Park Ridge Medical Center

Located on a very small and awkward site that has a steep slope, the Park Ridge Medical Center is a three-story spec building that needed to accommodate a diverse range of tenants. Therefore, it was crucial that costs were saved on the core and shell construction, in order for funds to be utilized for tenant finishes.

Although the owners were unfamiliar with Tilt-Up, they selected the method for this project because of its cost-effectiveness, speed of construction, durability and ability to achieve the desired aesthetics.

Wanting the building to be different than other Tilt-Up projects, the architect chose a design that eliminated the typical vertical panel joints at the corners. This was achieved by mitering inside and outside corners and incorporating an integral 90-degree return-corner panels.

By utilizing a 1-foot, 6-inch-thin leg at the three-story panels, large punch windows were incorporated into the design to capture Front Range views. The building uses the site cast Tilt-Up walls to support a large porte cochere.

Tilt-Up also offers a very clean connection to the building for the roof assembly, and the opposite end is supported by large tapering Tilt-Up columns that typically would be cast-in-place or precast.

Natural stone veneer inlays are recessed into the panels, which maximize the pedestrian level visual appeal. Additional architectural features include simple reveals and building up of color, recessing the panels above the third floor windows to create a shadow line and additional depth in the exterior façade, as well as an entry crown of steel that is supported by the Tilt-Up panels and would have been prohibitive with conventional construction methods. The columns on the exterior create the depth of a conventional steel frame building, which make the structure look less boxy.

All of these enhancements proved successful. The architectural control committee initially did not favor Tilt-Up construction, but they were so pleased with the results that they would like to see more Tilt-Up buildings in the office park. Tilt-Up allowed the owner to allot additional funds to the tenant finishes and have the facility 80-percent leased when the first caisson was drilled.