Habitat For Humanity: Civil & Structural Innovation for Urban Development

Project Overview

BKBM provided structural and civil engineering services for a new 28,000-square-foot, three-story office building, prominently situated along the St. Paul light rail corridor. The project emphasizes sustainable urban redevelopment, advanced stormwater management, and flexible, transit-oriented workplace design.

Project Highlights

  • Structural Engineering:
    • Foundation system utilizing conventional shallow footings supported by aggregate piers
    • Composite concrete over metal deck for second and third floor slabs, supported by steel beams
    • Metal roof deck over open web steel joists and steel beams
    • One-story-high floor truss engineered to support the cantilevered building corner above the main entry for a striking architectural feature
  • Civil Engineering & Sitework:
    • Demolition of the previous building and parking lot, converting the fully impervious site to a green, stormwater-managed campus
    • Conceptual planning, grading and drainage design, sidewalk and trail design, and site due diligence
    • Stormwater management system, including an underground infiltration tank, paired with creative landscaping and increased green cover to dramatically improve retention and infiltration
    • Utility design and SWPPP for compliance with city and state requirements and to achieve LEED credits

Engineering Solutions

BKBM engineered the site and structure to not only exceed performance and code requirements, but also to achieve LEED Silver certification (and eligibility for LEED Gold). Particular care was taken in designing sustainable foundations and high-efficiency stormwater solutions, leveraging the full suite of civil services to responsibly transform the site and maximize water quality.

Results & Impact

  • Modern, transit-connected workplace supporting St. Paul’s vision for sustainable growth and reduced car dependency
  • Stormwater systems exceeded city, state, and LEED standards, improving site water quality and resilience
  • Green infrastructure and thoughtful site design set a new standard for urban office redevelopment in the region
  • Recognized with the Contract Magazine 2014 Inspiration Award (1st Place) and achieved LEED Silver certification