Sturdy Shelter

Houston-based Lonestar Prestress Mfg., Inc. (LPMI) recently supplied a 40-ft.-wide by 90-ft.-long Easi-Span precast equipment building for the U.S. Army

Houston-based Lonestar Prestress Mfg., Inc. (LPMI) recently supplied a 40-ft.-wide by 90-ft.-long Easi-Span precast equipment building for the U.S. Army installation at Ft. Huachuca, Ariz. Purchased by Allcom Global Services, a full turn-key EFI&T [engineer, furnish, install, and test] contractor, the structure is the first 40-ft. clear-span building produced by LPMI. Engineering to withstand 140 mph winds enables the Easi-Span structure to provide enhanced stability for equipment and personnel on the base, the producer affirms.

The Arizona installation constitutes the fifth LPMI Easi-Span building purchased by Allcom for military projects in the last 18 months. During fourth quarter 2007, Allcom took delivery of three 24- _ 40-ft. structures in west Texas, and April 2008 saw the erection by LPMI of a 30- _ 40-ft. building in southern Oklahoma. Allcom Project Manager Tim Atherton cites numerous advantages of Easi-Span buildings over conventional construction: They have excellent lead times, are affordable, and precast goes up in a matter of days. The roof systems are post-tensioned concrete and weather tight with no membranes to maintain. Because the entire building is constructed from precast concrete panels, maintenance and operating costs over its 75- to 100-year service life will be extremely low, not to mention the fact the walls are made from foam-filled sandwich panels, which carry an R-26 energy rating.

LPMI is a licensee of Smith-Midland subsidiary Easi-Set Industries, developer of the proprietary transportable precast building. Standard 10- _ 12-ft., 12- _ 16-ft., and 12- _ 20-ft. Easi-Set structures are installed in a day, require no foundation, and can be relocated as needs change. Yet, they provide durability and long-lasting security, LPMI emphasizes, in addition to convenience and cost effectiveness.

Larger Easi-Span buildings are produced in a range of sizes. The self-supporting clear-span roof is available in 20-, 24-, 30- and 40-ft. widths; and, combining roof sections in 10-ft. increments allows overall lengths up to 200 feet. Interior heights are nine feet, although custom heights are available.