Abbott Northwestern Hospital Care Pavilion

Project Details

Client: Mortenson
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Services:  Excavation, Building Demolition, Earth Retention, Site Utilities

Overview

The Abbott Northwestern Care Pavilion project is a key development aimed at expanding the Abbott Northwestern Hospital’s facilities to meet growing healthcare demands. The project involves the construction of a state-of-the-art care pavilion building, connected to the hospital’s infrastructure through several new features designed to improve access, workflow, and functionality.

The project includes the construction of a new skyway connecting the purple ramp to the Care Pavilion building, excavation work for the new foundations, and a new tunnel system to connect the Care Pavilion to the existing TAF (Technology and Administrative Facilities) building. The scope also involves underpinning existing structures.

Currently the largest scope of work on the project is the construction of a new cast-in-place tunnel. This is an essential feature of the Abbott Northwestern Care Pavilion project. This tunnel will connect the Care Pavilion building to the TAF building, facilitating the movement of utilities and providing additional access between the two structures under 28th street. Bolander is responsible for constructing the retention systems, underpinning the existing structures including micro piles and soil solidification and excavation for the tunnel. The tunnel construction process requires careful planning to not disrupt hospital functionality. This phase of construction is critical due to the need to work between two important buildings without disrupting the ongoing operations of the hospital.

While Bolander has completed projects like this in the past this tunnel project has some unique features that have made it challenging to both design and excavate. An example of the complexity includes supporting an Xcel duct bank that is encasing a transmission line servicing a large portion of Minneapolis that cannot be taken out of service. The section of concrete duct bank that is being supported temporarily is 4’-6” wide x 2’-6” tall and spans 64’.  With all the beams needed to support this duct and the other utilities running over the tunnel excavation with traditional methods is near impossible. To remove material in this area Bolander purchased a small conveyor system to speed up the process.

Xcel Energy – Chestnut Service Center

Project Details

Client: Knutson Construction
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Services:  Excavation, Building Demolition, Earth Retention, Site Utilities

Overview

In Fall of 2022, Knutson Construction award the Xcel Energy Chestnut Service Center to Bolander.  Our scopes of work include Building Demolition, Earth Retention, Excavation, & Site Utilities.  The sequence of our work needed to be structured in a manner to allow Xcel Energy to maintain its current operation at this facility.  This was a significant challenge due to the limited space on site.

This first phase of the project consisted of the partial demolition of the annex building and associated site work.  The annex building remodel had to be completed to allow Xcel to utilize this facility before the project could move on to the next phase of work.  Bolander & Knutson were able to deliver the remodeled annex building ahead of schedule.

We are now actively working on the final phase of the project.  This phase of work began with the demolition of the existing main office building.  This building had a footprint of over 80,000 square feet and was over 60 feet high in some areas making this one of the biggest building demolition projects in Bolander history!  Bolander safely brought this building down on schedule.  To remove the building foundation, we had to install a significant driven H-Pile & Lagging Earth Retention System in sequence with the building demolition.  Our Deep Foundations and Demolition personnel were able to work collectively to achieve this common goal.

After being awarded this project, we were informed that the soils on this project were contaminated.  Some of the areas on the site contained soils that contained hazardous levels of PCBs.  Thanks to training and certifications obtained by our Bolander team members, we were able to work with Xcel and Knutson Construction to safely export this material from the project.

This project is another fine example showcasing the multiple talents of the men and women of Bolander and what can be accomplished when we all work together!

Alter Dock Wall Refacing Phase 2

Project Details

Client: Alter Trading Corporation
Location: St. Paul, MN
Services:  Excavation, Deep Foundations, Site Utilities

Overview

Bolander was awarded the Alter Dock Wall Refacing Phase 2 project in late winter 2024. This infrastructure project focused on addressing the deterioration of the existing dock wall along the Mississippi River in St. Paul, MN. The scope of work included the installation of new sheet piling, timber bumpers, kevel bases, and storm sewer to replace the aging infrastructure. This upgrade was essential to ensure the dock wall’s structural integrity, as well as its ability to safely accommodate barge traffic and support operations at the recycling plant.

The project began with driving 400 linear feet of new sheet pile through the ice.  Following the sheet pile installation, the existing dock wall was excavated and removed.  To protect the newly installed dock wall from potential damage caused by barges, three rows of timber bumpers were installed along the face of the wall. New kevels were added to the structure, providing secure tie-off points for barges that will dock at the facility for loading and unloading. Additionally, a new storm sewer system was installed to ensure proper drainage.

The project timeline was exceptionally tight, with work beginning in late January 2025 and a critical deadline of April 2025 when barge traffic was scheduled to return to the area. The crews worked diligently in challenging conditions, to ensure that the dock wall was ready for use before barge operations resumed.

