Landmark Towers: A Landmark Achievement in Large-Scale Structural Repair & Restoration

When he’s not leading REP’s Structural Repair Division, Jeremy’s passion is to take the lead in off road desert and rock crawling races. This year, Jeremy, crew, and family will participate in the 2024 King of the Hammers race. Jeremey isn’t the only family member you will find on the racetrack. His grade-school son and daughter, Braden and Raelee, are also avid race fans and compete in the junior division. Everyone at Robert Porter Construction is routing for them.

The King of the Hammers is an off-road race that combines desert racing and rock crawling. It takes place in February at Means Dry Lake in Johnson Valley, California. The race is named after the famous trails known as Sledge Hammer, Jack Hammer, and Claw Hammer. The King of the Hammers started in 2007 as a single race between 12 people. Today, it has evolved into a 14-day schedule of off-road races, concerts, a vendor show, and entertainment for all ages. In 2023, the race had more than 1,000 competitors, 80,000 in-person spectators, and nearly three million online viewers.

Construction on Air Guitar, the first of its kind, upscale “grab and go” convenience store, is on schedule for a Fall of 2021 Grand Opening. Inside the store, perimeter shop areas will feature a food service section, ice cream station, and espresso bar. Outdoor patio spaces will offer lounge areas for customers to rest and enjoy food and refreshments. Air Guitar is located at the northwest intersection of Higley Road and Ray Road in Gilbert.

Recreation Centers of Sun City (RCSC) contracted Robert Porter Construction to build a new clubhouse building at Grand Ave and 103 Ave. This will be the second activity building at the existing Grand Center facility. The new 16,000 SF building will provide recreational and vocational services for residents that include an auto workshop, welding shop, tool library and archery range. This will be the fourth project that Robert Porter Construction, RSCSC and CCBG Architects have completed together.

Robert Porter Construction is pleased to announce repairs to the Landmark Towers residential high-rise are now underway. The scope of the project includes structural repairs to 241 balcony decks. The repair team will utilize a “swing stage” (suspension scaffolding) approach to performing the work on all 18 stories. (Photos: Workers lifted in crane to one of the balconies in preparation to stabilize the decks before repair work begins. Investigative demolition of concrete deck, Shoring stabilization.)

Robert Porter Construction has been repairing structural roof system like this since 1982. We specialize in wood roof systems and structural reinforcement for old and historical buildings. Additionally, our structural repair team self-performs concrete repair, carbon fiber reinforcement, shoring, epoxy injection and more.

R.E. Porter teamed with CCBG architects on another historic warehouse building conversion for a tech industry tenant improvement at 411 S 1st Street.

The initial scope of work involved bracing the exterior masonry walls of the buildings so that the repairs to the wood trusses could be executed. The roof loads were supported by a series of shoring posts while the exterior walls were braced from the outside to re-establish and align anchoring and support systems for truss and exterior walls connections.

Stabilizing the building roof and perimeter walls allowed the team to begin the process of individually repairing the trusses by “sistering” a new duplicate truss with the damaged truss. Structural bracing for seismic loads and occupancy purposes were installed. The building’s basement was made accessible by saw cutting through the first-floor concrete slab to allow access via stairways at various location throughout the building. A street level opening was also integrated into the design for pedestrian access. The main entrance shows where the concrete floor was cut out to allow for the entrance. Instead of hiding the slab, the saw cut portions of the slab with exposed aggregate display a unique tribute to the once hidden structural slab with a continuous 8 inch exposed band that runs throughout the building in areas where the basement was opened.

The exterior portion of the building was brought back to its original 1922 facade after being stripped of stucco, cleaned meticulously and resealed. Exterior windows were replaced and reglazed. A storefront window was added to the building’s main facade along 1st street providing an urban curb appeal as well as introducing natural light and openness into the common breakroom. Additional work also included new electrical and mechanical systems, new parking spaces and fire sprinklers. The building was delivered to the owner as a grey shell office. Additional interior design work was completed after structural repairs were made.

Robert Porter Construction was part of the team that completed repairs under a Job Order Contract through the Maricopa County Stadium District.  Gervasio & Associates, the Engineer/Architect design team initially performed forensic investigations and developed the scope of work for the repairs.  Dennis Wipf, P.E., of Gervasio, wrote the article that was featured in the Concrete Repair Bulletin (July/August 2017 -Vol. 30, No. 4). Below are excerpts taken from that article. (Read full article)

Problems Prompting Repair

Chase Field has undergone annual structural repair from 2011- 2017.  The vast majority of the repairs have been the result of 19 years of corrosion damage due to frequent cleaning wash-downs after events. The Stadium was built without any type of waterproof protective membrane in seating areas. However, an extensive gutter system, intended not to protect structural elements but to prevent nuisance water damage to ceilings/floors, was installed under the precast concrete joints. As a result, corrosion damage occurred to the structure as water leaked through the joints, traveling across structural members before entering the gutters. Moisture infiltration resulted in the corrosion damage to reinforcing steel (rebar), prestressing strands, embedded steel connection plates, structural steel members and their connections, and steel guardrails/handrails.

Repair Methods

Many methods and materials were used in the repair programs, with careful attention paid to protecting the stadium from future moisture intrusion. Every steel connection, embed plate, rebar, etc., was sandblasted/epoxy-coated, corrosion inhibitors applied, and repair areas covered with a waterproof urethane deck coating.

Fire Protection

Some repairs were located in areas requiring up to 3-hour fire ratings. The original fireproofing, absorbed moisture and held it next to the structural elements, thereby promoting corrosion in areas such as the raker truss anchor connections. Repairs included intumescent epoxy coating on all steel raker trusses and threaded rebar anchors to achieve the required 3-hr. fire rating.

Fun Facts

Over six years, repairs at the stadium required approximately:

• 1030 gallons (3900 liters) epoxy
• 1330 gallons (5035 liters) epoxy intumescent fireproofing
• 5000 bags repair mortar
• 3420 gallons (12,950 liters) urethane deck coating
• 625 gallons (2365 liters) sealant
• 540,000 pounds (245,000 kg) sandblasting media

The Law Offices of Marc J. Victor contracted Robert Porter Construction for their new Chandler office improvements. The 6,444 SF class “A” office space features custom millwork, 8 foot wood doors, a glass wall conference room with herculite doors, custom light fixtures and granite conference table.