Saint Martin's University Parsons Hall
Architect: Mithun Architects
Engineer: Perbix Bykonen (structural)
Owner: Saint Martin's University
ABC members: American Drapery, Landscaping Services Inc., Tacoma Plumbing & Heating
Parsons Hall, the newest residence hall at Saint Martin's University, provides 262 beds for freshman and sophomore students.
Marpac Construction built the 67,000-square-foot building and an adjacent 159-stall surface parking lot. The building includes a community lounge and kitchen, cafe, conference room, laundry room, fitness room and computer lab. The housing options include single and double suites with shared baths for sophomore students and two-bed suites with common baths for freshmen.
During preconstruction, Marpac determined that the project was over budget, so it used value engineering to reduce costs. For example, using thickened slab edges for the building's foundation in lieu of standard continuous footings and stem-wall foundations generated significant savings.
Marpac worked with different university offices to ensure that the design-build project met each of their often different needs. Based on the team's input, the final project included a comprehensive security system with outside door alarms, increased levels of outside lighting, monitoring systems, cameras in parking lots and card proximity readers. The team also installed an IT system for in-room access to the campus network, e-mail and Internet services.
Protecting the 300 acres of woodland, meadows and trails surrounding the university were a paramount concern during construction. Every week, a certified erosion and sediment control lead inspected the site and the team constantly monitored stormwater discharges for turbidity and pH level.
To ensure safety for staff and students, Marpac developed a strict delivery schedule for suppliers, installed fencing, signage and barricades, and kept university officials updated on the progress and alerted them to any potential disruptions.
The project was completed on time with no injuries during the 9,166 hours worked.