Berkman

Project Details

Client: Weis Builders Inc
Location: Rochester, MN
Services: Earthwork, Utilities

Overview

The Berkman Apartments, located directly across from Mayo Clinic’s Saint Mary’s Hospital, is constructed over one of the most geotechnically challenging sites in Minnesota. Bolander worked hand-in-hand with Alatus, Weis Builders and Braun Intertec to develop and implement adaptable deep foundation methods to support the 14-story concrete structure.

Braun, relying on their extensive experience in this region, recommended alternating between cased micropiles and drilled piers.  Micropiles were used in areas of weak soils and/or voids and drilled piers could be utilized on competent bedrock. To bring order to highly unpredictable karst subsurface conditions, Bolander developed a flow chart that accelerated the team decision making process when soft soils or voids were encountered.  Further, Bolander provided schedule and cost saving solutions by fabricating a custom drill rig to quickly discover and evaluate voids before foundations were drilled.

Micropile drilling was challenging and unpredictable with depths as shallow as 50-ft and as deep as 120-ft.  Drill pier foundations were drilled through 35-ft of competent bedrock.

Foundations By the Numbers:

  • DTH Micropile: 256-Each (13,879-LF)
  • Drilled Piers: 130-Each (3-ft to 8-ft Diameter)

Heart of the City

Project Details

Client: Kraus Anderson
Location: Rochester, MN
Services: Building Demolition, Earth Retention, Excavation, Site Utilities

Overview

Heart of the City, true to its name, is nestled between the Mayo Clinic, and Rochester’s flagship hotels, and restaurants.  Given the sensitive nature of this project the city of Rochester and Destination Medical Center entrusted Bolander with a Best Value contract to deliver their vision while limiting the impact on Mayo Clinic patient traffic and patrons of surrounding businesses.

In pursuit of this challenging work, Bolander proposed a plan that would maintain water and sanitary services to businesses throughout the duration of the project.  This plan maximized passive flow bypasses, quiet electrical pumps and buried temporary water services to separate the business operations from our below grade reconstruct of the city’s utility infrastructure.  Always pushing to innovate, Bolander utilized a Rock Trenching machine to trench 600-ft of soil and rock in depths in excess of 19-ft.

The project has also become the heart of our company’s Rochester operations.  Currently the project is home to our new Rochester utility crew led by Shawn Erlanson and employs three quarters of our total Rochester workforce.  Thanks to our hard-working crews putting in long hours we are expecting to substantially complete this project one month ahead of schedule.

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.