was re-
flected in the results—the steel fit-up was
nearly perfect, with all field connections
being bolted.
Megquier & Jones, an AISC member
and the project’s steel fabricator, worked
closely with the architectural pre-cast
panel subcontractor to ensure the con-
nections between the structural steel and
pre-cast panels would fit up correctly. By
bringing the pre-cast subcontractor into
the process early, misalignment and field
welding were avoided, which reduced
the need for field touch up of the paint.
The structural and ornamental steel was
protected with Tnemec’s advanced Se-
ries 73 polyurethane paint system over
Tnemec’s 90-97 zinc primer. The paint
was factory applied with minimal on-site
touch up.
The floors of the parking structure are
galvanized metal deck with cast-in-place
6” reinforced concrete slab. To reduce
long-term maintenance costs, an elastic
wear layer was applied to the entire sur-
face, and the deck is vented to allow the
concrete to release moisture.
The Park Street parking structure was
completed August 2003 at a per-space
construction cost of $8,350. Not only did
it meet the city’s strict budget and pro-
vide necessary parking, it also has made
a positive contribution to the cityscape of
Lewiston’s downtown. 
Steve Myers is a development planner for
Platz Associates.
Owner
City of Lewiston, ME
Architect
Platz Associates, Auburn, ME
Structural Engineer
Shelley Engineering, Inc., Westbrook, ME
Engineering Software
RAM Structural System
Fabricator
Megquier & Jones, Inc.,
South Portland, ME, AISC member
General Contractor
Granger Northern, Inc., Portland, ME