Bolander’s successful completion of the Alter Dock Wall Refacing Phase 2 project in St. Paul demonstrates the company’s expertise in handling complex infrastructure projects under challenging conditions. The upgraded dock wall now provides a more robust and reliable structure, supporting the operations of the recycling plant and ensuring that barge traffic can safely dock at the site for years to come. The project’s completion before the resumption of barge traffic showcases the team’s ability to meet demanding deadlines without compromising safety or quality.

Allianz Field

Project Details

Client: Mortenson
Location: St. Paul, MN
Services: Demolition, Earth Retention, Excavation, Deep Foundations, Site Utilities

Overview

Bolander is proud to be part of this landmark project that landed one of America’s finest soccer stadiums on a formally blighted St. Paul, MN parcel.  This remarkable urban revitalization presented numerous challenges to include soil remediation, discovery of abandoned structure and extensive connections to urban infrastructure.  Bolander stepped up to the accelerated schedule to support the creation of Allianz Field, the new home for Minnesota United in 2019.

Bolander provided the following work:

  • Mass excavation and export of over 250,000 CY of fill or silty soil
  • Import and placement of over 60,000 CY of clean sand
  • 240,000 SF of structural demolition
  • Temporary earth retention
  • Extensive groundwater management
  • Installation and tensioning of 124 structural anchors to resist uplift, up to 65’ deep
  • Stockholm soil tree trenches
  • Four storm water storage systems to include fused SRPE DuroMaxx
  • Two storm water lift stations linked to the City of St Paul management system
  • Fine grading and aggregates for approximately 23 acres

 

Hines North Loop Green III

Project Details

Client: Kraus-Anderson
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Services: Removals, Earth Retention, Excavation, Deep Foundations, Site Utilities

Overview

Located immediately to the northeast of Target Field, Hines/North Loop Green III is a bold project which showcases many of Bolander’s capabilities.

Poised to be a hub for mass transit, North Loop Green III sits adjacent to the Cedar Lake Trail, Northstar Rail Line, Minneapolis Bus Lines, and Light Rail. The building is 1 story below grade, has a residential and commercial tower, and connects to the 5th street bridge on the plaza level. The building footprint straddles the below grade waterway called the Bassett Creek Tunnel, which commanded caution and extreme attention when working in its vicinity.  Given the dense urban surroundings, the project had tight space constraints. The coordination of our work required constant communication with the general contractor. We ensured all requirements and scheduling constraints from surrounding neighbors and other subcontractors were being met. Making sure that we had minimal disturbance to any Target Field events was a priority on this project. These constraints required that Bolander be both efficient and flexible with our scheduling to best serve the project.

Bolander installed earth retention systems along the North, West, and South sides of the project. Our team used a variety of methods for each unique situation:

  • H-Pile and lagging retention
  • Cantilevered H-pile
  • Driven H-Pile
  • Drilled and Set H-pile
  • Fluted H-Pile
  • Tiebacks
  • Wales
  • Predrilled H-pile
  • Internally Braced retention
  • Slide rail system trench boxes

While excavating the site to the respective grades, Bolander safely disposed of nearly 20,000 tons of contaminated soil. There were multiple concerns with the existing soils on this site. Bolander was able to navigate the differing soil conditions by:

  • Providing a 3’ thick working pad to allow all contractors to efficiently move around the site during construction
  • Correcting soil in areas that had spread/pad footings with no deep foundations
  • Mass exporting onsite soils
  • Mass importing clean sand for the working pad and site backfill
  • Providing multiple access ramps to best facilitate the planned work on the project

With the excavation complete and the earth retention systems in place, our team began installing the deep foundation systems to support the 36-story tall North Loop Green. Bolander used multiple systems which satisfied all load requirements, including:

  • Driven H-Pile
  • Driven Pipe pile
  • Micropile
  • Drilled piers
  • Tension H-pile with rebar “candy canes”

While working in close vicinity of the Bassett Creek Tunnel, some deep foundation changes needed to be made to accommodate the depth and size of the existing waterway, as well as the differing site conditions.

Working concurrently with our foundation crews, the utility crews had their own solutions to the complex project requirements. In addition to standard utility services, our team installed a 96” Duromaxx storm sewer retention system and a JellyFish storm water pretreatment structure. The utility work required a variety of installation methods to overcome many challenges:

  • Jack and bore pipe installation for a deep sanitary connection
  • Rock hammering/trenching
  • Existing utility support
  • Open excavation installation
  • Temporary storm sewer reroute
  • Making multiple connections to an existing concrete-encased watermain

Although there wasn’t an existing building to demolish, our demolition crew still had a unique job to do. Along with other entrances at ground level, North Loop Green features an entryway from the 5th St. bridge directly across from Target Field. Our demolition crew removed the crash wall and sidewalk from the portion of the bridge that connects to the new NLG III plaza. The bridge removals required the skill and experience of our demolition crew to figure out the best way to complete these removals without damaging the existing bridge deck. The demolition work included:

  • Salvaging the existing fence
  • Saw cutting multiple relief cuts for the sidewalk
  • Using the proper equipment to remove the concrete without damaging the existing bridge deck
  • Intensive traffic/pedestrian control coordination to accommodate Target Field events

As Kraus-Anderson and other contractors work on constructing the building and its 450 apartments and over 350,000 square feet of commercial and office space, Bolander will complete the finish grading on over an acre of green space.

