Cleveland Heights landmark project overcomes ‘steep’ challenges

Client

Flaherty & Collins Properties

Location

Cleveland Heights, OH

Challenge

Transforming a parking lot into a signature mixed-use residential and community space to serve as “the western gateway to Cleveland Heights” required problem solving, safety-focused engineers and technicians and, above all, near-constant communication.

In 2019, Terracon, the contractor, and client met at Terracon’s nearby office to establish relationships and kick off the highly anticipated public-private project. From a Phase 1 ESA to field exploration, geotechnical engineering and consulting, laboratory testing, and construction engineering inspection, the Terracon team prioritized clear communication to keep the project moving forward.

As with most projects, a few challenges emerged:

• Shallow bedrock that varied across the site

• A congested site situated at the top of a steep hill with an existing apartment complex to construct around

• A buried concrete foundation and tunnel discovered during excavation

• Remote client necessitated ongoing collaboration and high degree of trust

Solution

Shallow, varied bedrock: Borings revealed shallow, varied bedrock. Experts in mud rotary drilling, a technique ideal for drilling into rock because it minimizes soil disturbance and maintains the structural integrity of samples, trained our technicians on the method. Their results informed Terracon’s design recommendations, such as placement of utilities and potential excavation challenges the contractor may face during construction.

Congested site: To maximize the construction timeline, work was performed on the parking garage and apartment towers simultaneously. Plus, the project was situated at the peak of a steep incline with limited roadways and very near an existing apartment complex. These things made the site congested with vehicles, equipment, and people. Terracon’s materials project manager, Alex Gherghel, led critical daily coordination meetings in which he emphasized safety precautions and made sure everyone knew what was happening when and where each day.

Surprises during excavation: On what started as a routine excavation day, the team discovered a buried concrete foundation and tunnel. “My phone started ringing, with the team asking for recommendations,” says Gherghel.  That’s when the clock starts ticking because this affects the timeline.” Gherghel immediately phoned Terracon’s project manager who led the geotechnical services and design recommendations. Thanks to the geotechnical team’s responsiveness, within days a plan was in place: no redesign, remove debris within the building footprint, replace with fill, and continue building.

Remote client relying on Terracon: Rather than having a representative on site, the client leaned on Terracon’s meticulous record keeping and communication to keep them informed. “We provided sketches and photos, tracked quantities, and showed them when and where work was performed,” says Gherghel. “They relied on us for honest, clear feedback about everything that was going on.”

Results

The Ascent at Top of the Hill opened on time and with much citywide celebration. Terracon provided environmental, geotechnical, and materials testing and inspection services for the $83 million project. It includes 261 residential apartments, 11,000 square feet of commercial space, a 550-space parking garage, and 25,000 square feet of green space.