The Better
Choice
BY PHILIP G. RAHRIG
G 5
GIVEN THE STATE OF RISING COSTS
FOR CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION
MATERIALS, protracted delivery schedules
for precast, and shrinking maintenance bud-
gets, many owners are requesting a viable
alternative parking structure design. Steel is
such an alternative and although surrounded
by many misconceptions, its strengths posi-
6 Steel designs are overall lighter in
tion it as a long-term solution.
For a number of qualitative perfor-
mance-related reasons, steel—and in
particular hot-dip galvanized steel—is
7 Galvanized coatings are aesthetically
a good choice for many parking struc-
tures. Here are my top 10 reasons you
should consider a galvanized steel park-
ing structure:
8 Painting structural steel means costly,
1 Galvanized steel has demonstrated a ver-
ifiable durability for decades in a variety
of environments, including coastal and
industrial. Learn more in the SteelWise
9 Life-cycle costs of galvanized steel
article “Are You Next” in the September
2006 issue of MSC at www.modern-
steel.com.
2 Castellated beams often used in steel
design create an open and light-filled
atmosphere where patrons feel safer.
10
3 Galvanized reinforcing steel in decks
means no unsightly spalling and no cor-
roding seams between deck panels.
Initial Cost
a galvanized steel frame is maintenance-
4 Steel garage construction schedules are
shorter.
free for decades and does prevent corrosion
for many decades, even in harsh coastal
Galvanizing of 60-ft to 80-ft girders is
now common, accommodating almost
all designs. The actual turnaround time
to galvanize is usually less than five
working days.
weight, meaning fewer and/or smaller
caissons.
appealing not only for the structural
members, but also for stairways, exte-
rior mesh panels, and guardrails.
scheduled maintenance and lost rev-
enue. Galvanized steel is maintenance-
free for 50–80 years.
frame parking structures are two to
three times less than precast. Life-cycle
costs of galvanized steel frames are two
to five times less than painted structural
steel frames.
Galvanized steel framing is initially
10%–20% less expensive than pre-
cast construction.
Once the qualitative analysis reveals that
parking structures
Galvanized
steel parking
structures
are stong
contenders in
today’s parking
market.
climates, the owner’s next step in the deci-
sion process is to develop the quantitative
analysis and evaluate exact initial costs. The
table on the next page illustrates the cost of
hot-dip galvanized frame design compared
to precast concrete design.
Life-Cycle Cost
Even though the initial cost of galva-
nized steel is favorable to precast concrete,
responsible design requires the investigation
of other coatings to protect the steel from
corrosion. Although not necessarily the case,
various paints are generally viewed as ini-
tially less expensive than hot-dip galvanizing,
and while initial cost is often the decisive
factor when selecting a corrosion protection
system for steel a garage, there are other
costs that dwarf this initial funding outlay.
Those costs are associated with a series of
scheduled maintenance costs necessary to
protect the steel from corrosion over the
planned service life. For maximum protec-
tion of the asset, plans should be based on an
ideal maintenance cycle. For paint systems
an ideal cycle calls for touch up, mainte-
nance painting, and full-repainting prior to
visual evidence of substrate steel corrosion.
However, on most projects a practical, less
rigorous cycle is used, and this means main-
tenance is conducted when the coating has
deteriorated to the point where the project
looks to be in disrepair and iron oxide (rust)
APRIL 2008 MODERN STEEL CONSTRUCTION 5
Comparison of Initial Costs structural sections, and alkyds may be the
standard of past projects. But once the field
Concrete Cost1 Concrete Cost2 HDG Cost Range3 is narrowed to a couple of optimal coating
City
($/sq. ft.) ($/sq. ft.) ($/sq. ft.) systems according to desired performance, it
Atlanta 33.85 37.77 28.65 – 32.23 is important to use all the financial tools and
Baltimore 37.21 42.04 31.70 – 35.66 models available to quantify future costs as
Boston 46.28 48.84 38.05 – 42.80 accurately as possible, especially with main-
Charlotte not available 32.32 25.86 – 29.09
tenance budgets shrinking and substantial
long-term costs.
Chicago 43.43 47.19 36.25 – 40.78
One tool is the Life-Cycle Cost (LCC)
Cleveland 40.34 42.42 33.10 – 37.24
Calculator now available at www.galvaniz-
Denver 38.14 40.48 31.45 – 35.38
ingcost.com. As the URL implies, this site
Dallas 33.68 35.66 27.74 – 31.20
will compare the initial and life-cycle costs for
Detroit 42.11 45.33 34.98 – 39.35
over thirty (one-, two-, or three-coat) paint
Kansas City 41.30 43.73 34.01 – 38.26
systems to hot-dip galvanizing. A unique
Los Angeles 42.91 45.12 35.21 – 39.61 feature of the software is that it allows the
Miami 34.81 36.59 28.56 – 32.13 user to customize the input to fit his/her par-
Minneapolis 45.03 47.40 36.97 – 41.59 ticular project exactly. Input variables include
New Orleans 34.73 36.50 28.49 – 32.05 total size in tons or square feet, surface prep-
New York 52.49 55.73 43.29 – 48.70 aration type, structural steel component size
Philadelphia 45.83 48.33 37.66 – 42.37 (small, medium, large), and planned service
Pittsburgh 39.05 42.33 32.55 – 36.62 life of the project. The calculator allows the
St. Louis 41.68 43.22 33.96 – 38.21 user to input in either metric or U.S. units.
San Francisco 48.84 51.42 40.10 – 45.12 The primary driver and input variable
Seattle 41.74 44.02 34.30 – 38.59 of the life-cycle cost calculation is the cor-
National Average 41.23 42.25 33.39 – 37.57 rosion data for the project’s environmen-
1
tal location. If a parking structure is in a
RSMeans, Reed Construction Data
2
Parking Structure Cost Outlook for 2007 - “An Inconvenient Truth,” Joey D. Rowland, P.E. rural area, corrosion rates are low because
3
American Institute of Steel Construction - estimate of lower corrosive elements in the air. For
a garage in an industrial area, aggressive
is visibly evident. For a hot-dip galvanized and tear on the project and the toll environ- corrosion may be initiated by sulfide and
corrosion protection system, maintenance is mental corrosive elements have taken. That chloride emissions from production plants,
normally not required. may mean earlier-than-planned mainte- including high levels of automobile/truck
To determine the timing of practical nance based on the accelerated testing. exhaust. There are four input options for
maintenance, most paint coating systems Comparing one system to another can the environment and all correspond to cat-
have been tested in a laboratory using accel- be an arduous number-crunching exer- egories described in ISO 12944-2 “Classifi-
erated corrosion mechanisms. To be sure, if cise further complicated by the various cation of Environments.”
the testing indicates that a touch-up paint- performance characteristics each coating The financial component of the LCC
ing should be performed in year eight, a system provides. A three-coat inorganic Calculator is also customizable and based
maintenance paint applied in year 13, and a zinc-epoxy-polyurethane system may have on standard net future value (NFV) and net
full repaint in year 18, the actual project may initial durability, while hot-dip galvanizing present value (NPV) calculations where the
require maintenance according to the wear provides corrosion protection inside hollow time value of money is considered. The user
selects what rate of inflation is projected over
the life of the project in order to determine
the value of money at each maintenance
time, and the average interest rate future
expenditures on maintenance could earn—
i.e., lost opportunity cost. Both are used to
calculate the more easily understood and
meaningful average annual equivalent cost
(AEAC) for each coating system being mod-
eled for any specific project.
NFV = initial cost[(1+i)n}, where i = infla-
tion; n = project life in years
NPV = NFV[1/(1+i)n], where i = interest
rate; n = project life in years
AEAC = NPV[i(1+i)n/(1+i)n – 1], where i =
interest rate; n = project life in years

