Fort Collins Parking Structure

T
he challenge for the architectural-construction team was to provide a
community parking structure for a city of 80,000 people that was aesthetically
acceptable, economical, and that also could be constructed in a relatively short
period of time.
The city of Fort Collins, Colorado thrives not only on agricultural and high
technology industries, but also on its status as a college town. The community has
made a commitment to preserve the older buildings which represent the town's
heritage while also accepting and integrating new structures. Therefore, an
ambitious renovation and preservation project was undertaken for a three block,
city core area known as Old Town.
As is normally the case in older core areas of most cities, many of the structures
are very ornate and are built from various types of stone and colors of brick. The
outstanding civic pride and deeply rooted local interest in the renovation of Old
Town demanded that any new, supportive structures be completely compatible
with the spirit and imagination of the entire master plan.
Therefore, a precast concrete parking structure had to be conceived that could
fulfill these needs — an architectural blend that complemented but did not detract
from the adjacent Old Town buildings; a structure that was new but had a look that
flowed from new to old; and a structure that was both practical and safe for city
residents and economical. The result was a striking structural accomplishment that
utilized traditional brick and precast architectural, acid-etched concrete.
The actual dimensions of the project are 242 x 110 ft (73.8 x 33.5 m) for the
parking structure and 30 x 90 ft (9.1 x 27.4 m) for the office building. Thus, the
total square footage of the two structures is 108,336 sq ft (10,064 m2) and 5,400
sq ft (502 m 2), respectively.
The long, arched brick and acid-etched precast panels weigh approximately
30,000 lb (133.4 kN) and serve as load bearing spandrels for the upper deck. The
32 architectural columns were cast as one piece and weigh approximately 29,000
lb (129 kN).

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 Precast concrete was used to design a community
parking structure and adjacent office building under
strict time and budget requirements. The result is
an aesthetically pleasing structure that fully
complements the surrounding, older buildings in
the area.

PCI JOURNAL/January-February 1986 135

 The upper parking deck was designed for heavy snow loading which is
transferred, in addition to the normal parking loads and dead loads, to the large,
arched brick and acid-etched spandrels on the load bearing side. On the non-load
bearing side of the structure, the symmetry of the building demanded three, arched
panels with an end-fill panel at each end. This eliminated the availability of an
exterior column at the center to carry the interior beam line. Therefore, the center,
arched panel, as well as the two lower, straight panels are designed with an
unusually large-capacity haunch at the center of the span — a unique torsion
design that proved very successful.
Although the far side of the building abuts adjacent, older structures,

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architectural, acid-etched fire walls with much detail had to be used since these
structures are to be removed at a future date. After the buildings are removed, the
parking structure will be viewed from all four directions.
The effects of rain water or snow on the ledges or the top of the spandrels was
also given special attention. Every ledge is drafted or offset in such a manner to
minimize the effects of water during long-term weather conditions. In addition, a
special treatment of the thin, 3/4 in. (19 mm) brick mortar was used to control
efflorescence. The mortar was made to match the color of the adjacent, picture-
framed, acid-etched concrete.
The Fort Collins Parking Garage was completed in fall 1984. From the awarding
of the precast contract, June 1, 1984 to the actual parking of cars, October 1,
1984, only five months time had elapsed. Total cost for the entire project was
$2,241,246 with the precast concrete work amounting to $1,241,075. Total cost per
square foot was $19.70.

Credits
Owner: Fort Collins Downtown Development Authority, Fort Collins, Colorado.
Architect: Z.V.F.K. Architects, Fort Collins, Colorado.
Engineer: Walker Parking Consultants, Aurora, Colorado.
Contractor: Madsen Western Builders, Inc., Westminster, Colorado.
Precast Concrete Manufacturer: Rocky Mountain Prestress, Inc., Englewood,
Colorado.

PCI JOURNAL/January-February 1986 137