Project Overview

• 30-story West Tower and 22-story East Tower
• Assessment of 300 balconies
• Completed 338 linear feet of slab-edge crack repairs
• Repaired 668 post-tension grout pockets
• Restored 15 broken post-tensioning cables
• Received an ICRI Award of Merit, High-Rise

West 6^th is a mixed-use development in downtown Tempe, Arizona, consisting of two residential towers built with traditional non-bonded post-tensioned concrete slabs connected by a shared structure housing retail space and parking. Concerns about the towers’ long-term condition emerged when a large section of concrete detached from the building’s façade, highlighting potential safety risks and prompting a comprehensive structural assessment of 300 balconies and other accessible façade elements.

The assessment revealed widespread deterioration, including cracking, spalling, corroded reinforcement, deteriorated slab edges, and failed post-tension grout pockets of the balconies and façade. STRUCTURAL performed an extensive rehabilitation program to address these deficiencies, including localized concrete restoration, balcony edge repairs, post-tensioning system repairs, and protective coating applications.

With both towers fully occupied and located in a busy urban environment, the project required careful planning and specialized access methods to safely complete elevated repairs while minimizing disruption to residents. STRUCTURAL partnered with vertical access specialists and the Engineer of Record (EOR) to develop and implement an innovative hybrid access strategy combining traditional swing-stage scaffolding with industrial rope access. This approach provided greater flexibility in accessing difficult-to-reach areas, improved work sequencing, and shortened the project duration by several months.

Through specialized repair techniques, innovative access methods, and close collaboration, STRUCTURAL addressed critical deterioration and safety concerns while maintaining building occupancy. The completed rehabilitation restored the towers’ structural integrity, extended their service life, and enhanced safety.