6 MODERN STEEL CONSTRUCTION APRIL 2008

 The information on the cost of each
paint system and its practical service
sequence in years for each of the ISO
environments is contained in a database.*
Based on the user’s selection of a particu-
lar coating system, the software accesses
the appropriate field and incorporates the
data into the life-cycle calculation. There
are two options for the cost information of
hot-dip galvanizing, also resident in a data-
base. The user may either select the default,
which is a U.S. average cost, or input any
number in dollars per lb or dollars per kg,
based on local market information.
Output of the LCC Calculator includes
a printable summary of all selected input as
well as tables containing the initial, NPV,
total project, and AEAC for the coating
The Delaney Square parking structure in
Orlando, Fla. features a galvanized steel
frame.
system and hot-dip galvanizing. The LCC
Calculator output is available in U.S. dollars
or in any country’s currency. The currency
conversion is real-time, making the LCC
Calculator useful for export/import projects.
Philip G. Rahrig is the executive director of
the American Galvanizers Association.
The text of this article originally appeared
in The Parking Professional (November
2007).
Note
*NACE Paper #06318, “Expected Service Life and
Cost Considerations for Maintenance and New
Construction Protective Coating Work,” Helsel,
Melampy, & Wissmar, KTA-Tator, Inc. 2006.
APRIL 2008 MODERN STEEL CONSTRUCTION 7
National Winner—Less than $15M
STATION PLACE GARAGE—PORTLAND, ORE.
Richard Strode
tation Place Garage is an integral part of a
S mixed-use development in downtown Port-
land, Ore. The 149,670 sq. ft parking struc-
ture provides space for 413 vehicles on five park-
ing levels, and the design includes the potential for
1,000 sq. ft of commercial space at the ground level.
The 41,450 sq. ft, triangularly-shaped site cre-
ated significant challenges. The City of Portland
required that all parking be located on flat floor
plates—not on ramps—so the building was de-
signed with flat one-way parking levels and an inte-
rior two-way ramp.
During Portland’s meticulous design review pro-
cess, the review commission set out the following
requirements:
1. Exposed structural steel diagonal bracing was
not acceptable.
2. Glare from vehicle headlights had to be screened
from view.
3. Vehicles parked on the top parking level had to
be screened from the view of residents in nearby
high-rise residential buildings.
Concrete shear walls were placed in the build-
ing’s interior to address most of the structure’s lat-
eral loads. However, architects did not want to place
a large concrete shear wall along the south façade,
which is the most prominent of the building. Instead,
exposed diagonal steel braces were designed for the
lateral load, and the architect designed a full-height
8 MODERN STEEL CONSTRUCTION MAY 2006
JUROR COMMENT
“Transparency is the word here.”
wall of folded stainless steel plates to hide the struc- Owner
tural bracing from view.
Folded stainless steel guardrail panels with
laser-cut holes were designed around the building
Portland Development Commission,
Portland, Ore.
Architect
perimeter to mitigate headlight glare. Four-inch di-
Leeb Architects, LLC, Portland, Ore.
ameter holes filled with colored discs were designed
at headlight elevation. Lights from moving vehicles Structural Engineer
illuminate the colored discs at night, animating the KPFF Consulting Engineers, Portland,
building’s exterior. Colors vary by parking level to Ore.
assist user orientation.
When viewed from above, more than 40% of the
Engineering Software
RAM Structural System
building’s footprint is “green.” The atrium located on
SAP2000
the third parking level is 1,812 sq. ft in area and is
open to the sky. The top parking level has 2,411 sq. Detailer
ft of planter space and 8,887 sq. ft of trellis, for a Pro Draft, Inc., Surrey, B.C., AISC mem-
combined “green” area of 13,110 sq. ft. ber, NISD member
All exposed structural steel is finished with
shop-primed zinc-rich primer and field-painted with
Detailing Software
Tekla Structures
high-performance moisture-cured polyurethane to
withstand Portland’s mild climate and wet winters. Fabricator
Once construction began, weekly meetings were Fought & Company, Inc., Tigard, Ore.,
held with the steel fabricator to identify and resolve AISC member
potential issues, ensuring that the preparation of
shop drawings and fabrication remained on sched-
General Contractor
Andersen Construction Company, Inc.,
ule. The project included 1,069 tons of steel, and
Portland, Ore.
more than 1,300 shop drawings were prepared.
The total construction cost was approximately $9
million—around $21,910 per parking space.
 parking structures

Taking it to the
Next Level BY LEN TSUPROS

Parking capacity is expanded at a growing university

C
hospital thanks to hybrid steel and concrete design.
CHANGE IS A FACT OF LIFE, PARTICULARLY WITH
LARGE, GROWING ORGANIZATIONS. To sup-
port expansion and all the benefits that come with it, it’s
essential to have parking facilities that can keep pace with
changing programs and use requirements. It’s also critical
to construct those facilities in a manner that maximizes
convenience and safety, minimizes maintenance costs, and
leverages the full potential of the land they’re built on.
In congested urban areas, surface parking lots are often
viewed as less-than-ideal uses for open land. As a result,
multi-level parking structures are frequently the preferred
option. Building an urban parking structure can, however,
pose some formidable challenges. Unlike garages built in
suburban settings, urban garages must fit onto tight land
parcels surrounded by existing structures. In addition, they
must be constructed vertically to provide enough parking
capacity and revenue potential to justify the cost of con-
struction. Finally, because many of the structures surround-
ing parking garages typically house businesses that can’t be
disrupted or relocated during construction, every phase of
construction activity must be carefully coordinated.
At Ruby Memorial Hospital, the teaching hospital for
West Virginia University Medical School in Morgantown,
W.V., the growth of the university’s state-of-the-art cancer
treatment programs demanded expansion of the parking
facility serving the hospital; the hospital’s campus had been
augmented with the addition of a new cancer center build-
ing, a structure that was built on land previously used for
surface parking adjacent to the hospital.
With real estate at a premium and the demand for park-
ing growing quickly, it was essential for the hospital to
maximize the capacity of its existing parking garage. How-
ever, since the parking structure was landlocked by the
cancer center, other nearby hospital buildings, and the uni-
versity’s football stadium, a horizontal expansion was out
of the question. Instead, it was necessary to expand parking
capacity within the footprint of the existing structure, and
at the same time maintain access to the hospital’s emer-

