Student Housing Built Smarter & Faster

Towers of Innovation Being Built at High Speed

Coreslab Structures (TAMPA) Inc. provided design-build services as the precast manufacture for the team lead by Peter R. Brown Construction for the new University of South Florida Magnolia Residence Hall in Tampa, Florida.   In the fall of 2009 this state of the art total precast student housing facility will be opened to meet the needs and desires of modern students.

A Gould Evans Associates Design, the USF Magnolia Hall is innovative and comprised of four seven story towers, one six story tower, connected by a single story lobby, which included a clear span double tee measuring 98′ long, providing a portal into the residence community.  The project at completion will consist of a 360,000 sf multi-level structure, housing suites for 1,050 students, student support spaces, laundry facilities, common student lounges, living/learning centers, study areas, a 300 seat dining facility, as well as cooking, serving preparation, freezers, coolers and loading area.

Many designers are specifying precast concrete components because of their structural flexibility.  Some of the design options include long clear spans like the ones used in this project, that reduce the number of columns, creating more open areas and reduced below grade foundation costs.  By eliminating structural columns with long clear spans, foundation costs can be reduced as much as two thirds of structural steel or CIP structures.

Another innovative idea used to reduce cost and increase energy efficiency on this project was the use of insulated load bearing wall panels.  With the walls being load bearing, the need for a perimeter column beam line was eliminated.  The R13 insulation value created a reduction of mechanical equipment by $300,000 and with the interior of the wall panels being a hard steel trowel finish, furring of the interior of the exterior walls was eliminated.

By reducing the construction schedule by 2-3 months with precast construction versus conventional construction, not only can the owner reduce interim financing and can begin generating revenues faster but it can also help the General Contractor overcome lost time due to other trades.  On this project, 1 month was lost during the foundation work due to sink holes on the site.  The precast erection was able to make up that time by reducing its construction schedule by 1 month from 26 weeks to 22 weeks by increasing production capacity and erecting more product each day.  By selecting Coreslab as part of the integrated design team early on, Peter R. Brown was able to focus all the responsibility and accuracy for meeting the University and design teams intent on a single source provider, Coreslab Structures (TAMPA) Inc.

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From initial consultation to engineering, from plant production to jobsite erection, and finally project closeout and certification, we at Coreslab Structures will continue to provide dependability and quality service.

Coreslab Structures (TAMPA) Inc.
6301 N. 56th Street
Tampa, 33610
813-616-1141
fax: 813-623-6406