Flamingo Towers North (Flamingo Point) is a 15-story luxury apartment community offering premier waterfront living, surrounded by Miami’s most inspired culinary projects. The complex is comprised of three buildings connected by a central wing. It originally housed 614 small units for retirees and young adults but needed to be updated to accommodate the needs of the growing area.

The owner, MCZ/Centrum Flamingo, decided it was time to reconfigure the existing structure to make the units larger and more appealing to families. This included retail and dining options on the bottom level. The new design required a change in load distribution, which involved strengthening the structure. Americaribe – Grycon Joint Venture worked closely with STRUCTURAL to support the increased load utilizing customized strengthening solutions from STRUCTURAL TECHNOLOGIES. The strengthening design included 9,100 sf of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) on columns, 4,000 sf of CFRP on horizontal slabs, 3,100 lf of CFRP rod, 3,500 lf of traditional rebar, and 53 steel plates with anchors. The state-of-the-art CFRP composite system utilized high-strength carbon and glass fibers bonded with adhesive resins to increase and restore the load-carrying capacity, ductility, and seismic resistance of the structure.

The team met daily with the owner to ensure that work areas were safe and met the requirements for a quality installation. The project was completed during the height of COVID-19. When the pandemic hit and the world shut down, the team’s priority shifted to ensuring that safety was a top priority for all crew members on-site. The team made sure proper face coverings were worn, hand sanitizer was made available, and social distancing was implemented as outlined by the CDC.

Due to the magnitude of this project, the team needed to streamline material deliveries to keep the schedule moving and on target. Additionally, there were design changes that took place after strengthening components were installed and many components were cored through. To overcome this, Americaribe – Grycon and STRUCTURAL collaborated with other subcontractors to finalize the plans, modify the design to mitigate conflicts and repair any damaged areas.

Despite numerous challenges, the Flamingo Towers North strengthening project is a prime example of adaptability. The project showcased how a new design, sophisticated technologies, and strong materials can change load requirements without the use of demolition.