APRIL 2008 MODERN STEEL CONSTRUCTION 9

gency room, which emergency vehicles accessed through the first Churches agreed with Tsupros that significant reinforcement of
level of the garage. the structure would be needed to support the weight of the addi-
tional parking level. He then worked with Tsupros and his team
Creating a Hybrid Strategy from the Ground Up to devise a reinforcement strategy that would deliver the required
Simply adding another level to the existing parking garage support and weight distribution, and to evaluate structural systems
was, however, not an easy task. When Carl Walker Construction that could be married to the existing precast components.
designed and built the original structure in 2003, the client decided Within a few weeks, Tsupros returned to Ruby Memorial Hos-
not to include foundation structures designed to accommodate pital with a comprehensive plan that would accomplish those goals
future vertical expansion. At that and allow the new deck to be added
point in time, the cancer treatment to the structure. The hybrid con-
facility was not yet on the drawing struction strategy would directly link
board, and it was anticipated that A steel-framed, post- support of a new steel-framed, cast-
the capacity of the garage would in-place concrete post-tensioned
effectively meet the needs of the
tensioned slab system can deck to the existing foundation, and
hospital for years to come. But by would not place additional stress on
2005, as the hospital was putting
be a good solution when the precast columns already in place
the final touches on its new cancer in the center of the garage. It would
center, it became apparent that the
foundation loads are an issue. also minimize the overall weight
existing 225-space parking struc- of the additional deck and would
ture lacked the capacity necessary provide a framework to mount and
to support the parking volume created by the additional building. secure a series of precast panels. Those panels would seamlessly
Aware of the foundation limitations and unwilling to demolish the integrate with the existing building finishes and make the post-
entire structure and start from scratch, the hospital contacted Carl tensioned system essentially invisible when the job was complete.
Walker Construction. The client challenged them to revisit the The project estimate was $2 million, or approximately $19,000 per
original designs of the building and provide a solution that would additional parking space.
accommodate the construction of another parking level that would
provide 105 additional spaces. Bringing Together Old and New
“Due to the weight considerations involved with the precast After receiving the client’s approval on the budget and the inno-
structural components, we knew from the outset that we couldn’t vative design strategy, the demolition and strengthening phases of
simply add another level using the same type of structural system,” the project quickly commenced in January of 2007. Throughout
observed Len Tsupros, president of Carl Walker Construction. the entire construction process, the garage remained open to hos-
“The foundations of the garage—and in particular, the network of pital visitors, staff, and emergency vehicles.
precast beams supporting the center of the structure—were not “To install the new structural columns in the center of the
heavy enough to handle the additional load. We needed to devise a garage, we began by using a Bobcat outfitted with a jackhammer to
structural system that was lighter in weight than the cast concrete break through the concrete floor on the first level between each of
components. We also needed to design a way to effectively attach the eight previously installed precast columns,” remarked Tsupros.
that structural system to the existing garage. Whatever approach “This allowed us to auger down, expose the grade beams that com-
we took, we knew we couldn’t do anything without significantly prised the original garage foundation, and pinpoint areas where
reinforcing the center supports.” cast-in-place concrete columns could be directly attached to the
To meet the challenge, Carl Walker Construction turned to the grade beam system.”
project’s original engineer, Charles Churches, P.E., for guidance. Once the concrete column bases were positioned on top of the

WVU’s growing medical campus prompted the need for more parking. The expansion to the garage added 105 parking spaces.