We are extremely thankful to our valued customer Kraus-Anderson Construction who chose to rely on the talented men and women of Bolander to deliver this major project!

Abbott Northwestern Central Utility Plant

Project Details

Client: JE Dunn
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Services: Building Demolition, Earth Retention, Excavation, Site Utilities

Overview

In the spring of 2021, JE Dunn awarded Bolander the site work construction for the Abbott Northwestern Central Utility project. Once awarded, we worked closely with the client on the high-level planning required to execute this complicated project. Bolander’s work consists of Building Demolition, Earth Retention, Excavation & Site Utilities.

Located on the corner of Chicago Avenue and East 26th Street, the new Central Utility Plant will replace the hospital’s outdated energy and steam-producing equipment with more reliable and energy-efficient technology. The hospital currently relies on steam and energy equipment dating back to 1956.

The project started with the demolition of the existing Harriet Walker and the Education buildings. Standing 6-Stories tall, the Harriet Walker building was a perfect opportunity to utilize the Liebherr R960 High-Reach Demolition Excavator. This machine has multiple configurations and the ability to reach 108’!

The Earth Retention portion of our work includes drill & set H-Pile and lagging, tie-backs, internal bracing, as well as soil solidification. Given the proximity to existing structures that are to remain intact as well as active medical facilities, vibration was a significant concern. Bolander worked with our engineering consultant to develop a plan to alleviate these concerns.

This project shows our ability to coordinate and collaborate with the general contractor as well as the other project partners and stakeholders.

Mayo Kellen Research

Project Details

Client: Knutson Construction
Location: Rochester, MN
Services: Earth Retention, Excavation, Site Utilities

Overview

Bolander was selected by Knutson Construction to perform the site construction for the Kellen Research project in the Spring of 2021. Our work was headed up by Bolander’s Rochester Division.

Once complete, the Kellen Research Building will be 11 stories and 176,000 Square Feet. The project is located at the intersection of Third Street SW & Fourth Avenue SW with connections to Mayo Clinic’s Opus and Baldwin buildings.

The most technical aspect of this project was creating a deep excavation for the new foundation immediately adjacent to the existing Opus Building and City streets on two sides of the proposed building.

To achieve the required excavation depths, Bolander worked with Braun Intertec to develop an earth retention system which was composed of H-Piling/Timber Lagging, Tie-Backs, and Shotcrete.

Due to the concern of any vibrations that could result in damage to the adjacent structure, Bolander installed the H-Piling using a Drill & Set method. Other than the installation of the earth retention system, Bolander’s work consisted of Excavation, Drilled Foundation Piers & Site Utilities.

This project was a prime example to demonstrate Bolander’s ability to seamlessly combine our multiple disciplines together and deliver a quality product to our clients.

Minneapolis Bus Garage

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Project Details

Client: Knutson Construction
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Services: Building Demolition, Earth Retention, Excavation, Site Utilities

Overview

With 3,055 driven piling – equal to around 63 miles of pipe – the Minneapolis Bus Garage is the largest driven piling project in Bolander’s history! To meet the strict pile batter specifications, Bolander made a capital investment purchasing a crane-mounted fixed leads system with GPS technology; we are the first company in Minnesota to own and operate this piece of equipment.

Fixed leads increase pile driving productivity by minimizing the movement of the crane, decreasing the time spent placing the pile under the hammer, and monitoring pile depth and plumbness in real time.

The new 550,000-square-foot garage is planned for an 11-acre site northwest of Target Field adjacent to the existing Heywood garage and Metro Transit’s headquarters. This facility is integral to the Met Council’s transit plan and has been designed to store and maintain 216 long rapid electrical buses – improving the accessibility of public transportation in the metro area.

RBC Gateway Tower

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Project Details

Client: McGough Construction
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Services: Building Demolition, Earth Retention, Excavation, Site Utilities

Overview

The 37-story Gateway Tower has been a masterful display of Bolander’s dominance in the Twin Cities urban construction market.  This project utilized our full suite of capabilities and construction services to deliver the 55-ft deep excavation.

The project began with the installation of an H-Pile earth retention system followed quickly by the removal of over 130,000 cubic yards of rock and soil and the installation of 113 drilled piers extending an additional 48-ft deeper into rock.  To minimize disruption to the heavily trafficked Hennepin Avenue corridor, pipe jacking was elected as the least invasive way to connect site utilities into the city’s infrastructure.

“Extensive logistical planning was necessary to execute this project properly,” said Senior Project Manager John Caroon, “In addition to coordinating our work with other trades we also had to consider the city’s plans for the reconstruction of Hennepin Avenue and an adjacent tower, 270 Hennepin.”

The 22-story tower, 270 Hennepin, also became a Bolander project marking 2019 as the year Bolander teamed to change the skyline.