14th & Main Street Parking Garage

The 14th and Main Street Parking Deck was designed and constructed for the Virginia Department of General Services (DGS) and is located in downtown Richmond, VA. The 484,641 SF parking garage was built of precast construction and provides 1,522 parking spaces over seven (7) levels, with one and a half levels below grade. The structure was built on a complex urban site with major contour changes as well as underground construction.

The garage façade was constructed with brick-clad structural precast wall panels and punched openings with screenings and railings as opposed to the more typical garage design of columns, beams, and spandrel panels. The garage was protected with a dry standpipe fire protection system and illuminated with high intensity discharge (HID) lighting fixtures.

Before construction, two existing facilities needed to be demolished: the state government’s Consolidated Laboratory Services, which included a state morgue, and a Motor Fuel Testing Laboratory. Hazardous materials removal and a site inspection were performed. Concrete from the demolished buildings was used in the construction of the new parking garage, resulting in significant cost savings to the project. This is standard practice for our construction projects. The project earned the Green Builder Award from the National Association of State Facilities Administrators as well as the Green Builder of the Year Award for 2004 from the Virginia Recycling Association.

SBBCC utilized precast concrete support and floor members in the construction of the parking garage. Vehicle circulation was designed to avoid congestion for vehicles coming into and leaving the garage. Three (3) vehicle entrances and exits were placed to evenly disperse traffic flow onto three separate streets, minimizing the impact of the garage on existing traffic patterns in the local area. Inside, the structure is protected by a dry standpipe fire protection system and is illuminated by HID lighting fixtures.

The exterior design complements the architectural character of the surrounding buildings and urban environment. The garage façade was constructed using brick-clad structural precast wall panels and punched openings with screenings and railings, as opposed to the more typical garage exterior design of columns, beams, and spandrel panels.

Parking revenue controls were also provided.

Salient features:
This project, erected in Richmond, VA, consisted of the construction of a seven-level, 484,641 SF, 1,522-space parking structure. Two existing buildings were demolished to clear the construction site. The precast construction was clad with brickwork to allow it to blend in with the surrounding turn-of-the-century architecture. Construction was accomplished on a very tight site, and provisions were made to minimize disruption to the ongoing operations of the adjacent buildings and ensure the safety of pedestrian traffic during construction. Underground construction included one and a half parking levels sitting below grade. Pavements and additional concrete walks were laid to provide safety and direction from the finished parking structure.

Project Characteristics:
Urban Site
Demolition of existing structures and removal of hazardous materials
Precast concrete
Structural precast wall panels
7 levels | 1,522 parking spaces
Tight site with underground construction (below grade)
Heavy Pedestrian Traffic, safety precautions
Adjacent occupied buildings
Minimized disruption to ongoing operations
Coordination of utilities
Dry standpipe fire protection system
HID lighting fixtures
Parking revenue controls
Additional site improvements
Green Builder Award (National Association of State Facilities Administrators)
Green Builder of the Year Award for 2004 (Virginia Recycling Association)
Façade designed to match surroundings
Punched openings with screenings and railings