10 MODERN STEEL CONSTRUCTION APRIL 2008

grade beams, the construction team inserted rebar cages around
each junction point. Then, it backfilled each cage with concrete,
which flowed around each grade beam and locked the column
bases into position. When the concrete had cured in and around
the cages, the team then poured concrete up to the floor level to
close the holes. With firm footing in place, the team then con-
structed the concrete columns that would rise through the top
deck of the precast structure, cutting through the existing decks to
provide raceways for each new column.
With the reinforcement phase of the project complete, Century
Steel Erectors and Carl Walker Construction began installation
of the structural steel that would form the framework for the new
post-tensioned parking level. The steel beams were connected to
the new cast-in-place concrete columns—shear studs are welded to
the girders—then bolted and welded in place to ensure structural
stability. At the same time, the original elevator bank was extended
up by one floor with the installation of an additional precast con-
crete section that was lowered into place by crane.
When the structural steel and the elevator shaft extension were
completely installed, precast panels were trucked to the worksite
and hung on the steelwork to integrate with the appearance of
the original façade. Both the steel erection and precast installation
phases of the project were carefully scheduled to minimize pedes-
trian and traffic obstructions, and to maintain ingress and egress
from both the garage and the hospital’s emergency department.
Lateral bracing for the new level was accomplished with the
connection to the existing precast light wall and the precast façade
panels. The panels have rods inserted at the floor level and are also
composite with the floor slab. This also provides for the bumper
restraint requirement at the perimeter.
Once the new precast-clad, post-tensioned structure was
installed, work began on constructing the steel-reinforced park-
ing deck surfaces. Shear studs welded to the steel members make
the new slab act compositely with the steel. The concrete slab was
supported by a temporary framing system that fit snugly between
the steel beams supporting the new deck. When the concrete
cured, the framing was removed from the underside of the new
deck. The construction phase of the project was completed by
May of 2007. One month prior to completion, cars were allowed
to park on all but the top level of the newly expanded garage.
Project clean-up and punch-list items were completely addressed
by August 2007.
Well-Received Results
Tsupros was also pleased with his firm’s accomplishments on
this project. “This job required some out-of-the-box thinking, as
well as a considerable amount of coordination between the client
and our strategic partners,” he said. “The end result, however,
illustrated how marrying two different structural systems can
expand the capacity and lifespan of existing parking structures.
Our approach allowed Ruby Memorial Hospital to leverage the
potential of their original precast structure and to obtain the
additional capacity they needed to support their enhanced ser-
vice offerings.”
“I would encourage anyone who currently has a precast park-
ing structure to consider the potential of a steel-framed post-ten-
sioned addition if they need additional parking capacity and are
facing foundation and structural load limitations.”
Len Tsupros is president of Carl Walker Construction.
APRIL 2008 MODERN STEEL CONSTRUCTION 11
 ON PARKING GARAGESEnglot
INSPIRATION I’ve been interested in engineering since
I was a kid – I was always building things. My dad was
the maintenance engineer for the building we lived in
and he had this great workshop. I spent a lot of time in
there with him. And I remember when anything was
being built, I watched – I wanted to see how it was
done. When they installed the storm sewer in the street
when I was a kid, I went down and just sat there
watching it all.
Joseph M. Englot, P.E., Asst. Chief Engineer/Design, Port Authority of New York and
New Jersey. Responsible for 350 architects and engineers of every discipline. Leads
the design and construction of critical transportation infrastructure, fulfilling all needs of
the bi-state region’s businesses, residents and visitors. The field-experienced Englot
oversees all PANYNJ projects, ensuring budgets, schedules and quality standards are
met.
CHOICES I knew I wanted to be an engineer since I was
young. I just never knew that civil engineers did so
much. One day at school, we had a career fair and I
started talking to a guy. He was a construction
engineer. I told him the things I wanted to do and he
said, “You want to be a civil engineer.” From then on,
I knew what I wanted – to design buildings. I was 13
years old.
EDUCATION I stayed focused, graduated high school
and looked into engineering programs in the area.
Brooklyn Polytechnic offered me a scholarship to a
specialized program where I earned my bachelor’s and
graduate degrees at the same time. It was a heavy
credit load –
I was taking my grad courses during junior and senior
years. But I wanted to get into the world and find a job.
PORT AUTHORITY Working for the Port Authority was
my first job – I’ve been here 31 years. Even growing up
in Queens, I wasn’t familiar with all their facilities.
When I thought of the Port Authority, in my mind it was
the bus terminal on 42nd Street. But when I
interviewed,
I learned that they managed so many other things –
they really drive the regional economy.
INSIGHT If you look at old parking structures in New
York or New Jersey, you’ll see a lot of flat-plate
construction with cast-in-place concrete and the
resulting deterioration from corrosion. An example,
there was a parking facility that we rehabbed in 1998 at
one of our facilities with flat-plate construction. That’s
when I saw firsthand how quickly previous generations
of parking structures deteriorate. Snow and chemicals
would sit and penetrate the concrete. The shallow
covers used for parking structures allowed it to
corrode. We finally recognized that you can’t design
parking structures like you would a building. The deck
requires special protection.
PROGRESS I’ve worked on highway bridges.
The technology we began to use for bridge deck
construction 10 years ago is now used in parking
structures. A parking garage can be designed to include
