Clark Pacific Paces Massive California Parking Structure

From its West Sacramento operation, Clark Pacific is in the sixth month of a contract for an eight-level, 3,350-stall public and rental car parking structure

From its West Sacramento operation, Clark Pacific is in the sixth month of a contract for an eight-level, 3,350-stall public and rental car parking structure and Quick Turn Around facility at the Mineta San Jose International Airport in northern California. Erection of the $270 million, 1.8 million sq.-ft. garage began in late October 2008, and its completion is planned for July 2010.

Besides paring five to six months off the project timetable as compared to cast-in-place construction, Clark Pacific officials note, the company’s design-build precast methodology offers cost savings and environmental sustainability benefits. The design-build team was managed by general contractor Hensel Phelps Construction Co. Also participating as project principal is specialty design and engineering firm Watry Design Inc.

Site preparation and foundations began in January 2008. The project calls for 11 months of above-grade construction, and precast components will require only eight months to produce. Clark Pacific was highly proactive in solving some of the engineering challenges we had in finalizing the complicated design, affirms Watry Design CEO John Purinton. Getting the precast contractor involved early in the design process fostered solid team work, which generated unique solutions to effect the integration of a multifaceted building. The client’s need for wide open floors and a minimal number of sheer walls was addressed by a combination of pre-tensioning and post-tensioning.

While the facility may be regarded as just a big, traditional parking garage, asserts Jeff Fredericksen, project manager for Hensel Phelps, adapting a precast solution for the structure’s challenging geometry was a significant hurdle. Using precast columns and beams resulted in open floors with fewer columns and offered the best construction schedule to deliver the finished structure in a timely manner. Moreover, Clark Pacific developed a novel seismic solution that entailed post-tensioning precast beams with an array of cables, thereby eliminating the need for extensive interior sheer walls.