Wesley Theological Seminary - New Residence Hall

The Wesley Theological Seminary is a four-story thin brick dormitory built into a hillside. The project was originally budgeted as a steel frame, light gauge masonry veneer project which is typical for institutional construction. Tilt-up is not common for this type of building, but it provided a faster, more economical, and more durable building than traditional institutional construction methods.

This project was extremely difficult to complete with tilt-up given the postage-stamp-sized lot and small building footprint. However, the crane used the floor as an erection platform and the casting beds were outside for most panels. In the end, some of the casting bed remained as part of the paverbase for the fire lane. The construction required exterior bracing, and helical anchors and deadmen integrated into the casting bed were also used for bracing. The special floor system requires approximately 700 embed plates.

This project is a prime example of the advancement of tilt-up into a non-traditional tilt market. The project was completed 60 days prior to contract completion date and is certified LEED Silver.