the benefits of steel frames and columns using pre-cast
double-Ts. Micro-silica additives in the concrete Ts
make the deck impervious to moisture and protect the
entire structure from corrosion. We’ve found this saves
hundreds of thousands of dollars in repairs over the
lifetime of a structure – it’s a better investment.
SOIL Both the Newark Liberty and the JFK
International airports have poor soil. So we designed
the structures to be supported on steel tapered tube
piles and pile caps. These can withstand the bending
forces even if the soil liquifies in a seismic event.
Because steel is light and requires less of a foundation,
it cuts the weight of the structure and is perfect for
those locations.
SEISMIC For these garages, we moved the stairwells
and elevators to the exterior and designed them to be
self-supporting in case of a seismic event. This is
unique – a lot of structures use shear walls in
stairwells. Ours use ductile steel frames and have
worked very well. Because of this, we could open the
lower floors of the garage while finishing the upper
levels and installing the elevator equipment.
OPENNESS We can use longer spans with steel – 60-
foot beams. People passing through the garage don’t
have to navigate a forest of columns. Open grid facades
replace solid pre-cast parapets. It’s more user friendly –
more open – and lets in more natural light, which
increases security. With steel, we also have fewer
columns, equating to more parking spaces. Basically,
we can utilize more of the footprint for intended use.
VALUE Although Kennedy’s Green Garage was driven by
a tight schedule, it was the basis for Newark Liberty’s
P4 Garage— and is now the standard system. But
because cost is always a tremendous concern, we
performed a value engineering analysis. The results
were great! The independent VE panel concluded that
this is the most efficient design in terms of cost per
square foot and space economy when compared to
other systems.
STEEL In 1996, we had 18 months for the
design/bid/build process for the Kennedy Green Garage
and it had to fit into the location visually and
functionally. So we fast tracked the design and
concentrated on the foundation first. We issued that
package and broke ground three months later. The
design was quick to fabricate and to erect – we only
used one crane and iron workers did both jobs. It went
up so fast – it was unbelievable! We could have only
accomplished this with steel.
www.aisc.org
866.ASK.AISC
There’s always a solution in steel.
 Prescription for Parking
SmartBeams® were the smart solution for this steel parking structure in Vancouver, WA.
he Legacy Salmon Creek Hos-
T pital campus includes two four-
story medical office buildings, a
1,500-car parking garage, a new
hospital, and interconnecting
bridges. Construction began in May 2003.
With the hospital scheduled to open for
patients in summer of 2005, this required
overlapping schedules for each element
of the campus. To make it work with site
constraints and a peak employment of
over 500 craftspeople, it was essential to
fast-track the 450,000 sq. ft, seven-story
parking structure to allow for parking for
the duration of the project’s construction.
Schedules and costs for the park-
ing structure, designed to be primarily
above-grade, were compared between a
traditional steel frame, with long-span
girders and beams spanning 30’, and
various concrete systems. The schedul-
ing advantage of erecting steel, especially
during the winter months, was a decid-
ing factor in favor of a steel frame.
Design-build steel contractor R.F.
Stearns, Inc. worked with Skanska USA
and KPFF Consulting Engineers to pro-
pose an alternate steel design using
SmartBeam cellular beams, produced by
SMI Steel Products. Stearns’ history us-
ing SmartBeams in long-span projects
had shown the product’s excellent appli-
cation for multi-level parking structures.
In this case, the three-bay-wide struc-
ture required spans of 61’-6” to 61’-9”,
with floor-to-floor heights of 10’-3”. A 3”
vented metal floor deck with 3.5” normal
weight concrete cover provided the com-
posite wear surface.
The owner and design team chose the
SmartBeams option because of the sys-
tem’s positive attributes, including col-
umn-free space, lighter structure weight
and the corresponding decrease in lat-
eral and foundation loads, fewer erection
pieces, and the reduction in overall proj-
ect costs.
Exposed Steel Design Challenges
The resulting steel system made use of
the established economic and schedule
advantages of SmartBeams for the long
spans and wide-flange braced-frames for
the lateral resistance system. KPFF was
especially attuned to the exposed nature
of the garage and effectively applied the
structural design elements.
According to KPFF, special concentric
braced frames in a two-story “X” config-
uration were a natural choice for the ex-
posed steel project. The need to have un-
obstructed views inside the garage, both
for driving sightlines and occupant safe-
ty, guided the choice to place longitudi-
nal frames along each side of the middle
ramp bay. At the contractor’s suggestion,
By James Sarka, P.E.
and Roger O’Hara, P.E.
frames at the low end of each ramp level
were sloped with the ramp girders in
order to eliminate difficult beam connec-
tions for the adjacent level floor framing.
Transverse braced frames for the garage
were placed at each exterior face of the
structure, with narrow bay widths used
to create optimum bracing geometry. The
size and geometry of connecting gusset
plates were minimized to enhance the vi-
sual appearance of these exposed frames.
With long-span SmartBeams having
been chosen for the floor plate, the archi-
tects wanted to express the same cellular
look for the exposed perimeter girders.
The challenge for the structural team was
maintaining constant hole spacing in the
cellular girders while ensuring that floor
beams connected directly to web posts.
The use of SmartBeam girders resulted in
a cost-effective and steel weight-savings
option that eliminated the need for ex-
pensive fascia treatments.
High Performance Coating Systems
One of the many challenges with
an exposed steel project is the selec-
tion of the coating system. The overall
durability and final appearance of the
project was important to the owner and
architect. In order to meet these perfor-
mance requirements, the design team
and Stearns worked together closely to
JYLY 2005MODERN
MODERNSTEEL CONSTRUCTION 13
STEELCONSTRUCTION 13

