Metromont Lands Contract For All Precast Dormitory

In late 2005, the year of its 75th anniversary, Bryan College broke ground for a new four-level, 120-bed, all-precast residence hall on its Dayton, Tenn.,

In late 2005, the year of its 75th anniversary, Bryan College broke ground for a new four-level, 120-bed, all-precast residence hall on its Dayton, Tenn., campus. While Troyer Group and project architect Fredda Zeiter, AIA, are credited with the structure’s design, general contractor Steve Dillard of Dillard Construction teamed up with George Spence of Greenville, S.C.-based Metromont Corp. to develop a precast building solution that would meet the customer’s requirements and aggressive schedule.

A December construction start was timed to follow students’ departure for Christmas break. Accordingly, installation of precast concrete wall, floor and roof components Û likely to occupy 15 to 20 days Û was expected to begin mid-February. The total precast solution allows for rapid enclosure of the building envelope, as it achieves the fa¡ade’s architectural aesthetic requirements. A buff-colored concrete mix design, cast-in brick veneer, sandblasting and reveals comprise the architectural finish of the precast wall panels.

As a licensee of Baltimore-based Altus Group, Metromont fabricated CarbonCast precast panels for the job. CarbonCast’s thermal-efficient C-Grid panel system provides 11-in.-thick walls and an insulation value of R-19. Once the building is in the dry, work can continue around the clock as needed to meet the August target date for occupancy when students return for the 2006 Û ’07 academic year.