For the most dangerous demolition work at Hec Ed — overhead demolition of the seating bowl — Nuprecon used robotics. Photo by Linda Melde/Nuprecon

At Hec Edmundson Pavilion, Nuprecon performed a complex 80,000-square-foot selective interior demolition — with major structural concrete demolition and asbestos, lead and mercury abatement — while preserving the building’s historic brick exterior and maintaining university functions. The project was part of a two-phase, $39 million renovation that included a new seating bowl, a basketball court, and two 250-foot-long supertrusses replacing the roof-supporting columns inside the upper seating area.

Sellen Construction was the general contractor/construction manager while Nuprecon was the Phase I prime contractor. Nuprecon was responsible for all demolition (structural, mechanical, electrical, all interior partitions and finishes), abatement, cut and cap of utilities, temporary lighting and electrical facilities, and salvage. Included was removal of support columns and demolition of the entire seating bowl and its supporting structure. Also removed were the running track, locker rooms, concession areas, ceilings, catwalks and basketball court.

The building’s 23 concrete columns with structural steel beams and 23 raker beams provided lateral support for its 60-foot-high unreinforced brick exterior walls. Removal meant extensive and expensive shoring to keep the historic walls from caving in. Instead, the Sellen-Nuprecon team decided to retain the raker beams and horizontal ties until the supertrusses could be placed. This provided the necessary structural support and a cost-effective alternative to shoring. Nuprecon demolished the raker beams in Phase II.

The seating bowl demolition involved removing a major concrete structure (2,200 cubic yards) that supported high-voltage power lines and fiber optic cables housed in 4-inch conduits suspended from the seating bowl. The fiber optic cables were an integral part of the communication network for the entire campus and could not be disturbed. Nuprecon created a shoring system that supported and protected the conduits while demolition was underway.

All concrete and masonry, as well as steel, scrap metals and wood products were recycled. Casework and floor coverings were salvaged for reuse in the recycle market. The arena seating, windows, catwalks and lighting fixtures will live to see another day in the renovated facility.

Nuprecon had only one minor injury for 10,324 labor hours worked.