select the proper coating system. While
several options were available and evalu-
ated based on an initial specification, the
decision was ultimately made to prepare
the steel with an SSPC-SP10 (near white
blast) surface preparation, a shop ap-
plied zinc-rich primer (Sherwin-Williams
Zinc Clad II), and a field-applied epoxy
topcoat (Sherwin-Williams Macropoxy).
This system was chosen due to its supe-
rior performance characteristics, ability
to endure the Pacific Northwest weather
conditions, and the assurance of a consis-
tent final appearance.
Glass and Steel Tolerances
The incorporation of glass and steel
components was another challenge that
had to be addressed. Glass block and
curtain wall components had to attach
directly to the architecturally exposed
steel framework. As a result, the allow-
able tolerances for the frames had to
be significantly restricted to match the
requirements of the glass components.
This resulted in extensive use of tightly
controlled shop-built frames to minimize
the need for field locating the glass sup-
port pieces.
It also included close coordination
between Stearns, Skanska USA, and the
glass subcontractor to ensure that the re-
sulting steel framework would be within
acceptable tolerance for glass placement,
specifically at the areas of glass blocks.
The blocks were attached directly to steel
framing that consisted of WT sections
and C-shaped bent plate sections to form
the various reveals. The resulting place-
ment of the approximately 80’ tower was
within ½” in overall plumb and square-
ness. Early recognition of these issues
and close coordination between the par-
ties resulted in a successful completion of
this challenging feature.
Architectural Components
Several unique architectural features
14 MODERN STEEL CONSTRUCTION JULY 2005
14 MODERN STEEL CONSTRUCTION
were incorporated into the design that
blended well with the exposed structural
steel components. These items included
landscaping panels, headlight screens,
and a vehicle barrier system.
The landscape panels were custom-
made grids for the incorporation of
climbing vegetation. Panels were sup-
ported off the main building members
around the perimeter of the building. In
order to provide protection from direct
exposure to the elements, the panels re-
ceived a powder-coated finish and were
field-bolted to the structure with stain-
less steel fasteners.
Due to the proximity of the hospital
and the surrounding neighborhood, the
owner was concerned about screening
vehicle headlights. Placement of hori-
zontal and vertical steel channel sections
above the slab level and incorporation of
perforated aluminum panels at the north
and south sides of the building consti-
tuted this screening.
The vehicle barrier restraint system
consisted of 11-line, ½” diameter high-
strength galvanized cables. KPFF de-
signed the anchorage of these cables into
the steel structure. The resulting cable
lengths allowed for a minimum number
of anchorages per floor and a less intru-
sive exterior appearance for the barrier
system.
Site Conditions and Schedule
Site work and three separate buildings
were under construction concurrently at
the hospital campus, with all subcontrac-
tors sharing common access for equip-
ment and deliveries. The resulting site
logistics, coupled with a tight schedule,
were challenging for each of the parties
involved in the project. One of the main
issues involved the proper sequencing
of over 150 loads of structural steel and
metal decking for the garage alone. This
required daily coordination between
Stearns, Skanska USA, and the trucking
The parking structure features glass and steel
exterior cladding that required tight tolerances
for the steel frame.
companies. The steel erector faced the
challenge of having to perform multiple
activities simultaneously to achieve the
aggressive concrete-on-metal deck place-
ment schedule.
The use of steel for parking structures
continues to increase, with long-span
systems, high-performance coatings, re-
duced foundation loads, and aesthetics
among the main considerations for that
choice. The Legacy Salmon Creek Hos-
pital parking structure exemplifies all
of these attributes by combining unique
and pleasing architecture with the latest
in steel technology. 
James Sarka is a project manager for R.F.
Stearns, Inc. Roger O’Hara is Operations
Manager for R.F. Stearns, Inc.
Owner
Legacy Health System, Portland, OR
Architect
Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Partnership,
Portland, OR
Structural Engineer
KPFF Consulting Engineers,
Portland, OR
Engineering Software
RAM Structural System and ETABS
Structural Steel Contractor/Detailer
R.F. Stearns, Inc., Portland, OR,
AISC member
Detailing Software
AutoCAD
Fabricator
Metals Fabrication Co., Spokane, WA,
AISC member
General Contractor
Skanska USA Building, Inc., Portland, OR
SmartBeam® Supplier
SMI Steel Products, Hope, AR,
AISC member
 ON PARKING GARAGESHoshi & Don
STRENGTH I was always amazed by the strength
of building materials and how they could resist
stress. That’s one thing that got me interested in
engineering when I was growing up. I was around a
lot of construction with my uncle who would buy
properties for development of residential buildings.
When I wasn’t in school, I was helping him.
Hoshi Engineer, P.E., SE, Principal and Regional Chief Structural Engineer
for Walker Parking Consultants’ Engineering Resources Group in Denver. Hoshi
oversees production of structural design, and is responsible for proactive structural
design support, project planning, training of engineers and development of
engineering design aids and standards.
Donald R. Monahan, P.E., Vice President, Walker Parking Consultants in Denver.
With more than 26 years experience and 500+ multi-level parking structures to his
credit, Don has chaired the Parking Consultants Council and currently sits on the
Board of Directors for the National Parking Association.
PLANNING You always look out for the best
interest of the client. That means not over-building
unnecessary parking spaces. For instance, for a
garage serving an office building, we tabulate peak
occupancy rates through observations and surveys.
Then we compare that to the square footage of the
particular building to come up with the ratio of
spaces per 1,000 square feet of flooring. But for a
hospital, the parking ratio isn’t based on square
footage – it’s based on the number of beds they
have. Although outpatient parking – like an office –
is linked to square footage to determine need.
PROCESS We find that designing a structure is
as enjoyable as seeing the end results. But that
depends on whom you talk to because it’s different
for everyone.
WEATHER A parking structure should not corrode or
crack because both will cause expensive
maintenance problems. Slab cracking is always
an issue of concern. In Colorado, the snow and
road salt tracked into garages by cars can cause
considerable damage to concrete and steel. Water
leaching through cracks in slabs can drip down on
cars parked below. This salt-contaminated water
can damage paint on cars.
DURABILITY Steel frames can be a very competitive
system for parking garages. We just finished a
steel parking structure for employee parking at
the Northern Colorado Medical Center (NCMC).
In the past, some owners didn’t want steel because
it was painted with a single-coat system and the
eventual maintenance was not desirable –
repainting would eventually be required. The
advantage for steel now is that members can be
galvanized at the end of the mill run or painted
with a high-performance coating system. For the
NCMC, the members were hot-dipped galvanized
in an 80-foot cauldron. As a result, we were able
to give the owner a steel parking structure that
will effectively resist corrosion with a 125-year
service life.
TIME We went through an exercise to evaluate
various structural system costs for the NCMC
parking structure. The study covered pre-cast
concrete, cast-in-place post-tensioned concrete and
a steel frame with a post-tensioned floor. All were
roughly the same cost, but the steel-framed parking
structure saved two months in construction time –
we went from a 10-month schedule down to eight
months – primarily due to the speed of erection
even through the winter.
COST Using steel shortens construction time,
which reduces overhead expense for the contractor.
At the NCMC, the original scope of work was to
design a 600-car parking structure, but after
project estimates came in under budget, the owner
decided to add another level to gain an additional
120 spaces.
EXPANSION A couple of years before we built the
steel parking structure at the NCMC, Walker
Parking Consultants did a feasibility study to
determine their current and future needs based
on planned growth. The old employee parking
area was on grade and is now the site of the new
medical towers currently under construction.
A parking structure takes advantage of vertical
space and allows for expansion on an already
crowded campus.
CAPACITY The owner received a variance change to
the city ordinance that gave the NCMC site
a setback requirement of 10 feet instead of the
original 25 feet. City ordinances also set a height
limitation of 30 feet. We maximized both limits and
designed a structure that gave them 720 spaces.
The relative shallowness of the steel beams allows
us to have an open structure with adequate
headroom.
STEEL The parking structure we built at NCMC is
for the employees. Shifts start and end at different
times throughout the day because hospitals are
24-hour facilities. Security was a major issue to
address. With steel, the columns are smaller in size
than concrete – and less obtrusive. You can see
around the columns and be confident no one is
hiding behind them. The shallow profile of the floor
beams provides more openness, which makes the
space much easier to illuminate – another security
advantage. In this respect, steel provides a user-
friendly design approach for parking structures.
www.aisc.org
866.ASK.AISC
Structural Steel: The Material of Choice
 h)MWORKINGONASPACEPARKING
STRUCTURExTHEOWNERWANTSUSTO
PRESENTASTEELALTERNATIVE(ELP

