Accommodating Atlanta's first urban Wal-Mart, several other big-box retail stores, and plentiful parking on a nine-acre site was the primary challenge facing Spartanburg, S.C.-based Tindall Corp., structural precast supplier for Atlanta's District at Howell Mill mixed-use development. Also required was a spacious loading dock area on grade level, with retail stores stacked above.

Tindall met project demands by establishing Wal-Mart as a huge presence at grade level, close to the well-lit parking deck. Stacked across the top of Wal-Mart are big-box retail stores served by wide streets with limited parking. Unprecedented 140-ft. spans permit access to the loading dock on grade and allow significant live loading from retail operations above. Due to the structural depth required, beam weights were designed with a continuous bottom flange and spliced web sections.