Denver, Colorado

Martin/Martin provided structural renovation of an existing one-story precast structure into the new home of the City of Denver’s 911 Call Center. Originally designed as an office building, the change in occupancy required the building structure be upgraded to conform to the current building code for a Risk Category IV structure. The project also involved structural engineering for two new large duct openings through the structural precast wall panels, evaluation of the existing roof framing, and design. Martin/Martin directed a full-scale load test on the concrete double-tee roof per American Concrete Institute (ACI) procedures. The tests were required to verify the load carrying capacity of the roof structure under increased code level loads. A full understanding of the current structural provisions of the IBC, International Existing Building Code (IEBC), and Denver Building Code Amendments was required to bring the lateral and gravity systems of this critical facility up to date.