Virginia Tech McComas Hall Addition
Project Location
Blacksburg, VA
Project Type
– Education
Services
– New Construction
– Renovation
Expansion and renovation of an existing recreational facility on the Virginia Tech campus in Blacksburg, VA.
The Project
New two-story addition to and renovation of the existing McComas Hall Recreational Facility. The upper floor is a new gymnasium, and the lower floor has weight and fitness zones, a spinning room, multi-purpose rooms, classrooms, and administrative offices. New control desk and corridors merge and redirect traffic from the original building to the new addition. Glazed openings match existing openings and regulate sunlight through new shading devices that still allow views to the surrounding campus. The total project size was 42,000 SF with a 26,000 SF addition and the remainder as renovation.
Structural Features
The building addition is a structural steel frame with composite concrete on metal deck floors. As the gymnasium was on a supported level, floor vibrations were a concern and vibration design was incorporated into the analyses. Tying the new addition into the existing building and reworking the lateral system of the existing building ended up being the primary challenge on the project. There were also challenges during construction that included assisting with developing a sheeting and shoring system to provide for construction without disrupting adjacent structures and playing fields.