(OWMUCHWILLITCOST
(OWLONGWILLITTAKETOCONSTRUCTv

)NTODAYSFAST PACEDCOMPETITIVEDESIGNANDCONSTRUCTIONINDUSTRYSUCCESSISOFTEN

AMATTEROFACCESSTOTHERIGHTINFORMATIONATTHERIGHTTIME4HE!)3#3TEEL3OLUTIONS
#ENTERMAKESITEASYFORYOUTOEXPLORETRADITIONALANDINNOVATIVESOLUTIONSENABLING
YOUTOlNDCOMPARESELECTANDSPECIFYTHERIGHTFRAMINGSYSTEMFORYOURBUILDING
PROJECT

&ROMTYPICALFRAMINGSTUDIESTOTOTALSTRUCTURALSTEELSYSTEMS).#,5$).'02/*%#4
#/343!.$3#(%$5,%3WECANPROVIDEYOUWITHUP TO DATEINFORMATIONFORYOUR
NEXTBUILDINGPROJECTˆ&/2&2%%

!LLYOUHAVETODOISCALL!3+!)3#ORE MAILSOLUTIONS AISCORG

&ORASAMPLEOFWHAT4HE3TEEL3OLUTIONS#ENTERCANDOFORYOUVISITWWWAISCORGSOLUTIONS




 



 

!MERICAN)NSTITUTEOF3TEEL#ONSTRUCTION4HERESALWAYSASOLUTIONINSTEEL