102-7555 Beedie Way

Summarize the project's program, features and achievements?

As the final industrial opportunity in the award-winning Delta Link Business Park, 102-7555 Beedie Way utilized tilt-up construction to build a 101,406 SF expansion to an existing 434,030 SF distribution facility. Strategically located near Canada's flagship container terminal, Deltaport, the Subject Property offers cross-dock loading, 40' clear warehouse ceilings, and 1,330 SF of mezzanine or office space, establishing it as a vital distribution facility within Metro Vancouver.

To ensure maximum flexibility in the future, the development was designed to function as both an individual facility and as an expansion. To achieve this, additional design work was required, including on detailed elements such as footing locations, roof slopes for drainage, stormwater design, and structural steel tie-ins. This ensured the expansion was designed to current code requirements, while seamlessly integrating into the existing facility.

Throughout the approvals process, the developer worked in collaboration with the City of Delta to receive an exemption from Design Review, allowing the project to proceed directly to Building Permit submission and approvals. Through this process, all municipal and code requirements were met while ensuring the architectural features were consistent with those of the existing facility and Delta Link Business Park. Composed of 82 panels, 102-7555 Beedie Way's façade was finished with exposed aggregate concrete, flat paint, and corrugated metal paneling, adding visual interest while ensuring a seamless façade across both phases.

As an expansion project, standard tilt-up methods had to be adapted to ensure a smooth connection to the original building while maintaining the premium quality and structural integrity of both components. This started from the ground up, as the existing building had a more stringent differential settlement requirement than the expansion space as it was designed with super-flat floors for a client utilizing a very-narrow-aisle racking system with guide wire. This was addressed through the design process and onsite coordination, where multiple surveys and as-builts were required to accurately align the existing slabs, panels, and structural steel. Additionally, the exterior wall of the original building abutting the expansion space was designed to accommodate future conversion to an interior wall, with the structural component accommodating a load bearing connection to the roof structure of the expansion space with only minor re-work required. Due to the size and geometry of this building and its expansion space, and the requirement to maintain clear height for the existing tenant with minimal structural bracing interference, a structural moment frame design was deployed in the expansion space, mirroring the design of the original building. Adding to the complexity of construction, sequencing had to be meticulously planned to ensure that construction did not affect the operation of the neighboring tenant, while proceeding at the speed that tilt-up allows.

Tilt-up construction at 102-7555 Beedie Way allowed for a highly flexible new distribution center, allowing the potential for a new business to be established in the area or for the user of the existing facility to further grow their operation under one roof.

What obstacles were overcome related to the schedule, budget, program, specification, site, etc. on this project?

Completed in 2017, the existing facility is home to one of Canada's largest furniture retailers which remained open and active throughout the construction process. With shared driveway access, all construction activities were carefully coordinated to ensure no disruptions were made to the existing tenant's business. This was successfully executed through multiple meetings with the tenant and onsite coordination between the developer, the tenant, and all trade partners. This consideration not only resulted in no negative impact on the tenant's operations; it also allowed for the project to complete 6 weeks ahead of schedule and under budget.

Please communicate any engineering complexities or unique features of the panel design for this project?

Alternative methods of construction and unique features were successfully trialed during the construction of 102-7555 Beedie Way. Notably, neat cut excavation was used as the formwork for the 340m3 seismic pad, which proved to be highly effective as it saved over 300 hours of labor and material costs. The design of the interior sandwich panel is unique as it allows for the future conversion to an interior demising wall. Structurally, it is load-bearing both the existing building joist span and the first bay of the expansion space. Finally, when pouring the tilt panels, reveals and architectural details were glued down within the casting beds, resulting in 60% savings per lineal foot and prevented penetrations to the slab which would require patching.

What is the potential for this project's impact on the community and/or environment?

102-7555 Beedie Way was the final project within Delta Link Business Park. This 103-acre business park sits on the site of a former chemical facility, which required significant remediation over many years to meet the Ministry of Environment's standard for redevelopment. The remediation of the site not only provided immense environmental benefits, but it also had a threefold positive impact on the community, as a substantial number of jobs were created during the remediation, throughout the construction of all new development on the brownfield site, and with the establishment of new businesses in the area, many of which are world-renowned companies that significantly contribute to the local, national, and international economies.