BALTIMORE, MD - (Jan. 31, 2008) - VStructural, LLC (VSL) -- the technical leader in the design, manufacture and installation of post-tensioning systems for the construction industry - has been selected to provide post-tensioning for the Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GFIA) terminal area and parking improvement program.
The $118-million project in Grand Rapids, Mich., which began in September and is slated for completion in fall 2009, includes a new 4,900-space, 1.3 million square foot, four-story parking structure as well as other related terminal area improvements such as pedestrian sky bridges connecting the parking structure to the terminal, a covered roadway canopy for passenger drop-offs, as well as all new utilities and roadway infrastructure. In addition to short- and long-term vehicle parking, the facility will house on-site rental car operations.
VSL will supply nearly 2.5 million linear feet of unbonded monostrand post-tensioning to reinforce the concrete on the project. According to Clyde Ellis, VSL Springfield, Va. Branch Manager, VSL was selected to supply systems and services for the project based on the firm's post-tensioning and engineering experience as well as their track record on projects of this magnitude. Further, said Ellis, the client specified a post-tensioning system that offers superior durability with positive mechanical connections and water-tightness to improve the long-term durability of the parking garage.
Owned and operated by the Kent County Department of Aeronautics, the $74-million garage was designed by Carl Walker, Inc. and will be constructed by CCI/GRC, a joint venture between Christman Company and Grand River Construction, Inc. The four-level parking structure is intended to make parking easy and convenient for the thousands of people who will use it every day. Key design features include a circular helix for easy vehicular access, two pedestrian bridges at the second level, rental car counters at ground level in the garage, and a "Welcome Wall" in the middle of the garage with general interest information, maps, accommodations, and history about the Grand Rapids area.
Gerald R. Ford International Airport currently serves more than two million passengers annually. GFIA is the second busiest airport in Michigan and ranks among the top 15 percent of busiest airports nationwide.
VSL is part of Structural Group - one of the nation's leading specialty contractors. From operating centers around the United States, Structural Group businesses perform services for a wide range of projects involving industrial facilities, commercial properties, public infrastructure and municipal buildings. Structural Group is comprised of three dynamic and diversified companies. In addition to VSL, Structural Preservation Systems is the largest specialty contractor focusing on structural repair and strengthening. And, Pullman Power leads the industry in chimney, silo, and stack construction, maintenance, and repair.